Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Examining the Characteristics of Episodic Memory using Event-related Potentials in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease
Published on: August 30, 2011
Retrograde amnesia after hippocampal damage: recent vs. remote memories in two tasks
R J Sutherland1, M P Weisend, D Mumby
1Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque 87131-1161, USA. Sutherla@unm.edu
Abstract:
We review evidence from experiments conducted in our laboratory on retrograde amnesia in rats with damage to the hippocampal formation. In a new experiment reported here, we show that N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced hippocampal damage produced retrograde amnesia for both hidden platform and two-choice visible platform discriminations in the Morris water task. For both problems there was a significant trend for longer training-surgery intervals to be associated with worse retention performance. Little support is offered by our work for the concept that there is a process involving hippocampal-dependent consolidation of memories in extrahippocampal permanent storage sites. Long-term memory consolidation may take place within the hippocampus. The hippocampus may be involved permanently in storage and/or retrieval of a variety of relational and nonrelational memories if it was intact at the time of learning, even involving information which is definitely not affected in anterograde amnesia after hippocampal damage.
Related Concept Videos
Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory
Traumatic Memory
Role of Hippocampus in Memory
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
Interference and Decay
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
Amnesia
The severity and duration of memory loss vary depending on the type and underlying cause. Amnesia is classified into two main types: retrograde and anterograde.
Retrograde amnesia is marked by the loss of memories formed before the onset of the condition. Patients may recall distant past events but often forget those occurring shortly before the incident.
Anterograde...

