A Neurocognitive Perspective on the Forms and Functions of Autobiographical Memory Retrieval

Abstract

Autobiographical memory retrieval involves constructing mental representations of personal past episodes by associating together an array of details related to the retrieved event. This construction process occurs flexibly so that the event details can be associated together in different ways during retrieval. Here, we propose that differences in how this association occurs support a division in autobiographical remembering. We first review theories of autobiographical memory organization that suggest that episodic details of an experience are processed along a gradient of abstraction. This organization allows for the same autobiographical event to be recalled as either a conceptualized or perceptually-based episodic memory. We then use neuroimaging evidence to show how this division within episodic autobiographical memory is also present in the brain, both at a network level and within the hippocampus. Specifically, we suggest that the anterior and posterior hippocampus are obligatorily tuned towards constructing conceptual vs. perceptual episodic representations of autobiographical memories. Finally, we discuss the directive purpose of this proposed division of episodic remembering by reviewing decision scenarios that benefit from recalling the past as a conceptual vs. a perceptual episode. Conceptual remembering is useful to guide ambiguous decisions that have yet to be encountered whereas perceptual remembering is useful to guide decisions for well-structured tasks that have been previously experienced. We emphasize that the ability to shift between conceptual and perceptual forms of remembering, by virtue of hippocampal specialization, during decision-making and other memory-guided actions is the key to adaptive behavior.

White matter pathways supporting individual differences in epistemic and perceptual curiosity

“…Recent accounts postulate a posterior-anterior gradient of representational granularity along the long axis of the hippocampus, linked to a gradient in anatomical connectivity (Aggleton, 2012; Strange et al, 2014), from ‘fine’ perceptual detail to ‘course’ or gist-like representations (Poppenk et al, 2013; Robin and Moscovitch, 2017; Sheldon et al, 2019). This account suggests that a correlation might be evident between posterior hippocampal fornix and PC, and anterior hippocampal fornix and EC, respectively.…”

“…Regarding the relationship between curiosity and fornix microstructure, we performed analyses targeting the microstructure of the whole fornix, but also the anterior and posterior hippocampal fornix segments that correspond to the functional subdivisions of the anterior and posterior hippocampus, respectively (Christiansen et al, 2017; Saunders and Aggleton, 2007). Given current theoretical ideas, the anterior and posterior hippocampal fornix fibres may reflect functional subdivisions of the anterior and posterior hippocampus reflecting gist-based (schematic) and detailed (episodic) information, respectively (Robin and Moscovitch, 2017; Poppenk et al, 2013; Sheldon et al, 2019). Therefore, the present study investigated whether the functional subdivisions of the fornix, connecting to the anterior and posterior hippocampus, may potentially map onto diversive/interest and specific/deprivation curiosity, respectively.…”

Zooming In and Out on One's Life: Autobiographical Representations at Multiple Time Scales

“…2009)-which is organized in the autobiographical knowledge base (see also Sheldon, Fenerci, et al, 2019, for a similar distinction between conceptual and perceptual aspects of specific events). It should be noted, however, that while it is useful to distinguish between different knowledge domains, autobiographical representations may in fact involve a continuum of abstraction rather than strict categories (Renoult et al, 2012).…”

Imbalance between Emotionally Negative and Positive Life Events Retrieval and the Associated Asymmetry of Brain Activity

“…The reconstructive characteristic of episodic memory, which includes the perceptual and conceptual elements [25], allows for different forms of autobiographical remembering by constructing memory representations with different combinations of details. According to the experimental paradigm, the participants could use different strategies when episode recalling: both verbal memory and visual images.…”