TY - JOUR
T1 - Ventromedial prefrontal cortex is necessary for normal associative inference and memory integration
AU - Spalding, Kelsey N.
AU - Schlichting, Margaret L.
AU - Zeithamova, Dagmar
AU - Preston, Alison R.
AU - Tranel, Daniel
AU - Duff, Melissa C.
AU - Warren, David E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 the authors.
PY - 2018/4/11
Y1 - 2018/4/11
N2 - The ability to flexibly combine existing knowledge in response to novel circumstances is highly adaptive. However, the neural correlates of flexible associative inference are not well characterized. Laboratory tests of associative inference have measured memory for overlapping pairs of studied items (e.g., AB, BC) and for nonstudied pairs with common associates (i.e., AC). Findings from functional neuroimaging and neuropsychology suggest the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) may be necessary for associative inference. Here, we used a neuropsychological approach to test the necessity of vmPFC for successful memory-guided associative inference in humans using an overlapping pairs associative memory task. We predicted that individuals with focal vmPFC damage (n = 5; 3F, 2M) would show impaired inferential memory but intact non-inferential memory. Performance was compared with normal comparison participants (n = 10; 6F, 4M). Participants studied pairs of visually presented objects including overlapping pairs (AB, BC) and nonoverlapping pairs (XY). Participants later completed a three-alternative forced-choice recognition task for studied pairs (AB, BC, XY) and inference pairs (AC). As predicted, the vmPFC group had intact memory for studied pairs but significantly impaired memory for inferential pairs. These results areconsistentwiththeperspectivethatthevmPFCisnecessaryformemory-guidedassociativeinference,indicating that the vm PFC is critical for adaptive abilities that require application of existing knowledge to novel circumstances. Additionally, vm PFC damage was associated with unexpectedly reduced memory for AB pairs post-inference, which could potentially reflect retroactive interference. Together, these results reinforce an emerging understanding of a role for the vmPFC in brain networks supporting associative memory processes.
AB - The ability to flexibly combine existing knowledge in response to novel circumstances is highly adaptive. However, the neural correlates of flexible associative inference are not well characterized. Laboratory tests of associative inference have measured memory for overlapping pairs of studied items (e.g., AB, BC) and for nonstudied pairs with common associates (i.e., AC). Findings from functional neuroimaging and neuropsychology suggest the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) may be necessary for associative inference. Here, we used a neuropsychological approach to test the necessity of vmPFC for successful memory-guided associative inference in humans using an overlapping pairs associative memory task. We predicted that individuals with focal vmPFC damage (n = 5; 3F, 2M) would show impaired inferential memory but intact non-inferential memory. Performance was compared with normal comparison participants (n = 10; 6F, 4M). Participants studied pairs of visually presented objects including overlapping pairs (AB, BC) and nonoverlapping pairs (XY). Participants later completed a three-alternative forced-choice recognition task for studied pairs (AB, BC, XY) and inference pairs (AC). As predicted, the vmPFC group had intact memory for studied pairs but significantly impaired memory for inferential pairs. These results areconsistentwiththeperspectivethatthevmPFCisnecessaryformemory-guidedassociativeinference,indicating that the vm PFC is critical for adaptive abilities that require application of existing knowledge to novel circumstances. Additionally, vm PFC damage was associated with unexpectedly reduced memory for AB pairs post-inference, which could potentially reflect retroactive interference. Together, these results reinforce an emerging understanding of a role for the vmPFC in brain networks supporting associative memory processes.
KW - Associative inference
KW - Lesion
KW - Memory integration
KW - Memory systems
KW - Ventromedial prefrontal cortex
KW - VmPFC
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U2 - 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2501-17.2018
DO - 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2501-17.2018
M3 - Article
C2 - 29555854
AN - SCOPUS:85049302252
SN - 0270-6474
VL - 38
SP - 3767
EP - 3775
JO - Journal of Neuroscience
JF - Journal of Neuroscience
IS - 15
ER -