Patterns of autobiographical memory loss in dementia

• Published in: International journal of geriatric psychiatry Vol. 20; no. 9; pp. 809 - 815
• Main Authors: Hou, Craig E., Miller, Bruce L., Kramer, Joel H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.09.2005; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alzheimer Disease - psychology; Alzheimer's disease; autobiographical memory; Biological and medical sciences; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Dementia; Dementia - psychology; Educational Status; Female; frontotemporal dementia; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geriatric psychiatry; Geriatrics; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Memory; Memory Disorders - etiology; Mental Recall; Middle Aged; Neurology; Neuropsychological Tests; Psychoanalysis; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Self Concept; semantic dementia; Semantics; Human; Semantic dementia; Memory disorder; Nervous system diseases; Cognitive disorder; Alzheimer disease; Autobiographical memory; Cerebral disorder; Senile dementia; Gerontology; Central nervous system disease; Degenerative disease; Frontotemporal dementia; Elderly; Alzheimer's disease; Geriatrics
• ISSN: 0885-6230; 1099-1166
• DOI: 10.1002/gps.1361

Background Several studies have found impaired recall of remote autobiographical memories relative to recent memories in semantic dementia (SD), a pattern opposite to that in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Objective To document dissociation of memory for autobiographical incidents and personal semantic information in individuals with AD, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and SD. Methods The authors administered the Autobiographical Memory Interview to eight individuals with AD, 11 with FTD, eight with SD, and eight normal controls . Autobiographical incidents and personal semantic memory was assessed from three time periods: childhood, early adulthood, and recent life. Results Individuals with SD recalled more details of autobiographical incidents from the most recent 5 years than from childhood and early adulthood (childhood vs recent life: t(7) = −3.59, p = 0.009; early adulthood vs recent life: t(7) = −4.33, p = 0.003). No difference was found between childhood and early adulthood (t(7) = 1.11, p = 0.305). Recall of personal semantic information was related to the age of the memory with less remembered from earlier time periods (childhood vs recent life: t(7) = −6.52, p < 0.001; childhood vs early adulthood: t(7) = −2.61, p = 0.035; early adulthood vs recent life: t(7) = −9.15, p < 0.001). Conclusions SD is a compelling model in which to study the anatomy of episodic memory. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.