Entropy, Amnesia, and Abnormal Déjà Experiences.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Philosophy of Time

Background:

• Distinguishes between déjà vu (familiarity) and déjà vécu (recollection).
• Déjà vécu can manifest as a delusion-like confabulatory phenomenon, particularly in elderly dementia patients.
• Existing theories include dual process and encoding-as-retrieval hypotheses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel understanding of recollective confabulation (déjà vécu).
• To build upon the encoding-as-retrieval hypothesis.
• To account for the co-occurrence of déjà vécu with perceptual novelty and memory impairment.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical framework integrating memory, novelty perception, and time perception.
• Analysis of existing literature on déjà vécu, memory impairment, and temporal cognition.
• Interdisciplinary approach drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy.

Main Results:

• Proposes a novel understanding of déjà vécu that extends the encoding-as-retrieval hypothesis.
• Accounts for the persistent nature of déjà vécu alongside perceptual novelty and memory deficits.
• Highlights the role of memory and novelty in the subjective experience of time's flow.

Conclusions:

• Memory function and novelty perception may fundamentally influence the subjective experience of time.
• The proposed model offers a more comprehensive explanation for déjà vécu in various conditions like dementia, epilepsy, and psychosis.
• Further research into the interplay of memory, time, and subjective experience is warranted.