Hyperthymesia
Encyclopedia
Hyperthymesia, also known as piking or hyperthymestic syndrome, is a condition where the affected individual has a superior autobiographical memory
. "Thymesia" comes from the Greek word θύμησις thymesis, meaning "memory". As first described in a 2006 Neurocase
article entitled "A case of unusual autobiographical remembering", the two defining characteristics of hyperthymesia are "1) the person spends an abnormally large amount of time thinking about his or her personal past, and 2) the person has an extraordinary capacity to recall specific events from his or her personal past".
or savant syndrome
sometimes are; the recall is limited to days on a personal "mental calendar". The mental calendar association occurs automatically and obsessively. Unlike some other individuals with superior memory, hyperthymestic individuals do not rely on practiced mnemonic
strategies.
- Elizabeth Parker, Larry Cahill and James McGaugh
- have studied the condition in a woman identified only by initials "A. J." (who later revealed her identity as Jill Price
, of Los Angeles, in a book published May 9, 2008), whose memory they characterize as "nonstop, uncontrollable, and automatic". A. J. became aware of basic changes in her memory in 1974, when she was eight. From 1980 on, she apparently can recall every day.
After the study was published in 2006 in the journal Neurocase
, more people came forward claiming that they had this ability. So far two other cases are considered to be genuine: a Wisconsin
man named Brad Williams
, and Rick Baron of Ohio. A fourth case has identified himself to researchers.
The Russian psychologist Aleksandr Luria documented a case of unusual memory in his book, The Mind of a Mnemonist
: A Little Book About A Vast Memory. The young Russian man, Solomon Shereshevskii
, was quite different from Jill Price (A.J.) in that he could memorize virtually unlimited amounts of information deliberately, while Price could not - she could only remember autobiographical information (and events she had personally seen on the news or read about). She was not very good at memorizing anything at all, according to the study published in Neurocase. Shereshevskii was also famous as an interesting case of multiple synesthesia
. Price may have also had a type of synesthesia known as number-space synesthesia, as described in The Tell-Tale Brain by V.S. Ramachandran (p. 110).
As hyperthymesia becomes better known more people are coming forward. On December 19, 2010, actress Marilu Henner
was featured on 60 Minutes
for her ability, announced as "superior autobiographical memory." Henner claimed she can remember almost every day of her life since she was 11 years old. The show was initially pitched as a story featuring super-memory violinist Louise Owen, but the reporter Lesley Stahl
volunteered that her friend Marilu Henner has a similar ability and became one of five participants in the story. Henner appeared on Today with Meredith Viera weeks later and stated that "about 300 people" had come forward to be tested for hyperthymesia. According to Lesley Stahl on the June 19, 2011 episode of 60 Minutes, there are 20 verified cases.
Autobiographical memory
Autobiographical memory is a memory system consisting of episodes recollected from an individual's life, based on a combination of episodic and semantic memory.-Formation:Conway and Pleydell-Pearce proposed that autobiographical...
. "Thymesia" comes from the Greek word θύμησις thymesis, meaning "memory". As first described in a 2006 Neurocase
Neurocase
Neurocase is a peer-reviewed journal specializing in case studies in the neuropsychology, neuropsychiatry and behavioral neurology of adults and children. The publisher also maintains a database of all patients from the various studies and articles for reference by Neurocase subscribers...
article entitled "A case of unusual autobiographical remembering", the two defining characteristics of hyperthymesia are "1) the person spends an abnormally large amount of time thinking about his or her personal past, and 2) the person has an extraordinary capacity to recall specific events from his or her personal past".
Capabilities
Individuals with hyperthymesia can recall events that they have personally experienced. A hyperthymestic person can be asked a date, and describe the events that occurred that day, what the weather was like, and many seemingly trivial details that most people would not be able to recall. They often can recall what day of the week the date fell on, but are not necessarily calendrical calculators as people with autismAutism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
or savant syndrome
Savant syndrome
Savant syndrome , sometimes referred to as savantism, is a rare condition in which people with developmental disorders have one or more areas of expertise, ability, or brilliance that are in contrast with the individual's overall limitations...
sometimes are; the recall is limited to days on a personal "mental calendar". The mental calendar association occurs automatically and obsessively. Unlike some other individuals with superior memory, hyperthymestic individuals do not rely on practiced mnemonic
Mnemonic
A mnemonic , or mnemonic device, is any learning technique that aids memory. To improve long term memory, mnemonic systems are used to make memorization easier. Commonly encountered mnemonics are often verbal, such as a very short poem or a special word used to help a person remember something,...
strategies.
Cases
Twenty cases of hyperthymesia have been confirmed. Researchers from University of California, IrvineUniversity of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
- Elizabeth Parker, Larry Cahill and James McGaugh
James McGaugh
James L. McGaugh is an American neurobiologist working in the field of learning and memory. He is currently a Research Professor at the University of California, Irvine....
- have studied the condition in a woman identified only by initials "A. J." (who later revealed her identity as Jill Price
Jill Price
Jill Price is one of six confirmed subjects determined by scientists to have hyperthymesia and was the person who pioneered such research. She is able to recite details of every day of her life since she was fourteen years old. She can recall various obscure moments of her life in high detail...
, of Los Angeles, in a book published May 9, 2008), whose memory they characterize as "nonstop, uncontrollable, and automatic". A. J. became aware of basic changes in her memory in 1974, when she was eight. From 1980 on, she apparently can recall every day.
After the study was published in 2006 in the journal Neurocase
Neurocase
Neurocase is a peer-reviewed journal specializing in case studies in the neuropsychology, neuropsychiatry and behavioral neurology of adults and children. The publisher also maintains a database of all patients from the various studies and articles for reference by Neurocase subscribers...
, more people came forward claiming that they had this ability. So far two other cases are considered to be genuine: a Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
man named Brad Williams
Brad Williams (memory)
Brad Williams is an American man from Prairie du Chien Wisconsin who is considered by scientists to have one of the best memories in the world and one of the only ten people in the world who has been confirmed by researchers as having a condition called hyperthymestic syndrome...
, and Rick Baron of Ohio. A fourth case has identified himself to researchers.
The Russian psychologist Aleksandr Luria documented a case of unusual memory in his book, The Mind of a Mnemonist
Mnemonist
The title mnemonist refers to an individual with the ability to remember and recall unusually long lists of data, such as unfamiliar names, lists of numbers, entries in books, etc. Such individuals have also been described as possessing an eidetic memory, although whether such abilities are innate...
: A Little Book About A Vast Memory. The young Russian man, Solomon Shereshevskii
Solomon Shereshevskii
Solomon Veniaminovich Shereshevsky , also known simply as 'Ш' or 'S.', was a Russian journalist and mnemonist active in the 1920s.-Studies:...
, was quite different from Jill Price (A.J.) in that he could memorize virtually unlimited amounts of information deliberately, while Price could not - she could only remember autobiographical information (and events she had personally seen on the news or read about). She was not very good at memorizing anything at all, according to the study published in Neurocase. Shereshevskii was also famous as an interesting case of multiple synesthesia
Synesthesia
Synesthesia , from the ancient Greek , "together," and , "sensation," is a neurologically based condition in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway...
. Price may have also had a type of synesthesia known as number-space synesthesia, as described in The Tell-Tale Brain by V.S. Ramachandran (p. 110).
As hyperthymesia becomes better known more people are coming forward. On December 19, 2010, actress Marilu Henner
Marilu Henner
Mary Lucy Denise "Marilu" Henner is an American actress, producer and author. She is best known for her role as Elaine O'Connor Nardo on the sitcom Taxi from 1978 to 1983.-Early life:...
was featured on 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
for her ability, announced as "superior autobiographical memory." Henner claimed she can remember almost every day of her life since she was 11 years old. The show was initially pitched as a story featuring super-memory violinist Louise Owen, but the reporter Lesley Stahl
Lesley Stahl
Lesley Rene Stahl is an American television journalist. Since 1991, she has reported for CBS on 60 Minutes.-Personal life:...
volunteered that her friend Marilu Henner has a similar ability and became one of five participants in the story. Henner appeared on Today with Meredith Viera weeks later and stated that "about 300 people" had come forward to be tested for hyperthymesia. According to Lesley Stahl on the June 19, 2011 episode of 60 Minutes, there are 20 verified cases.
See also
- Eidetic memoryEidetic memoryEidetic , commonly referred to as photographic memory, is a medical term, popularly defined as the ability to recall images, sounds, or objects in memory with extreme precision and in abundant volume. The word eidetic, referring to extraordinarily detailed and vivid recall not limited to, but...
- Funes the MemoriousFunes the Memorious"Funes the Memorious" is a fantasy short story by Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges. First published in La Nación in June 1942, it appeared in the 1944 anthology Ficciones, part two . The first English translation appeared in 1954 in Avon Modern Writing No. 2...
, a short story by Jorge Luis BorgesJorge Luis BorgesJorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo , known as Jorge Luis Borges , was an Argentine writer, essayist, poet and translator born in Buenos Aires. In 1914 his family moved to Switzerland where he attended school, receiving his baccalauréat from the Collège de Genève in 1918. The family... - Daniel McCartneyDaniel McCartneyDaniel McCartney was an American who may have had what is now known as hyperthymesia.McCartney was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Daniel was legally blind and lived with his relatives throughout his lifetime. Daniel never married due to his blindness.Daniel was famous for his mental...
- Savant syndromeSavant syndromeSavant syndrome , sometimes referred to as savantism, is a rare condition in which people with developmental disorders have one or more areas of expertise, ability, or brilliance that are in contrast with the individual's overall limitations...
- Solomon ShereshevskiiSolomon ShereshevskiiSolomon Veniaminovich Shereshevsky , also known simply as 'Ш' or 'S.', was a Russian journalist and mnemonist active in the 1920s.-Studies:...