A Case Study Approach to Understanding Memory

Much of what we know about brain-behavior relations is made possible by the study of neuropsychological cases. Given the ubiquity of functional neuroimaging studies, and the importance they have assumed in elucidating brain function, the goal of my talk is to describe how single cases continue to challenge accepted dogma, to lead to new discoveries, and to suggest hypotheses and theories that steer the field in new directions. Using memory as an example, I will discuss recent findings from case studies that specify critical functions of the hippocampus in episodic memory and spatial memory, and clarify its role in non-mnemonic abilities. Together, this work provides novel, theoretical insights on the nature of hippocampal-neocortical interactions and the types of memory they help represent.