Role of Episodic and Semantic Memory in Retrieving Autobiographical Events

autobiographical events

experiences that have occured at some time in our lives, these events are stored in episodic memory

retrieval of autobiographical events

enaging in mental time travel- placing ourselves back in the context of the event allowing us to ‘relive’ past experiences

Episodic memory

allows us to mentally time trabel to past experiences and to image the future

example of episodic memory “time travel”

you recieve a text from your friend saying that their dog was hit by a car, mental time travel allows you to “relive” the moment you found out, using this information you can imagine a future where you visit your friend to offer condolences and support

Aphantasia

condition where individuals cannot form mental images- cannot visualise objects, places, or people mentally

Alzheimer’s disease on episodic memory

affects both memory retrieval and future imagining due to brain degeneration in the hippocampus

Alzheimer’s Disease

neurodegenerative disorder characterised by the gradual degeneration of neurons in the brain

Alzheimers leads to

• memory decline

• cognitive and social skill deterioration

• personality changes

causes of Alzheimers

build up of abnormal protein between neurons, disrupting their functiona and eventually destroying them

main brain areas affected by Alzheimer’s

• temporal lobe

• parietal lobe

• hippocampus