Memory, amnesia, and frontal lobe dysfunction

Abstract

Lesions restricted to the frontal lobes do not ordinarily produce an amnesic syndrome in man. However, recent research has demonstrated that amnesic patients who are characterized by signs of frontal lobe pathology show patterns of memory performance that are different from those shown by amnesic patients without frontal signs. This article reviews evidence concerning the influence of frontal lobe pathology on amnesic disorders, discusses different interpretations of this evidence, and draws on research from human and animal neuropsychology as well as cognitive psychology in an attempt to clarify the role of frontal damage in the amnesic syndrome. © 1987, Psychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.