Investigated whether memory for global stimulus structure is more impaired than memory for stimulus features in densely amnesic patients. 12 amnesic (mean age 57 yrs) and 24 age-matched controls were presented compound words and performed either a deep or a shallow encoding task. They later received a surprise "old"/"new" recognition test or perceptual identification test that contained old, recombined, partially new, and completely new words. In recognition, controls were better able than amnesiacs to discriminate old from recombined stimuli; however, Ss were equally able to discriminate partially or completely new stimuli from recombined stimuli. Results demonstrate that memory illusions can result from miscombining parts of previously experienced stimuli, and that, relative to controls, amnesiacs suffer from a selective inability to intentionally remember how stimulus parts are interrelated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)