Episodic retrieval and the cortical binding of relational activity

Retrieval of episodic memories depends on the successful “re-collection” of event features, such as the time, place, people,
thoughts, and feelings associated with a past experience.In neuroimaging studies, ventral regions of the posterior parietal
cortex (vPPC) are particularly active when episodic memories are successfully retrieved. A review of the neural correlates
of episodic retrieval is presented along with a new theory, cortical binding of relational activity (CoBRA). According to
CoBRA, the vPPC acts as a convergence zone that binds episodic features stored in disparate neocortical regions. This process
works in conjunction with other known mechanisms, such as those associated with the prefrontal cortex and medial temporal
lobe.