Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Neurological foundations of cognitive neuroscience / edited by Mark D’Esposito.
p. cm.—(Issues in clinical and cognitive neuropsychology)
“A Bradford book.”
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-262-04209-6 (hc. : alk. paper)
1. Cognition disorders. 2. Cognitive neuroscience. I. D’Esposito, Mark. II. Series.
RC533.C64 N475 2002
616.8—dc21 2002021912
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
1 Neglect: A Disorder of Spatial
Attention 1
Anjan Chatterjee
2 Bálint’s Syndrome: A Disorder of
Visual Cognition 27
Robert Rafal
3 Amnesia: A Disorder of Episodic
Memory 41
Michael S. Mega
4 Semantic Dementia: A Disorder of
Semantic Memory 67
John R. Hodges
5 Topographical Disorientation:
A Disorder of Way-Finding Ability 89
Geoffrey K. Aguirre
6 Acquired Dyslexia: A Disorder of
Reading 109
H. Branch Coslett
7 Acalculia: A Disorder of
Numerical Cognition 129
Darren R. Gitelman
8 Transcortical Motor Aphasia:
A Disorder of Language Production 165
Michael P. Alexander
9 Wernicke Aphasia: A Disorder of
Central Language Processing 175
Jeffrey R. Binder
10 Apraxia: A Disorder of Motor
Control 239
Scott Grafton
11 Lateral Prefrontal Syndrome:
A Disorder of Executive Control 259
Robert T. Knight and Mark D’Esposito
Contributors 281
Index 283
Preface
It is an exciting time for the discipline of cognitive
neuroscience. In the past 10 years we have
witnessed an explosion in the development and
advancement of methods that allow us to precisely
examine the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive
processes. Functional magnetic resonance
imaging, for example, has provided markedly improved
spatial and temporal resolution of brain
structure and function, which has led to answers to
new questions, and the reexamination of old questions.
However, in my opinion, the explosive impact
that functional neuroimaging has had on cognitive
neuroscience may in some ways be responsible
for moving us away from our roots—the study of
patients with brain damage as a window into the
functioning of the normal brain. Thus, my motivation
for creating this book was to provide a collection
of chapters that would highlight the interface
between the study of patients with cognitive
deficits and the study of cognition in normal individuals.
It is my hope that reading these chapters
will remind us as students of cognitive neuroscience
that research aimed at understanding the
function of the normal brain can be guided by
studying the abnormal brain. The incredible insight
derived from patients with neurological and psychiatric
disorders provided the foundation for the
discipline of cognitive neuroscience and should
continue to be an important methodological tool
in future studies.
Each chapter in this book was written by a neurologist
who also practices cognitive neuroscience.
Each chapter begins with a description of a case
report, often a patient seen by the author, and
describes the symptoms seen in this patient, laying
the foundation for the cognitive processes to be
explored. After the clinical description, the authors
have provided a historical background about what
we have learned about these particular neurobehavioral
syndromes through clinical observation
and neuropsychological investigation. Each chapter
then explores investigations using a variety of
methods—single-unit electrophysiological recording
in awake-behaving monkeys, behavioral studies
of normal healthy subjects, event-related potential
and functional neuroimaging studies of both normal
individuals and neurological patients—aimed at
understanding the neural mechanisms underlying
the cognitive functions affected in each particular
clinical syndrome. In many chapters, there are conflicting
data derived from different methodologies,
and the authors have tried to reconcile these differences.
Often these attempts at understanding how
these data may be convergent, rather than divergent,
has shed new light on the cognitive mechanisms
being explored.
The goal of preparing this book was not to simply
describe clinical neurobehavioral syndromes.
Such descriptions can be found in many excellent
textbooks of behavioral and cognitive neurology.
Nor was the goal to provide a primer in cognitive
neuroscience. The goal of this book is to consider
normal cognitive processes in the context of
patients with cognitive deficits. Each of the clinical
syndromes in this book is markedly heterogeneous
and the range of symptoms varies widely across
patients. As Anjan Chatterjee aptly states in his
chapter on the neglect syndrome: “This heterogeneity
would be cause for alarm if the goal of
neglect research was to establish a unified and
comprehensive theory of the clinical syndrome.
However, when neglect is used to understand the
organization of spatial attention and representation,
then the behavioral heterogeneity is actually critical
to its use as an investigative tool.” These words
capture perfectly my intent for this book.
Many neurologists in training and in practice
lack exposure to cognitive neuroscience. Similarly,
many newly trained cognitive neuroscientists
lack exposure to the rich history of investigations
of brain–behavior relationships in neurological
patients. I am optimistic that this book will serve
both groups well. It is a privilege to have assembled
an outstanding group of neurologists and cognitive
neuroscientists to present their unique perspective
on the physical basis of the human mind.
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