In patient KF's case, what memory pattern was reported?

• A. Impairment of short-term memory with intact long-term memory
• B. Impairment of long-term memory with intact short-term memory
• C. Global amnesia
• D. Perfect memory

Answer: (A)

Short-term (immediate) memory can be severely disrupted while long-term memory remains intact, illustrating a dissociation between these two memory systems. In KF’s case, his ability to hold and manipulate new verbal information was markedly impaired—his digit span was very limited—yet his long-term memories from before the injury, as well as his ability to learn over time, stayed largely intact. This pattern shows that short-term memory and long-term memory rely on different neural processes, so the memory profile is one of short-term memory impairment with preserved long-term memory. Global amnesia or perfect memory don’t fit this pattern, as KF clearly had trouble with immediate recall but not with stored memories.