Episodic memory in transient global amnesia: encoding, storage, or retrieval deficit?
- Francis Eustachea,
- Béatrice Desgrangesa,
- Peggy Lavillea,
- Bérengère Guillerya,
- Catherine Lalevéea,
- Stéphane Schaeffera,
- Vincent de la Sayettea,
- Serge Iglesiasa,
- Jean-Claude Baronb,
- Fausto Viadera
- aINSERM U320 and Services de Neurologie, CHU Côte de Nane, 14033 Caen Cedex, France, bINSERM U320, Centre Cycéron, Boulevard Becquerel, BP 5229, 14074 Caen, France
- Professor Francis Eustache, INSERM U 320, Services de Neurologie, CHU Côte de Nacre, 14033 Caen Cedex, France.
- Received 30 December 1997
- Revised 14 July 1998
- Accepted 3 August 1998
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess episodic memory (especially anterograde amnesia) during the acute phase of transient global amnesia to differentiate an encoding, a storage, or a retrieval deficit.
METHODS In three patients, whose amnestic episode fulfilled all current criteria for transient global amnesia, a neuropsychological protocol was administered which included a word learning task derived from the Grober and Buschke’s procedure.
RESULTS In one patient, the results suggested an encoding deficit, and in two others, a storage deficit.
CONCLUSIONS The encoding/storage impairment concerning anterograde amnesia documented in our patients stands in clear contrast with the impairment in retrieval which must underly the retrograde amnesia that also characterises transient global amnesia. This dissociation in turn favours the idea of a functional independence among the cognitive mechanisms that subserve episodic memory.
