Study finds key brain areas for word memory affected

Researchers at UCL have identified brain areas important for word memory in people with epilepsy. Their study, published in Brain Communications, focuses on how these areas are affected by temporal lobe epilepsy, a common type of epilepsy. The team found that shrinkage in specific brain regions, including the prefrontal, temporal, and cingulate cortices, as well as the hippocampus, is connected to difficulties in remembering words. This highlights the complex network involved in creating and storing word memories across different parts of the brain. The findings aim to improve surgical treatment for epilepsy patients. Surgeons can use this information to avoid damaging areas crucial for language and memory during operations. Professor John Duncan emphasized the importance of understanding which brain areas are essential for memory, especially for patients who do not respond well to medication. The study analyzed 84 individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy and 43 healthy participants. The researchers used high-resolution MRI scans to examine the sizes of brain areas responsible for thinking and memory, comparing them to standardized verbal memory tests from participants. They discovered that smaller brain areas in those with epilepsy were linked to poorer word recall. Dr. Giorgio Fiore, the lead author, stated that this research is vital in helping understand memory failures and could influence future neurosurgical practices to protect memory function. The study was funded by Epilepsy Research UK and supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre.