Final answer:
Patient H. M. retained his procedural memory after undergoing a bilateral lobectomy, which allowed him to learn and improve at tasks despite his anterograde amnesia. the correct option is (a)
Step-by-step explanation:
H. M. (Henry Molaison):
H. M. was a patient who underwent bilateral medial temporal lobe resection to treat severe epilepsy.
Following the surgery, H. M. experienced profound anterograde amnesia, meaning he could not form new declarative memories (memory for facts and events).
Procedural Memory:
Procedural memory is a type of implicit memory responsible for learning and remembering skills, habits, and motor actions.
Despite H. M.'s inability to form new declarative memories, he retained the ability to learn and remember procedural tasks.
Options:
a. Procedural memory: Correct. H. M. retained procedural memory despite his anterograde amnesia.
b. Semantic memory: Semantic memory is a type of declarative memory related to general knowledge and facts. H. M. had difficulties forming new semantic memories.
c. Episodic memory: Episodic memory involves recalling personal experiences. H. M. had a significant impairment in forming new episodic memories.
d. Declarative memory: While procedural memory is a subset of declarative memory, the term "declarative memory" is often used more broadly to include semantic and episodic memory. H. M. had impaired declarative memory overall.
H. M. retained procedural memory despite losing the ability to form new declarative memories.