Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Amnesia01:13

Amnesia

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...
Dissociative Amnesia01:21

Dissociative 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...
Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory01:26

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or playing an...
False Memories01:18

False Memories

False memories represent a cognitive distortion in which individuals recall events that did not happen, or remember them in an altered form. This phenomenon highlights the brain's constructive nature in processing and recalling memories, emphasizing that memory is not a perfect representation of past events but rather a dynamic reconstruction influenced by various factors.
One primary source of false memories is misattribution, where individuals incorrectly associate external information with...
Eyewitness Memory01:22

Eyewitness Memory

Eyewitness memory refers to the recollection of events by someone who has directly witnessed them, often serving as critical evidence in legal settings. This type of memory is commonly used in criminal cases where a witness describes details like a suspect's appearance, clothing, or behavior during a crime. However, despite its perceived reliability, eyewitness memory is prone to significant errors.
One such error is memory distortion, which occurs because human memory does not function like a...
Dissociative Disorders01:27

Dissociative 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...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The Relevance of Stress and Trauma to Forensic Psychiatry.

The journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law·2017
Same author

Dissociation: Defining the Concept in Criminal Forensic Psychiatry.

The journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law·2017
Same author

Reliability and validity of the DSM-IV-TR and proposed DSM-5 criteria for pedophilia: Implications for the ICD-11 and the next DSM.

International journal of law and psychiatry·2016
Same author

Assessment of the paraphilias.

The Psychiatric clinics of North America·2014
Same author

Sexual sadism in sexual offenders and sexually motivated homicide.

The Psychiatric clinics of North America·2014
Same author

Forensic considerations of substance-induced psychosis.

The journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law·2013

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Utilizing the Modified T-Maze to Assess Functional Memory Outcomes After Cardiac Arrest
07:02

Utilizing the Modified T-Maze to Assess Functional Memory Outcomes After Cardiac Arrest

Published on: January 5, 2018

Amnesia and crime.

Dominique Bourget1, Laurie Whitehurst

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa. dbourget@rohcg.on.ca

The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
|December 19, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Amnesia in criminal cases poses legal challenges for competency and responsibility. Understanding different types of amnesia, including malingered amnesia, aids forensic assessments in legal contexts.

Area of Science:

  • Forensic Psychiatry
  • Neuroscience
  • Legal Psychology

Background:

  • Amnesia in criminal defendants has significant legal implications for competency to stand trial and criminal responsibility.
  • Forensic mental health professionals frequently provide expert testimony on amnesia claims.
  • Differentiating genuine amnesia from malingering is a diagnostic challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review theoretical, clinical, and legal perspectives on amnesia in criminal contexts.
  • To present case examples illustrating crime-related amnesia and legal outcomes.
  • To enhance understanding and assessment of amnesia in medico-legal evaluations.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of theoretical, clinical, and legal aspects of amnesia.
  • Analysis of case studies involving crime-related amnesia.

More Related Videos

The Double-H Maze: A Robust Behavioral Test for Learning and Memory in Rodents
09:01

The Double-H Maze: A Robust Behavioral Test for Learning and Memory in Rodents

Published on: July 8, 2015

Examining the Characteristics of Episodic Memory using Event-related Potentials in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease
11:01

Examining the Characteristics of Episodic Memory using Event-related Potentials in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

Published on: August 30, 2011

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Utilizing the Modified T-Maze to Assess Functional Memory Outcomes After Cardiac Arrest
07:02

Utilizing the Modified T-Maze to Assess Functional Memory Outcomes After Cardiac Arrest

Published on: January 5, 2018

The Double-H Maze: A Robust Behavioral Test for Learning and Memory in Rodents
09:01

The Double-H Maze: A Robust Behavioral Test for Learning and Memory in Rodents

Published on: July 8, 2015

Examining the Characteristics of Episodic Memory using Event-related Potentials in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease
11:01

Examining the Characteristics of Episodic Memory using Event-related Potentials in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

Published on: August 30, 2011

  • Discussion of clinical features for diagnostic differentiation.

    • Main Results:

    • Crime-related amnesia presents diagnostic challenges due to various potential causes (organic, dissociative, psychotic, malingered).
    • Case examples highlight diverse amnesia types and their legal repercussions.
    • Clinical features are crucial for understanding and diagnosing claimed memory impairment.

    Conclusions:

    • A comprehensive understanding of clinical features aids in assessing crime-related amnesia.
    • Developing characteristic profiles for crime-related amnesia can inform assessment guidelines.
    • Accurate diagnosis is essential for legal determinations of competency and responsibility.