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Abstract:
Abstract: A fundamental query about human memory is why some
experiences are remembered whereas others are forgotten.
Electrophysiologic and hematologic studies have shown that specific
patterns of brain activity during encoding are associated with
subsequent recognition. Differential activity has also been found
to be associated with judgments of recollection (R), compared to
judgments of familiarity (K) during recognition tasks. However, it
has not been demonstrated whether or not brain activity during
encoding is differentially related to subsequent R and K
recognition judgments. Using a 64-channel electrode array,
event-related potentials (ERP) of 11 undergraduates were measured
while performing an incidental verbal task (abstract vs. concrete
judgments) in two study trials. Following a ten-minute distractor
period, subjects were presented with a test of recognition memory
and a test of temporal order. Greater positive activity was
recorded in the encoding ERPs in anterior and posterior electrodes
to subsequently remembered compared to forgotten words, which is
consistent with previous literature on the subsequent memory
effect. More interestingly, though, greater positive activity in
the encoding ERPs was found for hits with correct temporal order
judgments compared to hits without temporal order judgments. This
greater positive activity was maximal over left frontal electrodes
around 180ms post-stimulus onset. These results suggest that brain
activity during encoding is related to subsequent temporal order
judgments, and may be related to contextual aspects of episodic
memory.
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