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. 2007 Mar;35(1):378-95.
doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2006.11.023. Epub 2007 Jan 3.

The worth of pictures: using high density event-related potentials to understand the memorial power of pictures and the dynamics of recognition memory

Brandon A Ally  1 , Andrew E Budson
Affiliations

The worth of pictures: using high density event-related potentials to understand the memorial power of pictures and the dynamics of recognition memory

Brandon A Ally et al. Neuroimage. 2007 Mar.

Abstract

To understand the neural correlates of the memorial power of pictures, pictures and words were systematically varied at study and test within subjects, and high-density event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded at retrieval. Using both conventional and novel methods, the results were presented as ERP waveforms, 50 ms scalp topographies, and video clips, and analyzed using t-statistic topographic maps and nonparametric p-value maps. The authors found that a parietally-based ERP component was enhanced when pictures were presented at study or test, compared to when words were presented. An early frontally-based component was enhanced when words were presented at study compared to pictures. From these data the authors speculate that the memorial power of pictures is related to the ability of pictures to enhance recollection. Familiarity, by contrast, was enhanced when words were presented at study compared to pictures. From these results and the dynamic view of memory afforded by viewing the data as video clips, the authors propose an ERP model of recognition memory.

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Figures

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Positions of the 128 electrodes on the Bio-Semi ActiveTwo headcap with the eight regions of interest shown.
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Grand average hit and correct rejection ERP waveforms for the match and nonmatch conditions for the eight regions of interest.
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Grand average hit and correct rejection ERP waveforms for the study modality conditions for the eight regions of interest.
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Grand average hit and correct rejection ERP waveforms for the test modality conditions for the eight regions of interest.
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Topographic maps displaying the significance levels of t-test comparisons [t(16)] between old/new difference waves for each condition, for each region of interest during the three time intervals of interest.
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Old/New scalp topography maps for each of the individual phases and experimental conditions. Topographies are presented in 50 ms averages going forward.
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Old/New scalp topography maps for each of the individual phases and experimental conditions. Topographies are presented in 50 ms averages going forward.
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Topographic p-value maps created by the nonparametric permutation test. Topographies are presented in 50 ms averages going forward.
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Proposed ERP model of recognition memory.
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