Neural Dissociation within Language: Lexical Memory is Part of Declarative Memory Grammatical Rules are Processed by Procedural System

Alzheimer’s Disease

Degeneration: Temporal > frontal (Broca’s/premotor)/basal-ganglia

Behavior:

• Impaired at learning new, using old content words, facts, irregulars

• Sparing of motor & cognitive skills, regulars, maybe syntax

(Arnold et al., ‘91; Beatty et al., ‘94; Nebes, ‘97; Ullman et al., ‘97; Ullman, ‘99; Ullman, in press; Walenski et al., under revis.)

Neurodegenerative Diseases

Parkinson’s Disease

Degeneration: Primarily frontal/basal-ganglia

Behavior:

• Impaired at motor & cognitive skills, syntax, regulars

• Relatively spared: learning new, using old content words, facts, irregulars

(Dubois et al., ‘91; Lieberman et al., ‘92; Young & Penney, ‘93; Ullman et al., 1997; ; Ullman, 1999; Ullman, in press; Estabrooke & Ullman, in prep.)

First Language