The neural bases of the constructive nature of autobiographical memories studied with a self-paced fMRI design

Abstract

In Conway and Pleydell-Pearce's model (2000), autobiographical memories are viewed as transitory mental representations, more often generated in an effortful way. An important claim of the model concerns the dynamic process that evolves over time, from the left prefrontal areas to posterior regions, to retrieve specific memories. The present work aims at investigating, using fMRI, the temporal distribution of effortful autobiographical memory construction. In addition, a self-paced design was implemented to elucidate the question of the timing window required to evoke recollections. The results showed a large pattern of brain regions, which included the two major poles of activation predicted by Conway and Pleydell-Pearce's model. Likewise, we were able to detect the earlier implication of the left dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex, by comparison with posterior structures, which seemed to confirm its involvement in the effortful retrieval process. Finally, the self-paced procedure allowed us to refine the timing window necessary to construct past events.

Impaired mental simulation of specific past and future personal events in non-depressed multiple sclerosis patients

“…These clinical observations together with neuroanatomical and conceptual considerations (see below), led to the suggestion that AM impairment in MS patients is likely caused by a deficit of retrieval strategies rather than a loss of personal recollections [20,21]. The deficit would be then attributed to dysfunctional prefrontal regions ( [7,8,30]). …”

Functional neuroimaging of autobiographical memory

“…The current results show preservation in older adults in the recruitment of search processes relying on strategic retrieval guided by semantic information (i.e., VLPFC and temporopolar cortices) and to the access of the memory trace (i.e., hippocampus and retrosplenial cortices; Botzung, et al, 2008;Conway, et al, 2001;Daselaar, et al, 2008). A subset of the age-invariant regions observed during search continued to remain online during elaboration, in the left hippocampus, left parahippocampal cortex and left retrosplenial cortex.…”

“…For example, using slow cortical potentials Conway, PleydellPearce, and Whitecross (2001) found that left PFC regions came online early as participants searched for a cue, whereas posterior temporal and occipital regions came online later during the formation and maintenance of the retrieved memory (also see Conway, Pleydell-Pearce, Whitecross, & Sharpe, 2003). Similarly, in an fMRI study Botzung, Denkova, Ciuciu, Scheiber and Manning (2008) showed that left PFC peaked earlier than did left MTL regions. Thus, during the initial generative search for a memory, left PFC regions supporting strategic retrieval are involved, whereas when a specific memory is formed and held in mind, posterior regions come online to support the retrieval of specific contextual details.…”

“…Although several studies have used the self-paced design (Botzung, et al, 2008;Conway, et al, 2001;Daselaar, et al, 2008;Steinvorth, et al, 2006), none have examined the effects of response times to elicit an AM. According to models proposed by Conway and colleagues (Conway & Pleydell-Pearce, 2000), direct retrieval should be associated with shorter retrieval times compared to generative retrieval.…”

Benefits from an autobiographical memory facilitation programme in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients: a clinical and neuroimaging study

“…Due to the exploratory nature of this study, in the case of no significant results, analyses were also conducted at p < .001 (uncorrected) with an extent threshold of 20 contiguously activated voxels, to give a more informative overview of the results. Note however that the latest threshold has been commonly used in AM literature (Addis et al, 2007;Botzung, Denkova, Ciuciu, Scheiber, & Manning, 2008).…”