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This case study describes the use of a wearable camera, SenseCam, which automatically captures several hundred images per day, to aid autobiographical memory in a patient, Mrs B, with severe memory impairment following limbic encephalitis. By using SenseCam to record personally experienced events we intended that SenseCam pictures would form a pictorial diary to cue and consolidate autobiographical memories. After wearing SenseCam, Mrs B plugged the camera into a PC which uploaded the recorded images and allowed them to be viewed at speed, like watching a movie. In the control condition, a written diary was used to record and remind her of autobiographical events. After viewing SenseCam images, Mrs B was able to recall approximately 80% of recent, personally experienced events. Retention of events was maintained in the long-term, 11 months afterwards, and without viewing SenseCam images for three months. After using the written diary, Mrs B was able to remember around 49% of an event; after one month with no diary readings she had no recall of the same events. We suggest that factors relating to rehearsal/re-consolidation may have enabled SenseCam images to improve Mrs B's autobiographical recollection.

A wearable camera that takes pictures automatically, SenseCam, was used to generate images for rehearsal, promoting consolidation and retrieval of memories for significant events in a patient with memory retrieval deficits. SenseCam images of recent events were systematically reviewed over a 2-week period. Memory for these events was assessed throughout and longer-term recall was tested up to 6 months later. A written diary control condition followed the same procedure. The SenseCam review procedure resulted in significantly more details of an event being recalled, with twice as many details recalled at 6 months follow up compared to the written diary method. Self-report measures suggested autobiographical recollection was triggered by the SenseCam condition but not by reviewing the written diary. Emotional and social wellbeing questionnaires indicated improved confidence and decreased anxiety as a result of memory rehearsal using SenseCam images. We propose that SenseCam images provide a powerful boost to autobiographical recall, with secondary benefits for quality of life.

SenseCam images may provide powerful cues that trigger the recall and consolidation of stored but inaccessible memories.

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