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. 2012 Jul;50(9):2333-40.
doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2012.06.001. Epub 2012 Jun 13.

Memorial familiarity remains intact for pictures but not for words in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment

Lindsay M Embree  1 , Andrew E Budson, Brandon A Ally
Affiliations

Memorial familiarity remains intact for pictures but not for words in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment

Lindsay M Embree et al. Neuropsychologia. 2012 Jul.

Abstract

Understanding how memory breaks down in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) process has significant implications, both clinically and with respect to intervention development. Previous work has highlighted a robust picture superiority effect in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). However, it remains unclear as to how pictures improve memory compared to words in this patient population. In the current study, we utilized receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to obtain estimates of familiarity and recollection for pictures and words in patients with aMCI and healthy older controls. Analysis of accuracy shows that even when performance is matched between pictures and words in the healthy control group, patients with aMCI continue to show a significant picture superiority effect. The results of the ROC analysis showed that patients demonstrated significantly impaired recollection and familiarity for words compared controls. In contrast, patients with aMCI demonstrated impaired recollection, but intact familiarity for pictures, compared to controls. Based on previous work from our lab, we speculate that patients can utilize the rich conceptual information provided by pictures to enhance familiarity, and perceptual information may allow for post-retrieval monitoring or verification of the enhanced sense of familiarity. Alternatively, the combination of enhanced conceptual and perceptual fluency of the test item might drive a stronger or more robust sense of familiarity that can be accurately attributed to a studied item.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The top panel shows the experimental methods used for all participants. The bottom panel shows example stimuli for the picture and words conditions.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Aggregate ROC curves for (A) words and (B) pictures. The curves for healthy older adults are represented by triangles and the curves for patients with aMCI are represented by circles.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Estimates of familiarity (d′) and recollection (R) for both groups and conditions. Error bars represent the standard error of the mean.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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