The role of the angular gyrus in memory for encoded perspective and subjective re-experiencing

Remembering personal events typically involves reconstructing our original first-person perspective, often accompanied by a vivid sense of re-experiencing the past. The Angular Gyrus (AnG) has been implicated in both perspective reconstruction and subjective memory experience, yet its specific contribution remains unclear. We investigated the role of the AnG across three studies using a behavioural paradigm in which healthy adults (aged 18-35) encoded a naturalistic video. At retrieval, participants judged whether test images matched their original perspective and rated subjective aspects of the experience, including vividness and re-experiencing. In Study 1 (n = 42), vividness ratings significantly predicted accurate perspective discrimination. In Study 2 (n = 45), offline repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the AnG significantly enhanced perspective discrimination relative to control stimulation, with richness of visual imagery predicting performance. In Study 3 (n = 28), online rTMS to the AnG produced a non-significant impairment in discrimination, suggesting possible disruption. Re-experiencing ratings predicted successful discrimination of first-person perspective scenes. Together, these studies suggest that the AnG supports memory for encoded perspective and contributes to the subjective aspects of episodic retrieval. The direction of its influence may depend on stimulation timing and its interaction with broader cortical networks involved in self-referential processing and memory reconstruction.