Amygdala lesions selectively impair familiarity in recognition memory

A major controversy in the study of memory concerns whether there are distinct medial temporal lobe (MTL) substrates of recollection and familiarity. Studies using Received Operating Characteristics (ROC) analyses of recognition memory indicate that the hippocampus is essential to recollection but not familiarity. We report the converse pattern wherein amygdala damage impairs familiarity while sparing recollection. Combined with previous findings, these results dissociate recollection and familiarity by selective MTL damage.