MEMORY AND FRONTAL-LOBE DYSFUNCTION IN MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS

The characteristics of memory disturbance in multiple sclerosis (MS) a re briefly reviewed and the interactions of conceptual and memory dysf unction in MS are considered. Although conceptual functions such as ab straction and problem solving traditionally have been considered to be frontal lobe functions, there is now convincing evidence from studies of patients with focal brain lesions that these capacities are not lo calized to the frontal lobes. Thus, the concept of frontal lobe dysfun ction in MS is without empirical support. Nevertheless, studies examin ing the relationship between memory and conceptual impairment in MS ha ve value for both basic and clinical neuroscience.