IT has been recently established in both adult monkeys and humans that
visual recognition memory, as assessed with a preferential visual fix
ation technique, depends on the integrity of the neural structures sit
uated in the medial part of the temporal lobe. This kind of memory has
been observed in infant monkeys not earlier than day 15. Using a fami
liarization technique we established that this recognition memory is p
resent in human infants as early as postnatal day 3 when a 2-min reten
tion interval is used. This visual recognition memory might be control
led by subcortical structures. The possibility that the medial tempora
l structure involved in adult visual memory is operating at birth cann
ot, however, be ruled out.