Directed forgetting: an ERP research on postgraduate / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate neural correlates of directed forgetting. Methods ERP was recorded from 12 healthy postgraduates while they performed a directed forgetting task based on the item-cueing method. During the study phase, each word was followed by a cue indicated that it need to be remembered, to be forgotten or just to be viewed. During the test phase, subjects were asked to make an old/new recognition response. One-way ANOVA of repeated-measurement and paired comparisons were carried out for the cue factor. Results Both of the accuracy and reaction time of the TBR group were significantly superior to those of the other two groups. No significant behavioral effect was found between the TBF group and the TBV group. In the study phase, statistical parametric mapping of ERP suggested the cue effects were presented in the frontal poles ( 200～300 ms ) and the parietal regions (300～400 ms) ,the left fronto-parietal and the right occipital region (450～700 ms). The difference between the TBF and the TBV was significant in the left parietal area (500～525 ms) and has the significant trend in the right frontal area ( 350～600 ms). In the retrieval phase, the old/new effects of ERP occurred in the left fro-nto-temporal (300～450 ms) for the TBF cue. Conclusions The TBF cue and the TBV cue have the equivalent behavioral performance. During the study period, the activation of the right frontal lobe and the left parietal suggests the active inhibition evoked by the TBF cue. And the TBR cue can enhance the rehearsal function of left hemisphere and improve the memory performance of words. The retrieval of the items of TBF is based on more familiarity and less recollection.