Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026
07:26
The Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) Task: A Simple Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate False Memories in the Laboratory
Published on: January 31, 2017
Generalized dissociative amnesia: episodic, semantic and procedural memories lost and found
1Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands. i.vanderhart@fss.uu.nl
The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
|September 12, 2001
Summary
Generalized amnesia involves more than just episodic memory loss, often including semantic and procedural memory impairments. Recovery patterns suggest semantic and procedural memory return before episodic memory, challenging older classifications.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Memory Disorders
Background:
- Generalized amnesia (GA) is often categorized into Type I (episodic memory loss) and Type II (additional semantic/procedural memory loss).
- Ribot's law of regression posits that procedural and semantic memory recovery precedes episodic memory recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test Ribot's twofold categorization of generalized amnesia.
- To explore the law of regression in memory recovery.
- To identify etiological factors in generalized amnesia.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and analysis of clinically and formally assessed cases of generalized amnesia.
- Inclusion of cases published since 1845.
Main Results:
- Cases exhibited varied degrees of semantic and procedural memory impairment alongside episodic memory loss.
- Recovery of semantic and procedural memories frequently preceded episodic memory recovery, especially for trauma memories.
- Memory loss impacted daily functioning; some cases involved dissociative personalities. Etiology was often trauma/stress-related or unknown.
Conclusions:
- Generalized amnesia can involve the loss and recovery of semantic and procedural memories, contrary to some diagnostic views.
- The dimensional nature of memory loss in GA suggests Ribot's categorical distinction is not fully supported.
- Trauma and stress are significant etiological factors, with potential for delayed retrieval of personality information.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Long-Term Memory
Long-term memory is a relatively permanent type of memory, capable of storing vast amounts of information over extended periods. Its storage capacity is generally considered unlimited.
Long-term memory can be categorized into two primary types: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, involves the conscious recollection of information that we deliberately try to remember, recall, and articulate. This type of memory encompasses specific facts, events, and...
Long-term memory can be categorized into two primary types: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, involves the conscious recollection of information that we deliberately try to remember, recall, and articulate. This type of memory encompasses specific facts, events, and...
01:27Explicit Memories
Explicit memories, also known as declarative memories, are consciously remembered, recalled, and reported. Studying for a chemistry exam involves material that will become part of explicit memory. There are two types of explicit memory: episodic and semantic.
Episodic memory contains information about personally experienced events and is reported as a story. An example of episodic memory is recalling a birthday celebration. This type of memory includes the what, where, and when of an event, as...
Episodic memory contains information about personally experienced events and is reported as a story. An example of episodic memory is recalling a birthday celebration. This type of memory includes the what, where, and when of an event, as...
01:19Role of Hippocampus in Memory
The hippocampus, a critical brain structure, plays an essential role in memory processing, particularly in the formation and retrieval of memory. This small, seahorse-shaped region is located within the medial temporal lobe, with one hippocampus in each brain hemisphere. Experimental studies involving lesions in the hippocampi of rats have demonstrated significant impairments in tasks such as object recognition and maze navigation, indicating the hippocampus involvement in both recognition and...
01:13Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition marked by long-term memory loss, which impairs the ability to recall past events or create new memories.
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...
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...
01:27Dissociative Disorders
Dissociative disorders represent complex psychological conditions characterized by disruptions in consciousness, memory, identity, or perception. These disruptions cause individuals to experience a disconnection from their thoughts, emotions, and memories. The phenomenon is not merely an occasional lapse in attention but a profound alteration in mental functioning that can severely impact daily life.
Dissociative Fugue
A hallmark feature of dissociative disorders is the dissociative fugue...
Dissociative Fugue
A hallmark feature of dissociative disorders is the dissociative fugue...
01:21Dissociative Amnesia
Dissociative amnesia is a complex psychological condition that manifests as an inability to recall personal information, often tied to traumatic or stressful events. Unlike general amnesia, individuals with this condition retain the ability to perform routine activities and procedural tasks, such as operating a phone or navigating public transportation, yet experience profound gaps in autobiographical memory. These lapses may encompass significant life events, such as suicide attempts or...