Human Episodic Memory Retrieval Is Accompanied by a Neural Contiguity Effect

Folkerts, Sarah; Rutishauser, Ueli; Howard, Marc W.

doi:10.1523/jneurosci.2312-17.2018

Cited by 77 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…The positive relationship between temporal organization and detail richness builds on previous work suggesting that memory organization shapes access to details (Anderson & Conway, 1993). More recent evidence constrains temporal contiguity effects to items remembered with high confidence (Folkerts, Rutishauser, & Howard, 2018;Schwartz et al, 2005) or self-reported recollection (Sadeh et al, 2014), though participants may make these subjective judgements on the basis of retrieving temporal contextual information itself. That temporal organization is related to episodic detail-richness over and above the number of items recalled (Sederberg, Miller, Howard, & Kahana, 2010) suggests that it facilitates access to featural-level details and/or to details encountered on journeys from one item to another.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 64%

Linking detail to temporal structure in naturalistic event recall

Diamond¹,

Levine²

2019

Preprint

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Decades of research demonstrates the importance of temporal structure in recall dynamics of laboratory stimuli (i.e. word lists) at seconds-long delays. Little is known, however, about such structure in recall of richer and more remote real-world experiences (i.e. autobiographical memories), where the focus is usually on quantifying memory detail without reference to known event sequences. Here, 119 younger and older participants freely recalled controlled real-world episodes, for which the encoding sequence was verified, after two days or one week. We paired analytical tools from the list-learning and autobiographical memory literatures to measure contextual dynamics and details within extended recall narratives. Aging was associated with large reductions in both episodic detail richness and temporal organization (contiguity and forward asymmetry) when controlling for atemporal recall properties. Temporal organization was positively associated with detail richness across groups, providing empirical evidence for a theorized link between re-experiencing past events and reinstating their spatiotemporal context.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 64%

Linking detail to temporal structure in naturalistic event recall

Diamond¹,

Levine²

2019

Preprint

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“…Such a result would further implicate internally-driven context in the formation of temporally-structured episodes 9 . This prediction is in line with findings that both the TCE 28,29 and the binding of pair members into episodes are supported by the hippocampal system [30][31][32] .…”

Section: Predictionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…This dissociation is in line with neuroimaging evidence that has found distinct networks supporting each of the two types of order 17,26 . Absolute order is supported by frontal networks, whereas relative order is supported by medial temporal networks that are also implicated in the TCE 28,29 . Likewise, hierarchal models of memory 22 posit that within clusters recall proceeds in a serial manner relying on the items' temporal order and the relation between them.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Explicit Sequence Memory in Recall of Temporally-structured Episodes

Stern

Katz

Sadeh

2020

Sci Rep

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The order in which events unfold over time is an important scaffold aiding recollection. This study asks whether explicit order memory is enhanced for items sharing similar internally-driven temporal contexts. To tap internally-driven temporal context, we capitalized on the Temporal Contiguity Effect whereby recollection of one item promotes recall of adjacently-encoded items. We compared pairs encoded and retrieved contiguously (cont-enc-ret), whose items share internally-driven temporal contexts, to pairs retrieved, but not encoded, contiguously (cont-ret) and to pairs encoded, but not retrieved, contiguously (cont-enc). Cont-enc-ret pairs exhibited superior relative order over cont-ret pairs, supporting accounts emphasizing shared temporal context as opposed to temporal distinctiveness in driving sequence memory. No difference was found in absolute order between the pair types, in line with theories suggesting a dissociation between relative and absolute order. Additionally, cont-enc-ret and cont-enc pairs exhibited equivalent relative order, supporting the role of encoding as opposed to retrieval in the enhancement of relative order. Finally, cont-enc-ret pairs were perceived as closer than cont-enc pairs, supporting the claim that cont-enc-ret pairs constitute part of a temporallycoherent episode. Together, these results implicate internally-driven temporal context in the formation of temporally-structured episodes that enhances sequence memory of the items within the episode. When we remember an episode from our past, we do not merely recollect its details in random order, rather the sequence in which the episode unfolded over time provides an important scaffold for recollection. Recalling one item brings to mind other items that occurred adjacently in time 1,2. In the absence of such a temporal structure, an episode would amount to no more than a random list of details. 'Mental time travel' , the ability to re-experience past episodes 3,4 and the ability to simulate future episodes using past events as templates 5 both rely on the coherence provided by recollection of sequence memory 6. Furthermore, the order of events often defines the meaning and significance that we attribute to them 7. For example, the ability to infer a causal relation between two events, requires remembering that the cause preceded the effect 2. Thus, explicit sequence memory plays an important role in constructing a coherent representation of one's past experiences. Past studies have found enhanced sequence memory 8 and an increase in the perceived proximity 9 between items sharing the same experimentally-manipulated context. Inspired by these findings, the focus of the current study is on the role of internally-driven temporal context and its effects on different types of sequence memory. Internally-driven temporal context is best manifested by the seminal Temporal Contiguity Effect (TCE) in free recall paradigms. This effect pertains to the tendency to contiguously recall items that were temporally proximal during the study phase ...

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“…This reinstatement is called the neural contiguity effect, recently observed in the human medial-temporal lobe for strong recollection [61]. However, if not remembered, an opposing neural process takes place in the same anatomical structure, which is called the anti-contiguity effect [61]. If only the memory episode is recovered without its details, the neuronal dissimilarity between encoding and recognition increases.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…From a physiological perspective, the temporal context theory of recognition memory suggests that when an episode is recalled, it requires the reinstatement of the neural context at the time of memory encoding [60]. This reinstatement is called the neural contiguity effect, recently observed in the human medial-temporal lobe for strong recollection [61]. However, if not remembered, an opposing neural process takes place in the same anatomical structure, which is called the anti-contiguity effect [61].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Model-driven neuromodulation of the right posterior region promotes encoding of long-term memories

et al. 2020

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Background: Long-term recognition memory depends both on initial encoding and on subsequent recognition processes. Objective: In this study we aimed at improving long-term memory by modulating posterior parietal brain activity during the encoding process. If this area is causally involved in memory encoding, its facilitation should lead to behavioral improvement. Based on the dual-process memory framework, we also expected that the neuromodulation would dissociate subsequent familiarity-based and recollectionbased recognition. Methods: We investigated the role of the posterior parietal brain oscillations in facial memory formation in three separate experiments using electroencephalography (EEG), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and model-driven, multi-electrode transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). Results: Using fMRI and EEG, we confirmed that the right posterior parietal cortex is an essential node that promotes the encoding of long-term memories. We found that single-trial low theta power in this region predicts subsequent long-term recognition. On this basis, we fine-tuned the spatial and frequency settings of tACS during memory encoding. Model-driven tACS over the right posterior brain area augmented subsequent long-term recognition memory and particularly the familiarity of the observed stimuli. The recollection process, and short-term task performance as control remained unchanged. Control stimulation over the left hemisphere had no behavioral effect. Conclusion: We conclude that the right posterior brain area is crucial in long-term memory encoding.

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Human Episodic Memory Retrieval Is Accompanied by a Neural Contiguity Effect

Cited by 77 publications

References 66 publications

Linking detail to temporal structure in naturalistic event recall

Linking detail to temporal structure in naturalistic event recall

Explicit Sequence Memory in Recall of Temporally-structured Episodes

Model-driven neuromodulation of the right posterior region promotes encoding of long-term memories

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