Neural correlates of paired associate recollection: A neuroimaging meta-analysis

Functional neuroimaging data on paired associate recollection have expanded over the years, raising the need for an integrative understanding of the literature. The present study performed a quantitative meta-analysis of the data to fulfill that need. The meta-analysis focused on the three most widely used types of activation contrast: Hit > Miss, Intact > Rearranged, and Memory > Perception. The major results were as follows. First, the Hit > Miss contrast mainly involved regions in the default mode network (DMN)/medial temporal lobe (MTL), likely reflecting a greater amount of retrieved information during the Hit than Miss trials. Second, the Intact > Rearranged contrast mainly involved regions in the DMN/MTL, supporting the view that rejecting recombination foils is based on familiarity with the component parts in the absence of recollection. Third, the Memory > Perception contrast primarily involved regions in the frontoparietal control network, likely reflecting the greater demands on controlled processing during Memory than Perception conditions. Fourth, the subcortical clusters included the amygdala, caudate nucleus/putamen, and mediodorsal thalamus regions, suggesting that these regions are components of the neural circuits supporting associative recollection. Finally, comparisons with previous meta-analyses suggested that associative recollection involves the DMN regions more strongly than source recollection but less strongly than subjective recollection. In conclusion, this study contributes uniquely to the growing literature on paired associate recollection by clarifying the convergent findings and differences among studies.