Behavioral and Brain Sciences

Table of Contents - 2007 - Volume 30, Issue 03  

Open Peer Commentary

Mental time travel in the rat: Dissociation of recall and familiarity

Madeline J. Eacotta1 and Alexander Eastona1

a1 Department of Psychology, University of Durham, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom. m.j.eacott@durham.ac.uk http://www.dur.ac.uk/behavioural.neuroscience/ alexander.easton@durham.ac.uk http://www.dur.ac.uk/behavioural.neuroscience/

Abstract

We examine and reject the claim that the past-directed aspect of mental time travel (episodic memory) is unique to humans. Recent work in our laboratory with rats has demonstrated behaviours that resemble “remember, know” judgements about past occasions. Similar to human episodic memory, we can also demonstrate a dissociation in the neural basis of recollection and familiarity in nonhumans.

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