Forgetting Names? Blame Your Rostral Left Temporal Lobe

Forgetting Names? Blame Your Rostral Left Temporal Lobe

ST. PAUL, MN -- A Japanese man's epilepsy surgery brought his seizures under control but left him unable to recall the names of his friends, his siblings or even the hospital where he was staying, according to a report published in the March 23 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Researchers say the case shows that an area in the brain's front, or rostral, left temporal lobe plays a crucial role in processing proper names -- but it doesn't play any role in other verbal functions. A portion of the man's rostral left temporal lobe was removed during the surgery.

The man, a 47-year-old carpenter, could remember common nouns, such as names of fruits, vegetables and animals, but he couldn't remember proper nouns, such as names of famous people, friends and acquaintances. He not only forgot the names he knew, but he also could not memorize new names.

"This shows that there may be different neural networks involved in processing proper names and common names in the brain," said study author Reiko Fukatsu, MD, who studied the case at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan, and is now a visiting scientist at Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care in Toronto.

The man's impairment mainly affected his ability to retrieve names from his memory. When given the name of an individual, he could point to the correct photo. When he was shown photos of his acquaintances, he could provide additional information about each of them, but could recall only a few names.

Fukatsu said the carpenter's problem is likely far removed from the problem many people experience when they forget names learned at a cocktail party. "But this does suggest that the tip of the left temporal lobe plays an important role in remembering the names of people we meet," she said.

Improving care for patients with neurological disorders is the goal of the American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 15,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals.

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