Question

(LTM)An amnesiac is unable to form new long term memories. However she is able to learn new skills and get better at them without having remembered doing them previously. She can also repeat back digits she has just learned for about ten minutes but later will not remember having done the task. Which of the following is true about this patient?

A. The patient has preserved working memory, has preserved implicit long term memories but has an impairment of explicit memory.
B. The patient has preserved working memory, and has preserved implicit and explicit memory.
C. The patient has an impairment of working memory, has preserved explicit long term memory but has an impairment of implicit memory
D. The patient has preserved working memory, has preserved explicit long term memory but has an impairment of implicit memory.

Answer 1

The patient has preserved working memory, has preserved explicit long-term memory, but has an impairment of implicit memory (option d).

Step-by-step explanation:

The scenario describes a condition where the individual exhibits an inability to form new long-term memories (explicit memory) while showing preserved ability in learning new skills and improving at them (implicit memory). The patient's capability to repeat back digits immediately but being unable to recall them later suggests preserved working memory, a component of short-term memory involved in temporarily storing and manipulating information.

Implicit memory refers to the unconscious memory of skills or procedures that can be demonstrated without conscious recollection. The patient's ability to learn new skills and improve without explicit memory of the task signifies preserved implicit memory.

However, the inability to form new long-term memories indicates an impairment in explicit or declarative memory, which involves conscious recollection of past events or information. The patient cannot retain information beyond a short period, suggesting a deficit in the ability to encode and store new memories for long-term recall.

Therefore, the patient in this scenario has preserved working memory, preserved explicit long-term memory impairment, but an impairment in implicit memory (option d).