PSYA01H3 Chapter : episodic memory.docx
Document Summary
There are essentially nine properties of episodic memory which collectively, distinguish it from other types of memory. The formation of new episodic memories requires the medial temporal lobe, a structure that includes the hippocampus. Without the medial temporal lobe, one is able to form new procedural memories (such as playing the piano) but cannot remember the events during which they happened (see the hippocampus and memory). The prefrontal cortex (and in particular the left hemisphere) is also involved in the formation of new episodic memories (also known as episodic encoding). Patients with damage to the prefrontal cortex can learn new information, but tend to do so in a disordered fashion. For example, they might show normal recognition of an object they had seen in the past, but fail to recollect when or where it had been viewed. [8] some researchers believe that the prefrontal cortex helps organize information for more efficient storage, drawing upon its role in executive function.