The Japanese journal of neuropsychology

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ArticleTitle	Neural mechanisms underlying human episodic memory in a social context
Language	J
AuthorList	Takashi Tsukiura
Affiliation	Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University
Publication	Japanese Journal of Neuropsychology: 38 (1), 11-17, 2022
Received
Accepted
Abstract	Neural mechanisms underlying human episodic memories are modulated by social contexts, which include social value and social relationship. The social value, which is defined as values shared in society, affects human memories by interaction of the reward-related orbitofrontal cortex or punishment-related insular cortex with the memory-related hippocampus. The social relationship mediated by verbal or nonverbal communication is represented in the self-related medial prefrontal cortex or the other-related temporoparietal junction, and interacting mechanisms between these regions and the hippocampus contribute to the modulatory effect of memories by the social relationship. In addition, neural mechanisms reflecting memories in social contexts are modulated by structural changes of brain due to neurological disease or healthy aging. Thus, the effects of social contexts on memory assessment for brain-damaged patients should be considered in clinical stages of neuropsychology.
Keywords	social value, social relationship, orbitofrontal cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, temporoparietal junction