The rey-osterrieth complex figure test (ROCF)

ROCF Is a neuropsychological assessment where subject are asked to reproduce a complicated line drawing. Participants need to copy the image then copy it by memory. Engage in this task elicits many cognitive abilities when performed correctly, therefor it can be used to evaluate different functions, such as visuao-spatial abilities, memory, attention, planning and the working memory/ executive functions. One aspect of this test was to differentiate between primary effects which is the direct results of the head injury and secondary effect which is developed out the subjective reactions determined by the loss of awareness from physical impairments.  In neuropsychology, the ROCF may be used to localize and assess the magnitude of brain damage. In education, the ROCF may be used to evaluate input processing of a child suspected of having a learning disability. Strength of this test is that it can be applied to a broad range of people such as children and adults that are normal, have learning difficulties and brain damage patients. The critique about this test is that the test has been widely used but there is a limited amount of published research articles suggesting the need for survey across a broad spectrum of test user such as neuropsychologist, clinical psychologist and school psychologist. The score criteria in relation to normative data and test results showed significant deviation not only from the standardized procedures set forth by Osterreith, but from one researcher to another. This deviation is appropriate with regards to normative data, but it is an area of concern with regards to other aspects of the test. For example, evaluation of test results must include consideration of the copy score derived from the elements of the ROCF design within the context of the organizational approach. Consideration must also be given to the subject's age as the research indicated a correlation between age and score and also implied that it may not be appropriate to administer the ROCF to children under 9 years old

Memory

Memory related to procedural memory such as developing new skill and habit can sometime be formed without the hippocampus…

The frontal cortex is involved with planning and foresight, it also selects actions and behaviour. The basal ganglia is involved in guiding and directing voluntary movement. There are connections from basal ganglia to the thalamus that send information to the prefrontal cortex. Every time a complex motor action is executed by the prefrontal cortex that was guided by the basal ganglia, particularly the caudate nucleus and putamen, the loop via the thalamus back to the prefrontal cortext help to strengthen the activity of those circuits. This then lead the process were practiced movement become habits whereas they are able to be performed automatically without conscious effects such as playing the piano, which was initially a conscious effect at first then became automatic as it was directed by the prefrontal cortex. This system works independently from the limbic forms of learning and memory. Therefore someone that has bilateral damage to the hippocampus, that is similar to the case of H.M., can be taught to play the piano by practising everyday but they would not have memories of practising, but if you were to ask them if they can play the piano they would say no.  However if you asked them to try they would be able to play, but would not be able to explain how and why they are playing this is because the frontal cortex and the basal ganglia circuit would have learned independently and separately from the damaged limbic system circuit.

Hippocampus  

  The hippocampus is a brain structure that I located under the medial temporal lobes in both hemispheres. The hippocampus plays an important role in the formation of new autobiographical and factual memories it can be identified as a path way in which new memories need to go through before being sorted in the long term memory. Damage to this area can lead to anterograde amnesia; this is the loss of ability to form new memories while previous memory before injury may still be intact.