ETIOLOGIC VARIATION IN THE AMNESIC SYNDROME - COMPARISONS USING THE LIST DISCRIMINATION TASK

In this study, the performance of amnesic patients with presumed tempo ral lobe damage was compared with that of patients with presumed dienc ephalic damage using the temporal list discrimination task. The two pa tient groups performed similarly on a measure of recognition, but the diencephalic group was impaired relative to the temporal lobe group on a measure of temporal discrimination. Discrimination performance in t he temporal lobe group was significantly correlated with recognition m emory. The data are interpreted as showing a qualitative difference in the form of amnesia arising from damage centred on the medial tempora l lobes compared with that centred on the midline diencephalon.