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Hippocampal complex and retrieval of recent and very remote autobiographical memories: Evidence from functional magnetic resonance imaging in neurologically intact people
Author(s) -
Ryan Lee,
Nadel Lynn,
Keil Katrina,
Putnam Karen,
Schnyer David,
Trouard Theodore,
Moscovitch Morris
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
hippocampus
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.767
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1098-1063
pISSN - 1050-9631
DOI - 10.1002/hipo.1086
Subject(s) - autobiographical memory , hippocampal formation , functional magnetic resonance imaging , memory consolidation , psychology , episodic memory , neuroscience , neocortex , hippocampus , long term memory , consolidation (business) , retrograde amnesia , cognitive psychology , amnesia , cognition , accounting , business
Abstract It has been argued that the role of the hippocampus in memory is time‐limited: during a period of memory consolidation, other brain regions such as the neocortex are said to acquire the ability to support memory retention and retrieval on their own. An alternative view is that retention and retrieval of memory for autobiographical episodes depend on the hippocampal complex, regardless of the age of the memory. We examined the participation of the hippocampal complex in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study in which participants were asked to recollect autobiographical events that occurred either within the last 4 years or more than 20 years ago. We found equivalent levels of hippocampal activation in both conditions in all participants (N = 10). In addition, activation in neocortical regions did not differ as a function of the age of the memory, even though most of the recent memories recalled were less than 2 years old and the remote memories more than 35 years old. The results support the notion that the hippocampal complex participates in retention and recovery of even very old autobiographical memories, and place boundary conditions on theories of memory consolidation. Hippocampus 2001;11:707–714. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.