In the case study of H.M., what was the key finding regarding his memory after bilateral medial temporal lobectomy?

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

To address the prompt, let's first restate the scenario and the available choices so we can compare them clearly.
Question: In the case study of H.M., what was the key finding regarding his memory after bilateral medial temporal lobectomy?
Options:
1) He lost all types of memory function, including working and semantic memory
2) He gained enhanced ability to form new memories but lost previous memories
3) He retained semantic memory but couldn't form new episodic memories after surgery
4) He maintained episodic memory but experienced severe semantic memory loss

Now, evaluating each option one by one:
Option 1: 'He lost all types of memory function, including working and semantic memory.' This is inaccurate because HM retained certain memory systems. In particular, his semantic memory (general knowledge) remained largely intact, and he could learn some non-declarative skills, even though his explicit episodic memory was severely impaired. Therefore, claiming a complete loss of all memory functions mischaracterizes the pattern observed in HM.
Option 2: 'He gained enhanced ability to form new memories but lost previous memories.' This directly contradicts the documented outcome. HM did not gain better memory capacity; rather, he showed profound difficulty forming new declarative memories (anterograde amnesia) while his previously learned information and skills were not uniformly erased, and he did not exhibit a general loss of all previous memories in the way this option suggests. The idea of enhanced formation is unsupported and incorrect.
Option 3: 'He retained semantic memory but couldn't form new episodic memories after surgery.' This option aligns with the canonical findings: HM retained semantic memory (broader knowledge and factual information) but showed a severe impairment in forming new episodic memories (events and personal experiences) after the surgery. The dissociation between intact semantic memory and impaired episodic memory is the hallmark of HM’s memory profile.
Option 4: 'He maintained episodic memory but experienced severe semantic memory loss.' This is opposite to the established case: HM did not maintain episodic memory; he had profound episodic memory impairment. Semantic memory was relatively preserved, so this option misattributes the observed pattern.

In summary, the key diagnostic pattern from HM’s case is the selective impairment of forming new episodic memories (anterograde amnesia) with preserved semantic memory, along with preserved some other memory functions outside the explicit episodic domain. The remaining options either overstate memory loss, claim inappropriate improvements, or reverse which memory systems were affected, each reflecting a common misconception about memory systems and their localization.

PSC 135 001 SQ 2025 Lecture 23: Long-term Memory II

In the case study of H.M., what was the key finding regarding his memory after bilateral medial temporal lobectomy?

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