Recognition memory and memory for order in script-based stories following frontal lobe excisions

Abstract

Memory for stories was investigated in 25 patients with frontal lobe excisions and 25 control subjects. The subjects were presented with three different story types that either conformed to a well-known script, contained the same elements as a script but in a randomised order, or described a novel event. Subjects were asked to perform a test of recognition memory and memory for order on words presented in each story. The frontal lobe patients were unimpaired on the recognition memory test for salient words taken from each story. However, an impairment was observed in the frontal patients when they were asked to order the words taken from the novel story only. This deficit was no longer seen when the subjects were required to order sentences describing the key events in the story. These findings help to elucidate the role of the frontal lobes in memory for order information.