Confabulation: False Memory Maker
By: Megan Schafer
Why you chose this topic:
I chose this topic because I think the production of false memories is an interesting disorder. My research will help me if I chose to go into something that involves this specific disorder.
Confabulation:
Confabulation is when false memories are spontaneously produced. a memory disorder that can occur in people who have injuries/damage to their frontal lobes or basal forebrain. Some memories can be altered or completely made-up. Also, memories can be seen as typical or others can be seen as unusual. Most people who have this disorder do not know that their memories are faulty. Confabulation is a clinical symptom due to brain damage and is not the same as False Memory Syndrome. Therapy can be used to help people with this disorder.
The Brain:
In the brain, the long-term memory recovery is disturbed by the damage in the frontal lobe. The frontal lobe and the basal froebrain are failing because they are damaged.
Neuropsychological theories are that the brain is damaged so it can't order events.
The Research & Psychologist
Some important people to contribute to this disorder are Oliver Sacks who had a patient who would make up false memories about him. William Hirstei, who has written a book, says that confabulation can even happen in perfectly healthy adults/children. Although Confabulation isn't understood perfectly, these people have contributed greatly to this disorder.
Other Interesting Stuff
There are two types of confabulations, one is provoked where person makes up a memory trying to recall and event and spontaneous is when a person gets a memory confused with another memory and recalls the wrong memory.
Confabulation Video
Confabulation