Drug-induced amnesia impairs implicit relational memory.
Amnesic patients have difficulty consciously recollecting past events, but they perform normally on implicit memory measures that do not require conscious access. Now, an innovative study offers compelling evidence that even implicit memory can be impaired during amnesia, temporarily induced in healthy subjects using a neuropharmacological manipulation (midazolam). Importantly, midazolam impaired implicit, relational memory, whereas non-relational memory was preserved, supporting the characterization of conscious memory in terms of relational encoding.
Chun
Marvin M
MM
Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8205, USA. marvin.chun@yale.edu
D000647:Amnesia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003243:Consciousness / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008874:Midazolam / Q000009:adverse effects*
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D008874:Midazolam