The crucial neuroanatomical area for spontaneous confabulation

Up to now it has been revealed in the literature that the medial prefrontal cortex and the orbitofrontal cortex are the crucial neuroanatomical areas inducing spontaneous confabulation when impaired. However, there is no sufficient research to explain whether the two areas are both needed for the symptom. The possible reason for this is that the etiologies of most confabulators in the literature are Korsakoff's syndrome or the rupture of anterior communicating artery aneurysm, both of which usually induce the impairment of the two areas simultaneously, therefore, making it difficult for researchers to pinpoint the precise area. To solve the problem, two cases of patients have been selected as subjects: one is with the medial prefrontal cortex impairment, and the other is with the orbitofrontal cortex impairment, and a series of neuropsychological assessments have been conducted, such as spontaneous confabulation, provoked confabulation, intelligence, memory, and executive functions. The results revealed that the impaired orbitofrontal cortex (basal forebrain spared) does induce significant spontaneous confabulation, but the impaired medial prefrontal cortex (basal forebrain spared) doesn't induce the symptom.