ABSTRACT
In this study, we investigated where the sex differences of object-location binding memory performance were influenced by the cognitive load. We used the fractal objects version of the ‘What was where?’ task to measure object memory, location memory and objection-location binding memory. Cognitive load was controlled by task difficulty presented two sessions: one session randomly displayed three or four fractal objects (Session 34) and the other session four or five objects (Session 45). The results showed that females outperformed males on object-location binding memory. Interestingly, even when the four object trials were compared between Session 34 and Session 45, in which we believed that the level of difficulty was similar while cognitive load varied, the swap error of males was significantly increased in Session 45 compared to females. In conclusion, there may be sex differences in object-location binding memory and the males could be more sensitive about the cognitive load than females.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Male , Fractals , Memory , Sex CharacteristicsABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the cognitive behavioral characteristic longitudinally of the patients after subcortical infarction engaged in feature and binding working memory tasks.Methods The behavioral performances were recorded from 28 patients after subcortical infarction at the 1 st week (W1),3 rd moth (M3) and 6th month (M6) while performing color,location,and color-location binding delayed match-to-sample working memory task.25 healthy volunteers(controls) were investigated once using the same task protocol during the study period.Computer recorded the behavior reaction time and accuracy.Single factor variant analysis of repeated measurement was adopted.Results The accuracy of three memory tasks of M3 ((64.92 ± 5.47) ％ ; (92.88 ± 2.98) ％ ;(82.35 ±7.44)％) was improved than that of W1 ((61.06 ±7.78)％; (90.59 ±2.95)％; (77.06 ±5.58) ％) and the difference had statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).But the reaction time of M3 ((868.31 ±118.91)ms; (833.37 ± 120.99) ms; (918.72 ± 101.28) ms) was shortened than that of W1 ((914.02 ±110.53) ms; (859.89 ± 139.94) ms; (1150.17 ± 92.02) ms) and the difference also had statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).In the location-memory task,the correct rate of M6 ((93.91 ± 2.86) ％) was improved than that of M3 ((92.88 ± 2.98) ％) and the reaction time of M6 ((813.24 ± 119.54) ms) was shortened than M3 ((833.37 ±120.99) ms).M6 and M3 to be compared in the color memory task,the correct rate ((64.50 ± 4.49) ％ ; (64.92 ± 5.47) ％) and the reaction time ((866.47 ± 123.87) ms; (868.31 ± 118.91) ms) had no significant difference (P ＜ 0.05).But in the color-location binding task,the correct rate of M6 ((78.49 ± 7.85) ％) and M3 ((82.35 ± 7.44)％) to be compared had significant decreased nearly the level ((77.06 ± 5.58)％) of the stroke beginning.All behavioral performances of patients were worse than that of control subjects except the compare result of location-memory task in M6((93.91 ± 2.86) ％ ; (813.24 ± 119.54) ms).Conclusion Feature memory and binding memory had been damaged in different degrees in the patient after subcortical infarction.The binding memory had the secondary damage what might be related to the secondary nerve fiber degeneration after infarction.