A person with anterograde amnesia (complete loss of the ability to memorize new information after 20-30 min of the event), is highly functional by using the smartphone as a cognitive prosthesis, checking his phone more than 100 times per day

Annese, Jacopo, Ruth Klaming, Lori Hasse-Alasandro, and Justin S. Feinstein. 2022. “Severe Anterograde Amnesia in the Era of Smartphone Technology.” PsyArXiv. May 15. doi:10.31234/osf.io/wu9f2

Abstract: A.V. is a young Herpes simplex Encephalitis (HSE) survivor with extensive bilateral damage to the medial temporal lobe (MTL) and one of the most severe forms of anterograde amnesia on record. In spite of the demonstrable deficit, A.V. regained a much higher degree of functioning and autonomy than previously-documented amnesic patients with major bilateral MTL damage. The distinguishing feature of A.V.’s adaptation and his advantage as a millennial, is that he is able to offload onto his smartphone those cognitive tasks that were previously supported by the MTL, as evidenced by our analysis of app usage.

The topography of A.V.’s brain injury combined with purity of the ensuing amnesia represent unique neuropsychological conditions that can advance the scientific study of human memory systems. A.V.’s relative success in coping with profound amnesia further offers unique insight into the potential of smartphone technology to become integrated with neural mnemonic functions, a phenomenon that has broad implications at the societal level and for public health, specifically in the management of memory disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.