The role of the angular gyrus in memory for encoded perspective and subjective re-experiencing.
Andreea Zaman, Ruby Morton, Paige Seath, Lauren L White, Anna-Lea Beyer, Ana Massa Villanueva, Arthur Hebb, Caroline Catmur, Charlotte Russell
Neuropsychologia July 23, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2026.109545 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental behavioral study with transcranial magnetic stimulation Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 115 |
| Population | Healthy adults aged 18-35 |
| Keywords | Angular gyrus Autonoetic consciousness Episodic memory First-person perspective Subjective memory experience |
| Key findings | The authors suggest that the angular gyrus supports memory for encoded first-person perspective and contributes to subjective aspects of episodic retrieval. Offline rTMS enhanced perspective discrimination (Study 2), while online rTMS produced a non-significant impairment (Study 3), leading the authors to propose that the direction of influence depends on stimulation timing and interactions with broader cortical networks. |
Abstract
Remembering personal events typically involves reconstructing our original first-person perspective, often accompanied by a vivid sense of re-experiencing the past. The Angular Gyrus (AnG) has been implicated in both perspective reconstruction and subjective memory experience, yet its specific contribution remains unclear. We investigated the role of the AnG across three studies using a behavioural paradigm in which healthy adults (aged 18-35) encoded a naturalistic video. At retrieval, participants judged whether test images matched their original perspective and rated subjective aspects of the experience, including vividness and re-experiencing. In Study 1 (n = 42), vividness ratings significantly predicted accurate perspective discrimination. In Study 2 (n = 45), offline repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the AnG significantly enhanced perspective discrimination relative to control stimulation, with richness of visual imagery predicting performance. In Study 3 (n = 28), online rTMS to the AnG produced a non-significant impairment in discrimination, suggesting possible disruption. Re-experiencing ratings predicted successful discrimination of first-person perspective scenes. Together, these studies suggest that the AnG supports memory for encoded perspective and contributes to the subjective aspects of episodic retrieval. The direction of its influence may depend on stimulation timing and its interaction with broader cortical networks involved in self-referential processing and memory reconstruction.