Investigating temporal lobe contribution to confrontation naming using MRI quantitative volumetrics.

Confrontation naming ability entails the operation of distinct cognitive operations and the integrity of a distributed neural network. Previous research has indicated a critical role for the left temporal lobe region in naming ability, but there is less agreement about the relative role of distinct temporal lobe regions. In the current paper, we used quantitative MR volumetrics to investigate the relative contribution of the hippocampus and extrahippocampal temporal lobe (segmented gray and white matter) volumes to confrontation naming performance in 53 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. Findings showed (1) a stronger relationship for left temporal lobe volume than right temporal lobe volume in predicting naming performance; (2) both left temporal lobe white matter volume and left hippocampus volume contributed a significant amount of unique variance to spontaneous naming performance; and (3) left temporal lobe white matter volume but not left hippocampus volume predicted recognition naming performance.