ABSTRACT
Memory is often depicted in extremes in films and TV shows. The genius attributes their success to so-called photographic memory. A patient wakes up from a coma and does not remember any details about their life in a soap opera. While eidetic memory (so-called photographic memory) and amnesia are real phenomena, they do not occur in quite the same way, or to the same extent, as they are often shown in stories. Similarly, Memory Champions can remember a great deal, but the way in which many do this is probably different than most people think. This chapter covers the extremes of memory, from exceptional memory—eidetic memory, highly superior autobiographical memory, savant syndrome, super recognizers—to memory loss—various types of amnesia and dementia.
