Investigating the Neural Correlates of Autobiographical Memory Open Access

Abstract

Autobiographical memory is a form of episodic memory comprised of an individual’s personal experiences. We examined whether autobiographical memory retrieval dynamically recruits content specific brain regions at a second to second time scale. Participants were asked to retrieve unrehearsed autobiographical memories during specified retrieval periods and then to narrate their memories within the scanner. Autobiographical memories were coded for words related to four content categories: spatial-relationship (e.g., on, over), time-referential (e.g., yesterday, 2 days ago), self-referential (e.g., I, me), and other-referential (e.g., Kate, dad). Each content category was contrasted individually against a baseline of all other speech during autobiographical memory retrieval. We observed that content related cortex activated for specific content categories during autobiographical memory retrieval at a second to second time scale. Spatial-relationship words were associated with observed activation of the left basal ganglia, the left supramarginal gyrus, and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Time-referential words were associated with observed activation of the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex. Self-referential words were associated with observed activation of the left insula, the medial prefrontal cortex, and the orbitofrontal cortex. Other-referential words were associated with observed activation of the left temporoparietal junction. These results suggest that autobiographical memory retrieval dynamically recruits cortex associated with specific content processing as corresponding content is reported during autobiographical memory retrieval.

Table of Contents

Introduction....1

Spatial-Relationship....6

Time-Referential....12

Self-Referential....16

Other-Referential....21

Hypotheses....26

Methods....27

Participants....27

Design....27

fMRI Acquisition....28

fMRI Analysis....28

Results....30

Spatial-Relationships....30

Time-Referential....31

Self-Referential....31

Other-Referential....32

Discussion....32

Spatial-Relationship....33

Time-Referential....35

Self-Referential....36

Other-Referential....38

Speech-Related Processes....39

Future Directions....41

Limitations....42

Conclusion....42

Figures and Tables....43

Figure 1....43

Figure 2....44

Table 1....45

Figure 3....47

Table 2....48

Figure 4....50

Table 3....51

Figure 5....53

Table 4....54

References....55

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology
Degree	B.S.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Psychology, Cognitive Biology, Neuroscience
Keyword	Memory Spatial-Relationships Speech Basal Ganglia Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Episodic Memory fMRI Autobiographical Memory Time Self-Referential Medial Prefrontal Cortex Time-Referential Left Temporoparietal Junction Retrieval Spatial Neuroimaging Orbitofrontal Cortex Elaboration Self Left Insula Left Supramarginal Gyrus Left Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex Long Term Memory Other-Referential Other
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Stephan Hamann, Emory University
Committee Members	Leah Roesch, Emory University Kevin Corrigan, Emory University

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