Left prefrontal cortex control of novel occurrences during recollection: A psychopharmacological study using scopolamine and event-related fMRI

M. Bozzali, S. E. MacPherson, R. J. Dolan, T. Shallice

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Recollection and familiarity represent two processes involved in episodic memory retrieval. We investigated how scopolamine (an antagonist of acetylcholine muscarinic receptors) influenced brain activity during memory retrieval, using a paradigm that separated recollection and familiarity. Eighteen healthy volunteers were recruited in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind design using event-related fMRI. Participants were required to perform a verbal recognition memory task within the scanner, either under placebo or scopolamine conditions. Depending on the subcondition, participants were required to make a simple recognition decision (old/new items) or base their decision on more specific information related to prior experience (target/non-target/new items). We show a drug modulation in left prefrontal and perirhinal cortex during recollection. Such an effect was specifically driven by novelty and showed an inverse correlation with accuracy performance. Additionally, we show a direct correlation between drug-related signal change in left prefrontal and perirhinal cortices. We discuss the findings in terms of acetylcholine mediation of the familiarity/novelty signal through perirhinal cortex and the control of the relative signal strength through prefrontal cortex. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)286-295
Number of pages10
JournalNeuroImage
Volume33
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Oct 2006

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • fMRI
  • scopolamine
  • episodic memory
  • recollection
  • familiarity
  • ANTERIOR COMMUNICATING ARTERY
  • EPISODIC MEMORY RETRIEVAL
  • RECOGNITION MEMORY
  • MONITORING HYPOTHESIS
  • FAMILIARITY
  • AMNESIA
  • CONFABULATION
  • HIPPOCAMPAL
  • ANEURYSM
  • LESIONS

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