Word retrieval process uses phonemic cues in memory-impaired epilepsy analyzed by Rey's auditory verbal learning test

Abstract

This study investigated what kinds of phonemic strategies memory-impaired patients with diagnoses such as frontal lobe epilepsy compared to the strategies healthy people use in order to memorize and retrieve words in the aspects of Rey's Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT). This Auditory Verbal Learning Test is widely used in the field of clinical and neuropsychological assessments to examine word learning and memory. This test has two stages: A list of 16 unrelated, concrete nouns is presented over five learning trials with immediate recall tested following each presentation. After a delay interval of 30 minutes with no further presentations of the list, delayed recall is assessed. The number of words correctly recalled is commonly adopted as quantitative information in clinical assessment. After the tests, participants are asked what kinds of strategies they used to memorize the words in terms of examining the process of decoding, recall and retrieval. Spontaneous memorization strategies used by memory-impaired patients are visual-oriented and episode-making, whereas the most healthy people use the method of grouping a few words as one chunk. Contrary to self-monitoring strategies, especially among the epilepsy patients, phonemic cues are unconsciously used to retrieve the words. The implication on the function of different brain areas activated between patients and healthy people will also be discussed.