ABSTRACT
False memory research in neuropsychological populations and other special populations, as well as drug-induced amnesias, is critical for at least two reasons. First, especially in neuropsychological studies where brain damage is well defined, this research provides insights into the neuronal mechanisms that subserve memory processes. This approach necessarily is constrained, due to the logical limitations of inferring normal mechanisms from abnormal function, but it can provide some of the strongest evidence that a brain structure or region is involved in a certain cognitive function, such as false memory creation or monitoring. Second, delineating how specific types of brain damage or psychological states affect different cognitive processes has practical implications for diagnosis, understanding, and treatment.
