Model of the hippocampo-cortical connectivity in “Temporal Consciousness” in normal and pathological memory: The Hippocampus, Memory and Temporal Consciousness project

Abstract

Within the framework of Memory, Consciousness and Temporality Theory (MCTT) confabulation is not a ‘pure’ memory disorder, but rather a pathological condition that involves the Temporal Consciousness (TC), (i.e. being conscious of one's own past, present and future). According to the MCTT, TC remains unimpaired in confabulating patients, as it is in normal subject, but it does not operate correctly. There is an increasing converging evidence that lesions, which produce amnesia also produce deficits of TC. This suggests that the integrity of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) and related structures is crucial for the normal functioning of TC. The overall goal of the study is to evaluate the role of the MTL (in particular the hippocampus) and of its connections to other cortical areas in cognitive tasks related to TC. We mainly focus on the theoretical framework of the work and we describe the cognitive task that will be used to evaluate TC in normal subjects and in patients with memory disorder.