Imaginary filling of memory gaps is known as?

Appeared in: AIIMS Delhi NO - 2017

Explanation

Confabulation is the unconscious fabrication of events or experiences to fill in gaps in memory.
It is classified as a memory disturbance, specifically a form of paramnesia (distortion of memory).
The individual is not intentionally lying and believes the fabricated memories to be true.
This symptom is commonly associated with organic brain disorders like Korsakoff syndrome, dementia, or frontal lobe injury.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option A: Circumstantiality is a disorder of the thought process, not memory. It describes a communication pattern with excessive, irrelevant detail, but the person eventually gets to the point.
Option B: Tangentiality is also a disorder of the thought process. It involves straying from the topic of conversation and never returning to the original point.
Option D: Déjà vu is a disorder of recognition, not memory creation. It is the unsettling feeling that a new experience has happened before.

Related Visual

A chart comparing four psychiatric terms: Confabulation a brain filling in a memory gap with a false memory, Circumstantiality a circular speaking pattern that returns to the...

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Disorders of Memory and Thought Process as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses must recognize confabulation as a symptom of a neurological or psychiatric condition, not as intentional deceit. This understanding guides a non-confrontational and therapeutic approach to patient care.
Documenting instances of confabulation is important for tracking the progression of cognitive decline and assessing the effectiveness of treatment.
What if? If a patient with dementia tells a detailed story about a family visit that did not happen, the nurse should not correct them harshly. Instead, they should gently redirect the conversation, as challenging the false memory can cause agitation and distress.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key concepts in the question stem: 'imaginary filling' and 'memory gaps'.
Recognize that the question is asking for a specific term related to a memory disturbance.
Systematically review the definitions of each option.
Confabulation is defined as the creation of false memories to fill gaps, which directly matches the question.
Rule out Circumstantiality and Tangentiality, as they are disorders of the thought process (how a person speaks), not memory content.
Rule out Déjà vu, as it is a false sense of familiarity, not the creation of new, false memories.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Disorders of Memory and Thought Process
Stem keywords: Imaginary filling, memory gaps
Lead-in keywords: known as

Question ID

Qup9rulPOQi2uAQzZABG4Q

Reference Book

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) pp. 3850-3852, 3795-3797

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