Exceptional memory is the power to have accurate and detailed recall in a selection of the way, together with hyperthymesia, eidetic memory, synesthesia, and emotional Memory Wave. Distinctive memory can also be prevalent in those with savant syndrome and mnemonists. Hyperthymesia, or hyperthymestic syndrome, is superior autobiographical memory, the kind of memory that types individuals's life tales. The time period hyperthymesia is derived from the modern Greek word thýmesē 'memory' and Ancient Greek hypér 'over'. The capabilities of the affected people should not restricted to recalling particular occasions from their personal experience. There is a vital characteristic of hyperthymesia: Individuals with the syndrome have an unusual form of eidetic memory to recollect in addition to recall any specific personal occasions or trivial details, together with a date, the weather, what people wore on that day, from their past, almost in an organized manner. Moreover, people with hyperthymesia do not focus on practiced mnemonic methods. For example, "AJ", who has the first documented case of hyperthymesia, has problem consciously applying her memory methods to help her memorize new information, making her rote memorization skills beneath average.

Importantly, having superior autobiographical memory does not translate to broadly superior Memory Wave; in reality across checks like a digit span, visible reproduction, and phrase-pair memorization, those with hyperthymesia don't have any statistically important distinction from a control group. As a result of it's a lately found memory functionality, neuroscientific explanations of hyperthymesia are scarce. McGaugh, who coined the time period, supplies mostly hypothesis in "A Case of Unusual Autobiographical Remembering". He means that "AJ"'s superior autobiographical memory is largely the results of particular impairments moderately than enhancements. Her sensitivity to cues that set off her reminiscences suggest that "AJ" has hassle inhibiting episodic-retrieval mode, which is the neurocognitive state required for present stimuli to be interpreted as memory cues. As a result of she is unable to "flip off" her retrieval mode, the smallest associations might deliver on detailed recollections of "AJ"'s previous. Inhibition in itself is a kind of government functioning, thought to be associated with the appropriate inferior frontal cortex. Although "AJ" just isn't autistic, McGaugh and colleagues observe that she shares a number of the government-functioning deficits that happen with autism.

These deficits, along with anomalous lateralization and "AJ"'s obsessive-compulsive tendencies, point to a neurodevelopmental frontostriatal disorder widespread in autism, OCD, ADHD, Tourette's syndrome, and schizophrenia. The frontostriatal system is made up of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, lateral orbitofrontal cortex, cingulate, supplementary motor space, and related basal ganglia constructions. Sixty one confirmed instances of hyperthymesia worldwide. Circumstances of hyperthymesia differ from associated cases of savant memory in that savants have an extraordinary memory for specific hobbies, and events of a slim foundation, whereas cases of confirmed hyperthymesia show surprisingly detailed memory for specific and general occasions. One subject, given any date in history, can recall what the weather was like on stated date, personal particulars of their life at the time, and different news events that occurred at the moment. Particulars of what the subject recalls could also be important to them not directly, however they will not be. Personal meaning doesn't seem to have an effect on the topic's memory - they merely recall all the things.

In another confirmed case, the topic, when shown a photograph from his past, can recall the date it was taken, where it was taken, what they'd accomplished that day, and even more detailed data such because the temperature on said day. Whereas many would consider hyperthymesia a positive trait, these with hyperthymesia also describe experiencing damaging consequences of their enhanced Memory Wave Routine. For instance, one individual describes their memory as a "running movie that by no means stops". Moreover, they describe viewing the world in "break up display", with the past always enjoying at the same time as the present. Similarly, the person's superior memory does not seem to be as a consequence of a need to use memorizing techniques; their memorization of autobiographical information is non-acutely aware. Another unfavourable aspect of hyperthymesia is that it might presumably stem from traumatic experiences in childhood in which the individual feels a necessity to arrange recollections, relive the past, and in any other case suppose about previous experiences extra.