Definition: Memory recall is the mental process of retrieving information previously encoded and stored in the brain. It involves reactivation of neural patterns associated with past experiences, thoughts, or learned material.

• Free Recall: Retrieving information without cues (e.g., recalling a list of words).
• Cued Recall: Retrieval triggered by associated prompts (e.g., seeing a photo and remembering the context).
• Serial Recall: Remembering items in the order in which they were presented.
• Recognition vs. Recall: Unlike *recognition*, recall does not involve identifying something as familiar—it requires *actively bringing it to mind*.

• Primarily involves the hippocampus and medial temporal lobe for episodic memory.
• The prefrontal cortex helps with retrieval strategies and suppression of irrelevant memories.
• Neural oscillations, such as theta and ripple-like activity, are often observed during recall processes.

• Constructive: Recall is not a perfect reproduction but a reconstruction, influenced by current context and prior knowledge.
• Fallible: Susceptible to distortion, interference, and false memories.
• Modulated by Emotion: Emotional arousal can enhance or impair memory recall depending on context.

• Impaired in conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, traumatic brain injury, and amnesia.
• Often evaluated in neuropsychological testing (e.g., Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, word lists, story recall).

When watching a movie scene that you’ve seen before, your brain may spontaneously recall the ending, activating neural networks originally involved in encoding that scene.