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Effects of extensive temporal lobe damage or mild hypoxia on recollection and familiarity

Nature Neuroscience volume 5, pages 1236–1241 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Memory for past events can be based on recollection or on assessments of familiarity. These two forms of human memory have been studied extensively by philosophers and psychologists, but their neuroanatomical substrates are largely unknown. Here we examined the brain regions that are involved in these two forms of memory by studying patients with damage to different temporal lobe regions. Our results come from (i) structural covariance modeling of recall and recognition, (ii) introspective reports during recognition and (iii) analysis of receiver operating characteristics. In sum, we found that the regions disrupted in mild hypoxia, such as the hippocampus, are centrally involved in conscious recollection, whereas the surrounding temporal lobe supports familiarity-based memory discrimination.

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Figure 1: Recall and recognition in hypoxia.
Figure 2: Modeling the effects of hypoxia on recollection and familiarity.
Figure 3
Figure 4: Estimating recollection and familiarity in recognition memory.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (grants MH59352, NS21135 and NS40813).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, 95616, California, USA

    Andrew P. Yonelinas, Neal E.A. Kroll, Joel R. Quamme, Michele M. Lazzara & Keith F. Widaman

  2. The Veterans Administration Research Service, 150 Muir Road, Martinez, 94553, California, USA

    Andrew P. Yonelinas, Neal E.A. Kroll & Robert T. Knight

  3. University of California Davis Medical Center, 2315 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, 95817, California, USA

    Mary-Jane Sauvé

  4. Department of Psychology and the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, 3210 Tolman Hall, Berkeley, 94720-1650, California, USA

    Robert T. Knight

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  1. Andrew P. Yonelinas
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Correspondence to Andrew P. Yonelinas.

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Yonelinas, A., Kroll, N., Quamme, J. et al. Effects of extensive temporal lobe damage or mild hypoxia on recollection and familiarity. Nat Neurosci 5, 1236–1241 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn961

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