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Review
. 2009 Feb;91(2):139-54.
doi: 10.1016/j.nlm.2008.10.011. Epub 2008 Dec 11.

Posterior parietal cortex and episodic encoding: insights from fMRI subsequent memory effects and dual-attention theory

Melina R Uncapher  1 , Anthony D Wagner
Affiliations
Review

Posterior parietal cortex and episodic encoding: insights from fMRI subsequent memory effects and dual-attention theory

Melina R Uncapher et al. Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2009 Feb.

Abstract

The formation of episodic memories--memories for life events--is affected by attention during event processing. A leading neurobiological model of attention posits two separate yet interacting systems that depend on distinct regions in lateral posterior parietal cortex (PPC). From this dual-attention perspective, dorsal PPC is thought to support the goal-directed allocation of attention, whereas ventral PPC is thought to support reflexive orienting to information that automatically captures attention. To advance understanding of how parietal mechanisms may impact event encoding, we review functional MRI studies that document the relationship between lateral PPC activation during encoding and subsequent memory performance (e.g., later remembering or forgetting). This review reveals that (a) encoding-related activity is frequently observed in human lateral PPC, (b) increased activation in dorsal PPC is associated with later memory success, and (c) increased activation in ventral PPC predominantly correlates with later memory failure. From a dual-attention perspective, these findings suggest that allocating goal-directed attention during event processing increases the probability that the event will be remembered later, whereas the capture of reflexive attention during event processing may have negative consequences for event encoding. The prevalence of encoding-related activation in parietal cortex suggests that neurobiological models of episodic memory should consider how parietal-mediated attentional mechanisms regulate encoding.

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Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Posterior Parietal Anatomy
Lateral posterior parietal cortex (PPC) is segregated into dorsal and ventral regions by the intraparietal sulcus (IPS). Dorsal regions include superior parietal lobe (SPL) and IPS, and ventral regions include aspects of inferior parietal lobe (IPL), namely supramarginal gyrus (SMG), temporoparietal junction (TPJ), and angular gyrus (AnG). Borders are drawn from projected borders of PALS-B12 fiducial atlas (Caret; Van Essen, 2005).
Fig 2
Fig 2. Subsequent memory procedure
Neural correlates of memory formation are investigated by recording the hemodynamic response (using event-related fMRI) elicited by individual study items, and classifying each response according to the mnemonic fate of the eliciting item (remembered or forgotten). Responses can correlate positively (remembered > forgotten; positive subsequent memory effects) or negatively (forgotten > remembered; negative subsequent memory effects) with later memory. Positive subsequent memory effect depicted from Uncapher, Otten, Rugg (2006), negative effect depicted from Wagner & Davachi (2001).
Fig 3
Fig 3. Positive and negative subsequent memory effects
Effects are segregated according to whether they correlate positively or negatively with later memory success.
Fig 4
Fig 4. Retention Interval
Positive and negative subsequent memory effects segregated according to whether the interval between study and test was short or long.
Fig 5
Fig 5. Study material and task
Subsequent memory effects segregated according to whether A)study items were words or images, and B) items were studied under a verbal, semantic, or spatial orienting task. Given low sample sizes for negative effects, only positive effects are displayed.
Fig 6
Fig 6. Memory classification
Subsequent memory effects segregated according to the associated memory classification: undifferentiated recognition, familiarity, high confidence recognition, source retrieval, recollection or recall. Given low sample sizes for negative effects, only positive effects are displayed.
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