The use of positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies in identifying brain regions involved with learning and memory is reviewed from the University of Alberta, Canada, and the Umea University, Sweden. Prefrontal and parietal regions are involved with working memory; the left prefrontal and temporal regions with semantic memory; the left prefrontal and medial temporal regions with episodic memory encoding; right prefrontal, posterior midline and medial temporal regions with episodic memory retrieval; and the motor, parietal, and cerebellar regions with skill learning. [1]

COMMENT. Memory functions are served by various brain regions, as determined by neuroimaging studies, mainly in healthy young adults. Working memory, the processing of information in short-term memory, is subserved by prefrontal and parietal regions. Semantic memory, referring to general knowledge, and episodic memory for personal experiences, are based in prefrontal and temporal regions. The acquisition of Skill learning abilities involves motor, parietal and subcortical regions.