A Longitudinal Study of Episodic and Semantic Autobiographical Memory in aMCI and Alzheimer's Disease Patients

Background: The main objective of this study was to analyze the evolution of autobiographical memory (both episodic and semantic) in patients with mild cognitive impairment, patients with Alzheimer's disease, and a healthy control group. We compared these groups at two time points: first, at baseline, and in a follow-up after 18 months. Method: Twenty-six healthy older adults, 17 patients with mild amnestic cognitive impairment, and 16 patients with Alzheimer's disease, matched on age and educational level, were evaluated at both time points with the Autobiographical Memory Interview. Results: The results showed significant longitudinal deterioration in episodic and semantic autobiographical memory in patients with mild cognitive impairment and in patients with Alzheimer's disease, but not in healthy older adults. Conclusions: The deterioration of episodic and semantic autobiographical memory in AD is confirmed; however, although the episodic was impaired in aMCI, a pattern that evolved toward deterioration over a period of eighteen months was observed for the semantic autobiographical memory.

Automated summary

The study found significant longitudinal deterioration in autobiographical memory in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease, while healthy older adults did not show significant changes over time. The deterioration of both episodic and semantic memory was confirmed in Alzheimer's disease, with a pattern of deterioration observed in semantic autobiographical memory for patients with mild cognitive impairment over an eighteen-month period.