A patient with a lesion of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is asked to remember a sequence of numbers and repeat them in reverse order. He performs poorly on this task despite intact long-term memory. This deficit is best described as impaired:

• A Episodic memory
• B Procedural memory
• C Semantic memory
• D Working memory ✓

Explanation

The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is critical for working memory, the ability to temporarily hold and manipulate information. The digit span backward test specifically assesses working memory. Episodic memory involves the hippocampus, procedural memory involves the basal ganglia and cerebellum, and semantic memory involves the temporal cortex.

Reference: Ganong's Review of Medical Physiology, 26th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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