Visual statistical learning deficits in memory-impaired individuals.

Visual statistical learning deficits in memory-impaired individuals.
Neurocase. 2019 Feb 22;:1-7
Authors: Cerreta AGB, Vickery TJ, Berryhill ME
Abstract
Visual statistical learning (VSL) refers to the learning of environmental regularities. Classically considered an implicit process, one patient with isolated hippocampal damage is severely impaired at VSL tasks, suggesting involvement of explicit memory. Here, we asked whether memory impairment (MI) alone, absent of clear hippocampal pathology, predicted deficits across different VSL tasks. A classic VSL task revealed no learning in MI participants (Exp. 1), while imposing attentional demands (Exp. 2: flicker detection, Exp. 3: gender/location categorization) during familiarization revealed modest residual VSL. MI with nonspecific neural correlates predicted impaired VSL overall, but attentional processes may be harnessed for rehabilitation.
PMID: 30794056 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Neurocase - February 22, 2019 Category: Neurology Authors: Cerreta AGB, Vickery TJ, Berryhill ME Tags: Neurocase Source Type: research