Dissociating memory retrieval processes using fMRI: Evidence that priming does not support recognition memory

We employed event-related fMRI to constrain cognitive accounts of memory re trieval. Studies of explicit retrieval reveal that lateral and medial parie tal, dorsal middle frontal gyrus, and anterior prefrontal cortex respond mo re for studied than new words, reflecting a correlate of "retrieval success ." Studies of implicit memory suggest left temporal cortex, ventral and dor sal inferior frontal gyrus respond less for studied than new words, reflect ing a correlate of "conceptual priming." In the present study, responses fo r old and new items were compared during performance on explicit recognitio n (old/new judgement) and semantic (abstract/concrete judgement) tasks. Reg ions associated with priming were only modulated during the semantic task, whereas regions associated with retrieval success were modulated during bot h tasks. These findings constrain functional-anatomic accounts of the netwo rks, suggesting that processes associated with priming do not support expli cit recognition judgments.