Performance on verbal implicit and explicit memory tasks following traumatic brain injury

The study aimed to ascertain if implicit memory is preserved after traumatic brain injury (TBI). It used two explicit memory tasks (graphemic-cued recall and semantic-cued recall) and two implicit memory tasks (word-fragment completion and general knowledge) to compare the performance of 16 individuals with severe, long-term TBI, and 16 matched controls. In addition, it examined the effect of level of processing on memory-task performance. It was found that individuals with TBI performed significantly more poorly on the two explicit memory tasks but not the two implicit memory tasks. Moreover, it was found that these individuals did not benefit as much from deep processing of memory materials as the matched controls. Implications of these findings for developing memory training programs are discussed.