Biological Basis for False Memories Revealed

Did you really see that? An image from a test for false memories developed by Ken Paller and colleagues of Northwestern University.

About Ken Paller - All Things Considered, October 23, 2004

In testing for false memories, Ken Paller of Northwestern University and colleagues showed volunteers in an MRI brain scanner a series of pictures and words on a video screen. After some words, volunteers were shown an actual picture of the object described. For words without pictures, they were told to visualize the object and imagine whether it was large or small. When they emerged from the scanner, they were given a memory test for the pictures they'd seen.

It's easy enough to forget something that happened. It's also possible to remember something that didn't happen. Researchers have used magnetic resonance imaging of the brain to record what happens when someone retrieves a real memory -- and what happens when that same person conjures up an imagined or "false memory."

As NPR's Michelle Trudeau reports, the study found that the parts of the brain used to perceive a real object overlap with those used to imagine that object. Because of this overlap, brain imaging is unlikely to be useful in determining who’s remembering accurately and who is remembering a false memory.