This case study describes the use of a wearable camera, SenseCam, which

automatically captures several hundred images per day, to aid autobiographical

memory in a patient, Mrs B, with severe memory impairment following limbic

encephalitis. By using SenseCam to record personally experienced events we

intended that SenseCam pictures would form a pictorial diary to cue and

consolidate autobiographical memories. After wearing SenseCam, Mrs B

plugged the camera into a PC which uploaded the recorded images and

allowed them to be viewed at speed, like watching a movie. In the control condition,

a written diary was used to record and remind her of autobiographical

events. After viewing SenseCam images, Mrs B was able to recall approximately

80% of recent, personally experienced events. Retention of events

was maintained in the long-term, 11 months afterwards, and without viewing

SenseCam images for three months. After using the written diary, Mrs B was

able to remember around 49% of an event; after one month with no diary readings she had no recall of the same events. We suggest that factors relating

to rehearsal/re-consolidation may have enabled SenseCam images to improve

Mrs B’s autobiographical recollection.

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In  Neuropsychological Rehabilitation

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