Cognition and the Basal Ganglia: A Possible Substrate for Procedural Knowledge

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Disruption of neural activity within the basal ganglia of experimental animals causes selective learning deficits in tasks requiring switching between response strategies. These data along with reports of both general and specific intellectual impairment in patients with neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease, appear to support the theory of cognitive functions of the basal ganglia. Recent studies have failed to confirm general cognitive or memory deficits in parkinsonian patients, but have identified deficiencies in devising and executing certain cognitive strategies. Following the lead of theorists such as Squire and Mishkin, this brief review emphasizes the distinction between procedural and declarative knowledge and examines the possible role of the basal ganglia in the acquisition and retention of procedural knowledge.

Procedural Memory and Parkinson's Disease

“…This observation (related to our results) allows us to consider the striatum and the corticostriatal channels as the anatomico-functional basis of procedural memory, of the acquired automaticity of response, and of intermodal encoding [12][13][14], It may be tempting to imply that dopamine is involved in this fun damental, although more primitive cognitive function rather than declarative memory, which is altered by age and more severely so in Parkinson's disease; these two sit uations are characterized by a predominant deficit in dopaminergic neurotransmission [15]. Only clinical phar macological studies using specifically dopaminergic ago nists could evaluate the potential bearing of these drugs on the procedural tasks described here.…”

Visuomotor skill learning on serial reaction time task in patients with early Parkinson's disease

“…[45][46][47] Although the data indicating that patients with PD and patients with Huntington's disease have a deficit in open-loop control tasks are mixed at best, these patients consistently show a deficit in the performance of motor sequences. [48][49][50][51] Doyon et al, 52 using positron emission tomography, reported the distinct pattern of increase in the regional blood flow that was specifically related to the acquisition of the visuomotor skill on the SRTt in healthy subjects. Significant increases in the regional blood flow were observed in the ventral striatum and cerebellar dentate nucleus when the sequence was well practiced, but not when the patients were at the beginning of learning.…”

The Effect of Clozapine on Caudate Nucleus Volume in Schizophrenic Patients Previously Treated with Typical Antipsychotics

“…Since decreased thalamic, hippocampal and superior temporal gyral volume have been associated with specific symptoms in schizophrenia (Barta et al 1990;Bogerts et al 1990Bogerts et al , 1993Friston et al 1992: Shenton et al 1992Flaum et al 1995) and the caudate nucleus receives neuronal projections from these regions (for reviews see Graybiel 1990), one could speculate that caudate volume may be related to certain aspects of patient functioning in schizophrenia as well. Indeed, the basal ganglia are involved in higher cognitive functions (Schneider 1984;Phillips and Carr 1987;; for reviews see Chevalier and Deniau 1990;Goldman-Rakic and Selemon 1990).…”

“…The basal ganglia play a part in higher cognitive functions (Schneider 1984;Phillips and Carr 1987;; for reviews see Chevalier and Deniau 1990;Goldman-Rakic and Selemon 1990). In previous studies, increased caudate volumes in schizophrenia were associated with poorer neuropsychological test performance on finger tapping and Hebb's Recurring Digits (Hokama et al 1995) and cognitive impairment .…”