Confabulation ("honest lying") is an interesting disorder of memory that needs to be distinguished from other conditions.
Features of confabulation:
(1) often the presence of a neuropsychiatric disorder, although it can occur in an otherwise healthy person
(2) false memory of experiences or events that never occurred but which the person believes to be true.
(3) no intention to deceive
Memories may be incongruous with the patient's history, background, or current situation.
Confabulation needs to be distinguished from delusions, which are false beliefs.
Since the person believes the memory to be true, it may be hard to recognize the misinformation if it is coherent unless there is contradictory evidence or recognition that the patient has a neuropsychiatric disorder.
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