Confabulation and the Brain, 9

Confabulation' is sometimes used as an explanation for and/or to describe the so-called memories of people claiming to have been abducted by aliens. It may involve 'memories' of surgical experiences while on space ships, It may also include false memories induced by treatment or interviews. Neurologist Oliver Sacks has written about patients with brain disorders that impact memory. One male patient could not form new memories. This meant that he did not even recall who Dr. Sacks was. Nevertheless, the patient would “recall” (create) a fictional narrative about the doctor’s previous encounters with the patient—all of which were nonexistent in the patient’s memory. Dr. Sacks described these confabulations as an attempt to make meaning out of perceptions the patient could relate to events in long-term memory only—because the short term memory had completely failed.