scholarly journals Links between autobiographical memory richness and temporal discounting in older adults

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karolina M. Lempert ◽  
Kameron A. MacNear ◽  
David A. Wolk ◽  
Joseph W. Kable
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Temporal Discounting ◽  
Autobiographical Memories ◽  
Memory Decline ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Making Choices ◽  
Future Outcomes ◽  
With Memory

AbstractWhen making choices between smaller, sooner rewards and larger, later ones, people tend to discount or devalue future outcomes. This propensity can be maladaptive, especially as individuals age and their decisions about health, investments, and relationships become increasingly consequential. Individual differences in temporal discounting in older adults have been associated with episodic memory abilities, as well as with cortical thickness in the entorhinal cortex. The mechanism by which better memory might lead to more future-oriented choice remains unclear, however. Here we used a fine-grained measure of autobiographical memory richness (Autobiographical Interview scoring protocol) to examine which categories of episodic details are associated with temporal discounting in cognitively normal older adults. We also examined whether recalling autobiographical memories prior to choice can alter temporal discounting in this group. Time, place, and perceptual details, but not event or emotion/thought details, were associated with temporal discounting. Furthermore, time, place, and perceptual details and temporal discount rates were associated with entorhinal cortical thickness. Retrieving autobiographical memories prior to choice did not affect temporal discounting overall, but the extent to which the memories were rich in event and time details predicted whether they would reduce discounting after they were recalled. Thus, more future-oriented decision-makers may have more contextual (i.e., time, place, and perceptual) details in their recollections overall, and retrieving central event details at the time of choice may shift decisions toward being more patient. These findings will help with the development of interventions to nudge intertemporal choices, especially in older adults with memory decline.

scholarly journals Reminiscence groupwork and autobiographical memory as part of meaningful activities

Groupwork ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-87
Author(s):  
Andrew P. Allen ◽  
Mary Lee Tully ◽  
Desmond O’Neill ◽  
Richard A.P. Roche
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Memory Impairment ◽  
Memory Recall ◽  
Autobiographical Memories ◽  
Group Activities ◽  
The Past ◽  
With Memory

The current paper describes a reminiscence group activity session held as part of meaningful activities engagement for older adults. Topics of reminiscence included both autobiographical memories and memories of broader historical events from the past. Participants included those with memory impairment and those without, and participants with healthy memory were helpful in prompting memories in participants with memory impairment. Semantic and episodic autobiographical memory were assessed at baseline and following the end of both group activities, using the Episodic Autobiographical Memory Interview (EAMI) and quality of life was assessed using the Quality of Life AD-scale (QOL-AD). The reminiscence intervention did not significantly affect autobiographical memory recall or quality of life. However, oral reminiscence was reported to have increased outside of the reminiscence sessions.

ODor-evoked Autobiographical Memory in Alzheimer’s disease?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamad El Haj
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Disease Model ◽  
Olfactory Stimulation ◽  
Autobiographical Memories ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Memory Decline ◽  
Stimulation Of

Abstract Objective Because memory decline is the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), an important endeavor for both clinicians and researchers is to improve memory performances in AD. This can be pursued by olfactory stimulation of memory in patients with AD and by studying the effects of olfactory stimulation on autobiographical memory (i.e., memory for personal information). The effects of olfactory stimulation on autobiographical memory in patients with mild AD have been reported by recent research. We thus provide the first comprehensive overview of research on odor-evoked autobiographical memory in AD. We also establish the basis for solid theoretical analysis concerning the memory improvement reported by research on odor-evoked autobiographical memory in AD. Method We examined literature on odor-evoked autobiographical memories in AD and propose the “OdAMA” (Odor-evoked Autobiographical Memory in Alzheimer’s disease) model. Results and discussion According to OdAMA model, odor exposure activates involuntary access to specific autobiographical memories, which promotes enhanced experience subjective of retrieval in patients with AD and improves their ability to construct not only recent and remote events but also future ones. The OdAMA model could serve as a guide for researchers and clinicians interested in odor-evoked autobiographical memory in AD.

scholarly journals Proactive interference in aging: A model-based study

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 130-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Archambeau ◽  
Birte Forstmann ◽  
Leendert Van Maanen ◽  
Wim Gevers
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Proactive Interference ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Error Rates ◽  
Motor Execution ◽  
Memory Decline ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
New Information ◽  
Processing Mechanisms ◽  
Diffusion Decision Model

AbstractProactive interference occurs when previously learned information interrupts the storage or retrieval of new information. Congruent with previous reports, traditional analyses dealing with response times and error rates separately have indicated an increase in sensitivity to proactive interference in older adults. We reanalyzed the same data using diffusion decision model (DDM). Such models enable a more fine-grained interpretation concerning the latent processing mechanisms underlying performance. Now a different picture emerged. The DDM results showed that older adults needed more evidence than young adults before responding. The results also clearly indicated that peripheral processes (encoding time and motor execution), as well as recognition memory, decline with age. However, the drift rates, reflecting proactive interference, were similar, suggesting—contrary to earlier reports—that the inhibitory processes observed with this paradigm remain intact in older adults.

scholarly journals Odors Associated With Autobiographical Memory Induce Visual Imagination of Emotional Scenes as Well as Orbitofrontal-Fusiform Activation

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuri Masaoka ◽  
Haruko Sugiyama ◽  
Masaki Yoshida ◽  
Akira Yoshikawa ◽  
Motoyasu Honma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Orbitofrontal Cortex ◽  
Memory Retrieval ◽  
Fusiform Gyrus ◽  
Path Model ◽  
Autobiographical Memories ◽  
Subjective Memory ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Left Posterior

Specific odors can induce memories of the past, especially those associated with autobiographical and episodic memory. Odors associated with autobiographical memories have been found to elicit stronger activation in the orbitofrontal cortex, hippocampus, and parahippocampus compared with odors not linked to personal memories. Here, we examined whether continuous odor stimuli associated with autobiographical memories could activate the above olfactory areas in older adults and speculated regarding whether this odor stimulation could have a protective effect against age-related cognitive decline. Specifically, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the relationship between blood oxygen levels in olfactory regions and odor-induced subjective memory retrieval and emotions associated with autobiographical memory in older adults. In our group of healthy older adults, the tested odors induced autobiographical memories that were accompanied by increasing levels of retrieval and the feeling of being “brought back in time.” The strength of the subjective feelings, including vividness of the memory and degree of comfort, impacted activation of the left fusiform gyrus and left posterior orbitofrontal cortex. Further, our path model suggested that the strength of memory retrieval and of the emotions induced by odor-evoked autobiographical memories directly influenced neural changes in the left fusiform gyrus, and impacted left posterior orbitofrontal cortex activation through the left fusiform response.

scholarly journals Neural and behavioral correlates of episodic memory are associated with temporal discounting in older adults

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karolina M. Lempert ◽  
Dawn J. Mechanic-Hamilton ◽  
Long Xie ◽  
Laura E.M. Wisse ◽  
Robin de Flores ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Temporal Lobe ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Medial Temporal Lobe ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Temporal Discounting ◽  
Risk Tolerance ◽  
Trade Offs

AbstractWhen facing decisions involving trade-offs between smaller, sooner and larger, delayed rewards, people tend to discount the value of future rewards. There are substantial individual differences in this tendency toward temporal discounting, however. One neurocognitive system that may underlie these individual differences is episodic memory, given the overlap in the neural circuitry involved in imagining the future and remembering the past. Here we tested this hypothesis in older adults, including both those that were cognitively normal and those with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We found that performance on neuropsychological measures of episodic memory retrieval was associated with temporal discounting, such that people with better memory discounted delayed rewards less. This relationship was specific to episodic memory and temporal discounting, since executive function (another cognitive ability) was unrelated to temporal discounting, and episodic memory was unrelated to risk tolerance (another decision-making preference). We also examined cortical thickness and volume in medial temporal lobe regions critical for episodic memory. Entorhinal cortical thickness was associated with reduced temporal discounting, with episodic memory performance partially mediating this association. The inclusion of MCI participants was critical to revealing these associations between episodic memory and entorhinal cortical thickness and temporal discounting. These effects were larger in the MCI group, reduced after controlling for MCI status, and statistically significant only when including MCI participants in analyses. Overall, these findings suggest that individual differences in temporal discounting are driven by episodic memory function, and that a decline in medial temporal lobe structural integrity may impact temporal discounting.

scholarly journals Association of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting vs Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Memory Decline in Older Adults Undergoing Coronary Revascularization

JAMA ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 325 (19) ◽  
pp. 1955
Author(s):  
Elizabeth L. Whitlock ◽  
L. Grisell Diaz-Ramirez ◽  
Alexander K. Smith ◽  
W. John Boscardin ◽  
Kenneth E. Covinsky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ◽  
Coronary Artery ◽  
Coronary Revascularization ◽  
Artery Bypass ◽  
Coronary Intervention ◽  
Bypass Grafting ◽  
Memory Decline ◽  
Percutaneous Coronary ◽  
With Memory

scholarly journals Cardiovascular risk factors and memory decline in middle-aged and older adults: the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Olaya ◽  
Maria Victoria Moneta ◽  
Martin Bobak ◽  
Josep Maria Haro ◽  
Panayotes Demakakos
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Cardiovascular Risk ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cardiovascular Risk Factors ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Memory Decline ◽  
With Memory ◽  
English Longitudinal Study

Abstract Background We investigated the association between trajectories of verbal episodic memory and burden of cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged and older community-dwellers. Methods We analysed data from 4372 participants aged 50–64 and 3005 persons aged 65–79 years old from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing who were repeatedly evaluated every 2 years and had six interviews of a 10-year follow-up. We measured the following baseline risk factors: diabetes, hypertension, smoking, physical inactivity and obesity to derive a cardiovascular risk factor score (CVRFs). Adjusted linear mixed effect regression models were estimated to determine the association between number of CVFRs and six repeated measurements of verbal memory scores, separately for middle-aged and older adults. Results CVRFs was not significantly associated with memory at baseline. CVFRs was significantly associated with memory decline in middle-aged (50-64y), but not in older (65-79y) participants. This association followed a dose-response pattern with increasing number of CVFRs being associated with greater cognitive decline. Comparisons between none versus some CVRFs yielded significant differences (p < 0.05). Conclusions Our findings confirm that the effect of cumulative CVRFs on subsequent cognitive deterioration is age-dependent. CVRFs are associated with cognitive decline in people aged 50–64 years, but not in those aged ≥65 years. Although modest, the memory decline associated with accumulation of cardiovascular risk factors in midlife may increase the risk of late-life dementia.

scholarly journals Are Changes in Self-Rated Health Associated With Memory Decline in Older Adults?

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (8) ◽  
pp. 1410-1423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Bendayan ◽  
Andrea M. Piccinin ◽  
Scott M. Hofer ◽  
Graciela Muniz
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Delayed Recall ◽  
Memory Decline ◽  
Screening Programs ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Good Pattern ◽  
Approach Method ◽  
Rate Of Decline ◽  
Fair Poor ◽  
With Memory

Objective: The association between patterns of change in self-rated health (SRH) and memory trajectories in older adults was examined using a systematic approach. Method: Data from the Health and Retirement Study ( n = 6,016) and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing ( n = 734) were analyzed. Individuals were grouped into five categories according to their pattern of change in SRH over 8 years: stable excellent/very good/good, stable fair/poor, improvement, decline, and fluctuating pattern without a trend. Memory was measured using immediate and delayed recall tests. Kruskal–Wallis, chi-squares tests, and linear mixed models were used to examine the association. Results: Different rates of decline in memory can be identified in the different patterns of change in SRH. Those who had a stable excellent/very good/good pattern had the slowest rate of decline. Discussion: Our findings suggest that SRH status and patterns of change could be used as a marker of cognitive decline in prevention screening programs.

scholarly journals Spouse-Appraised Memory Functioning Predicts Memory Decline Better Than Subjective Memory Complaints in Community Dwelling Older Adults at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youssef Bellaali ◽  
John L. Woodard ◽  
Bernard Hanseeuw ◽  
Adrian Ivanoiu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Carrier Status ◽  
Subjective Memory Complaints ◽  
Subjective Memory ◽  
Memory Decline ◽  
Apoe Ε4 ◽  
Memory Functioning ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽  
With Memory

Objective: Alzheimer's disease (AD) begins with subtle memory decline, years before dementia onset. The presence of subjective memory complaints (SMC) has been proposed as a marker of preclinical AD. However, recent evidence has demonstrated early and progressive loss of awareness of memory difficulties in non-demented older adults harboring AD pathology. We investigated the respective contributions of SMC and spouse-appraised memory functioning (SAM) to predict memory decline in a large cohort of community dwelling older adults.Methods: The Wisconsin Longitudinal Study collected cognitive data from a community-based cohort of 3,583 participants in both 2005 and 2011. The participant and the participant's spouse were each asked to rate the participant's memory functioning using a Likert scale. We predicted change in objective episodic memory with models including baseline SMC, baseline SAM, or both SMC and SAM. We also evaluated an awareness index (SMC minus SAM). We then tested the interaction between Apolipoprotein E (APOE ε4) carrier status and SMC/SAM to evaluate whether the effects were driven by individuals at-risk for AD pathology.Results: In separate models, SMC (−0.081 ± 0.036, p = 0.025) and SAM (−0.084 ± 0.278, p = 0.003) were both associated with memory decline over ~6 years. However, the AI was not significantly associated with memory decline (0.031 ± 0.024, p = 0.19). When both predictors were included in the same model, SAM (−0.074 ± 0.03, p = 0.0092) was associated with memory decline, while SMC was not significant (−0.061 ± 0.04, p = 0.99). The association between SAM and memory decline was stronger in the APOE ε4 carriers than in the non-carriers (APOE-by-SAM interaction: F = 6.07; p = 0.002), and follow up analyses revealed that SAM was particularly predictive of decline only for APOE ε4 carriers. The association between SMC and memory decline was independent of APOE ε4 carrier status (APOE-by-SMC interaction: F = 2.29; p = 0.13).Conclusions: Spouse-appraised memory functioning was more predictive of memory decline than SMC or an awareness index, particularly in APOE ε4 carriers, who are at increased risk for AD pathology.

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