The use of a wearable camera, SenseCam, as a pictorial diary to improve autobiographical memory in a patient with limbic encephalitis: a preliminary report.
This case study describes the use of a wearable camera, SenseCam, which automatically captures several hundred images per day, to aid autobiographical memory in a patient, Mrs B, with severe memory impairment following limbic encephalitis. By using SenseCam to record personally experienced events we intended that SenseCam pictures would form a pictorial diary to cue and consolidate autobiographical memories. After wearing SenseCam, Mrs B plugged the camera into a PC which uploaded the recorded images and allowed them to be viewed at speed, like watching a movie. In the control condition, a written diary was used to record and remind her of autobiographical events. After viewing SenseCam images, Mrs B was able to recall approximately 80% of recent, personally experienced events. Retention of events was maintained in the long-term, 11 months afterwards, and without viewing SenseCam images for three months. After using the written diary, Mrs B was able to remember around 49% of an event; after one month with no diary readings she had no recall of the same events. We suggest that factors relating to rehearsal/re-consolidation may have enabled SenseCam images to improve Mrs B's autobiographical recollection.
Neuropsychology Department, Clinical Neurosciences, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK. v-emmabe@microsoft.com
Emma
E
Berry
Narinder
N
Kapur
Lyndsay
L
Williams
Steve
S
Hodges
Peter
P
Watson
Gavin
G
Smyth
James
J
Srinivasan
Reg
R
Smith
Barbara
B
Wilson
Ken
K
Wood
D001325:Autobiographies as Topic; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008032:Limbic System / Q000473:pathology*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012649:Self Concept