title: The pivotal role of semantic memory in remembering the past and imagining the future.
abstract: Episodic memory refers to a complex and multifaceted process which enables the retrieval of richly detailed evocative memories from the past. In contrast, semantic memory is conceptualized as the retrieval of general conceptual knowledge divested of a specific spatiotemporal context. The neural substrates of the episodic and semantic memory systems have been dissociated in healthy individuals during functional imaging studies, and in clinical cohorts, leading to the prevailing view that episodic and semantic memory represent functionally distinct systems subtended by discrete neurobiological substrates. Importantly, however, converging evidence focusing on widespread neural networks now points to significant overlap between those regions essential for retrieval of autobiographical memories, episodic learning, and semantic processing. Here we review recent advances in episodic memory research focusing on neurodegenerative populations which has proved revelatory for our understanding of the complex interplay between episodic and semantic memory. Whereas episodic memory research has traditionally focused on retrieval of autobiographical events from the past, we also include evidence from the recent paradigm shift in which episodic memory is viewed as an adaptive and constructive process which facilitates the imagining of possible events in the future. We examine the available evidence which converges to highlight the pivotal role of semantic memory in providing schemas and meaning whether one is engaged in autobiographical retrieval for the past, or indeed, is endeavoring to construct a plausible scenario of an event in the future. It therefore seems plausible to contend that semantic processing may underlie most, if not all, forms of episodic memory, irrespective of temporal condition.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of New South Wales Sydney, NSW, Australia ; Neuroscience Research Australia Randwick, NSW, Australia ; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Muireann
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irish
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Piguet
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; anterior temporal lobes; autobiographical memory; episodic memory; future thinking; semantic dementia; semantic memory
references.citation: Neuron. 2012 Nov 21;76(4):677-94
references.pmid: 23177955
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2010 Jan;48(1):123-36
references.pmid: 19720072
references.citation: Behav Brain Res. 2001 Dec 14;127(1-2):183-97
references.pmid: 11718891
references.citation: J Abnorm Psychol. 2008 Feb;117(1):247-51
references.pmid: 18266503
references.citation: Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2007 May 29;362(1481):773-86
references.pmid: 17395575
references.citation: Trends Cogn Sci. 2001 Dec 1;5(12):533-539
references.pmid: 11728911
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2011 Nov;49(13):3620-8
references.pmid: 21964201
references.citation: Cereb Cortex. 2009 Jul;19(7):1539-48
references.pmid: 18980949
references.citation: Neurocase. 2001;7(1):37-55
references.pmid: 11239075
references.citation: Trends Cogn Sci. 2007 Jul;11(7):299-306
references.pmid: 17548229
references.citation: Psychol Bull. 2009 Jan;135(1):23-49
references.pmid: 19210052
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2011 Jun;49(7):1843-50
references.pmid: 21414334
references.citation: Trends Neurosci. 2011 Aug;34(8):430-42
references.pmid: 21696834
references.citation: Acta Neuropathol. 1991;82(4):239-59
references.pmid: 1759558
references.citation: Curr Opin Neurobiol. 1995 Apr;5(2):169-77
references.pmid: 7620304
references.citation: Cortex. 2011 Feb;47(2):236-49
references.pmid: 20153463
references.citation: Hippocampus. 2012 Sep;22(9):1809-25
references.pmid: 22488637
references.citation: Behav Neurol. 2008;19(1-2):3-6
references.pmid: 18413908
references.citation: Nat Rev Neurol. 2012 Feb 14;8(3):152-61
references.pmid: 22331029
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2010 Jun;48(7):2091-7
references.pmid: 20381507
references.citation: Cereb Cortex. 2009 Dec;19(12):2767-96
references.pmid: 19329570
references.citation: J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2010 Sep;16(5):748-53
references.pmid: 20561378
references.citation: Psychol Aging. 2011 Mar;26(1):80-4
references.pmid: 21058863
references.citation: Cogn Neuropsychol. 2003 Dec 1;20(8):703-32
references.pmid: 20957590
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2006;44(12):2421-9
references.pmid: 16765999
references.citation: Brain. 2004 Jul;127(Pt 7):1549-60
references.pmid: 15102619
references.citation: Brain. 2013 Feb;136(Pt 2):601-18
references.pmid: 23361063
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Jan 9;104(2):642-7
references.pmid: 17202254
references.citation: Behav Brain Sci. 2018 Jan;41:e32
references.pmid: 29353590
references.citation: Psychol Rev. 2004 Jan;111(1):205-35
references.pmid: 14756594
references.citation: Arch Neurol. 2005 Sep;62(9):1402-8
references.pmid: 16157747
references.citation: J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2000 Aug;69(2):178-86
references.pmid: 10896690
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2009 Oct;47(12):2464-9
references.pmid: 19409401
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2012 Dec;50(14):3488-95
references.pmid: 22982607
references.citation: Nat Rev Neurosci. 2001 Sep;2(9):635-42
references.pmid: 11533731
references.citation: Mem Cognit. 2010 Sep;38(6):809-19
references.pmid: 20852243
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2009 Apr;47(5):1344-51
references.pmid: 19428398
references.citation: Nat Rev Neurosci. 2007 Sep;8(9):657-61
references.pmid: 17700624
references.citation: Cogn Sci. 2012 Apr;36(3):385-420
references.pmid: 22268721
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2012 Jan;50(2):254-65
references.pmid: 22155259
references.citation: Cognition. 1981 Feb;9(1):1-22
references.pmid: 7196816
references.citation: Nat Rev Neurosci. 2007 Dec;8(12):976-87
references.pmid: 18026167
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2007 Apr 8;45(7):1363-77
references.pmid: 17126370
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 1995 Dec;33(12):1647-70
references.pmid: 8745122
references.citation: Annu Rev Psychol. 2002;53:1-25
references.pmid: 11752477
references.citation: Hippocampus. 2000;10(2):136-42
references.pmid: 10791835
references.citation: Perspect Psychol Sci. 2010 Mar;5(2):142-62
references.pmid: 26162121
references.citation: Nat Rev Neurosci. 2012 Oct;13(10):713-26
references.pmid: 22992647
references.citation: Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2001 Sep 29;356(1413):1441-51
references.pmid: 11571035
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2010 Sep;48(11):3187-92
references.pmid: 20603137
references.citation: Neuroimage. 2010 Jan 1;49(1):865-74
references.pmid: 19744566
references.citation: J Cogn Neurosci. 2008 Oct;20(10):1839-53
references.pmid: 18370601
references.citation: Trends Cogn Sci. 2011 Nov;15(11):527-36
references.pmid: 22001867
references.citation: Brain. 2012 Jul;135(Pt 7):2178-91
references.pmid: 22614246
references.citation: Neuropsychology. 2011 Jan;25(1):98-104
references.pmid: 21090900
references.citation: Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2001 Sep 29;356(1413):1423-34
references.pmid: 11571033
references.citation: Cortex. 2009 Apr;45(4):456-72
references.pmid: 19231476
references.citation: Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2001 Sep 29;356(1413):1375-84
references.pmid: 11571029
references.citation: Trends Cogn Sci. 2007 May;11(5):219-27
references.pmid: 17382578
references.citation: Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2009 May 12;364(1521):1263-71
references.pmid: 19528007
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2009 Oct;47(12):2660-71
references.pmid: 19497331
references.citation: Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2005 Sep;20(9):809-15
references.pmid: 16116575
references.citation: Lancet Neurol. 2007 Nov;6(11):1004-14
references.pmid: 17945154
references.citation: J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 1989 Oct;11(5):724-44
references.pmid: 2808661
references.citation: J Cogn Neurosci. 2009 Mar;21(3):489-510
references.pmid: 18510452
references.citation: Curr Opin Neurobiol. 1999 Apr;9(2):245-50
references.pmid: 10322187
references.citation: J Exp Psychol Gen. 2011 May;140(2):258-71
references.pmid: 21401291
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2004;42(10):1336-49
references.pmid: 15193941
references.citation: Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2012 Apr-Jun;26(2):124-34
references.pmid: 21946012
references.citation: Ann Neurol. 2001 Apr;49(4):433-42
references.pmid: 11310620
references.citation: Hippocampus. 2011 Oct;21(10):1045-52
references.pmid: 20882550
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2002;40(6):633-54
references.pmid: 11792404
references.citation: Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2013 Jun;8(5):556-64
references.pmid: 22403155
references.citation: Neuropsychology. 1997 Jan;11(1):77-89
references.pmid: 9055272
references.citation: Br J Psychol. 2012 Aug;103(3):302-16
references.pmid: 22804698
references.citation: Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2006;22(1):108-20
references.pmid: 16717466
references.citation: Brain Res. 2008 Oct 3;1233:106-19
references.pmid: 18703030
references.citation: Psychol Aging. 2002 Dec;17(4):677-89
references.pmid: 12507363
references.citation: Mem Cognit. 2010 Jul;38(5):531-40
references.pmid: 20551334
references.citation: Neurology. 1996 Sep;47(3):795-801
references.pmid: 8797482
references.citation: Wiley Interdiscip Rev Cogn Sci. 2013 Jan;4(1):63-79
references.pmid: 26304175
references.citation: J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 1987 Oct;9(5):479-97
references.pmid: 2959682
references.citation: Cereb Cortex. 2010 Nov;20(11):2568-82
references.pmid: 20150429
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2011 Jul;49(9):2694-702
references.pmid: 21658396
references.citation: Neurocase. 2010 Oct;16(5):426-35
references.pmid: 20401802
references.citation: Brain. 2003 Oct;126(Pt 10):2203-19
references.pmid: 12821510
references.citation: J Cogn Neurosci. 2008 Jun;20(6):965-76
references.pmid: 18211244
references.citation: Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2008 Mar;1124:1-38
references.pmid: 18400922
references.citation: Behav Brain Sci. 2007 Jun;30(3):299-313; discussion 313-51
references.pmid: 17963565
references.citation: Neurology. 2001 Jul 24;57(2):216-25
references.pmid: 11468305
references.citation: Neuropsychology. 2006 Nov;20(6):625-32
references.pmid: 17100507
references.citation: Cortex. 2002 Jun;38(3):389-99
references.pmid: 12146663
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2000;38(3):313-24
references.pmid: 10678697
references.citation: Alzheimers Dement. 2011 May;7(3):263-9
references.pmid: 21514250
references.citation: Brain. 2010 Nov;133(11):3256-68
references.pmid: 20952377
references.citation: Psychol Belg. 2012 Sep;52(2-3):77-94
references.pmid: 23447709
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2006;44(12):2189-208
references.pmid: 16806314
references.citation: Hippocampus. 2004;14(6):752-62
references.pmid: 15318333
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 2010 May;48(6):1689-96
references.pmid: 20176043
references.citation: Mem Cognit. 1996 Jan;24(1):116-25
references.pmid: 8822164
references.citation: Alzheimers Dement. 2011 May;7(3):280-92
references.pmid: 21514248
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2007 Dec 26;27(52):14365-74
references.pmid: 18160644
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2012 Apr 18;32(16):5646-53
references.pmid: 22514326
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2011 Jul 13;31(28):10262-9
references.pmid: 21753003