Inner Speech, Active Part of Working Memory Phonological Loop, Inactive in Dementia

Maryam Atabati, Nader Jahangiri, Naghmeh Mokhber

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DOI: 10.4236/psych.2011.26095                

Abstract

This paper examines the role of inner speech in storage and retrieval of working memory phonological loop by conducting maintenance rehearsal test on eighteen elderly participants in two groups: a healthy group and a group with dementia. A Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the data. Through a comparison of the rehearsal manner of the two groups, it was concluded that the pattern of normal rehearsal of the healthy group was different from the pattern of patients suffering from dementia: also, the activity of working memory phonological loop in the healthy group was different from the lack of activity of working memory phonological loop in patients. That is, that subjects with dementia cannot use inner speech in the form of subvocal repetition was explained by applying the “Baddeley and Hitch” model of memory.

Keywords

Inner Speech, Maintenance Rehearsal, Phonological Loop, Dementia

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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