Temporal Lobe Activation Predicts Episodic Memory Following Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

The temporal lobes are critical for episodic memories and are preferentially affected following a traumatic brain injury (TBI). As such, episodic memory difficulties are common following TBI; however, the underlying neural changes that precipitate or maintain these difficulties in the early phase of recovery remains poorly understood. Here, we use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to interrogate the relationship of temporal lobe activation in response to face, scene, and animal stimuli. Twenty-five patients with moderate to severe TBI were recruited an average of 2 months post-injury and compared with 21 demographically similar healthy controls. Findings indicate that memory for faces was preferentially impaired, compared to scene and animal stimuli. Decreased activity in temporal lobe structures was present for both face (right transverse temporal gyrus) and scene stimuli (right fusiform gyrus), but not for animals. Greater activation in these structures was associated with better long-term recognition. These findings provide evidence to suggest that TBI: a) preferentially affects memory for complex stimuli such as faces and scenes, and b) causes aberrant neuronal processes despite lack of evidence of significant impairment in behavioural performance. The mechanisms underpinning these findings are discussed in terms of differences in strategy use and reduced neural efficiency.