Memory and Amnesia

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Memory and Amnesia: A Neuropsychological Review Abstract Rapid advances have been made in the field of human memory in the past few decades. This article provides an up-to-date exposition on the dominant view of the memory system. Theoretical constructs constituting the memory system are examined, and neurological substrates for specific constructs and memory processes are given where applicable. In addition, practical recommendations are made for the use of memory assessment tools in the broader context of neuropsychological assessment. An integrated view on human functioning is emphasized, with specific reference to memory. Despite the multifaceted and complex nature of human memory, great advances in our understanding of this fundamental aspect of human experience have been made over the past few decades. This increasing insight into human memory processes has been largely due to the advent of neuroscientific disciplines such as neuropsychology, as well as the brain imaging technologies associated with these fields. However, this recent upsurge of research into human memory has raised many further questions, as memory appears to function in a far more varied and complex manner than was previously imagined. Amnesiac patients have been instrumental in generating this new understanding of human memory, and have also allowed researchers to pinpoint, with varying degrees of precision, the anatomical regions of the brain that are associated with specific aspects of the memory process. In this article I intend to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the human memory system, including, as far as is possible based on current literature, memory's constituent processes, their neurological substrates, an overview of amnesia, as well as a section on some of the practical concerns involved in memory assessment within the context of a
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