Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Comprehensive Autopsy Program for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
Published on: July 19, 2019
Memory interference in multiple sclerosis
Stephanie Y Griffiths1, Aiko Yamamoto, Vanessa G Boudreau
1Human Neuropsychology Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
Abstract:
To explore verbal memory impairments associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), we compared proactive and retroactive interference effects on the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT; Delis et al., 1987) in a sample of 83 community-residing individuals with MS and 80 healthy participants. Individuals with MS demonstrated normal accumulation of proactive interference (PI), but attenuated release from PI relative to healthy individuals. Furthermore, accumulation of retroactive interference (RI) at short-delay free recall (SDFR) was intensified for those with MS as compared to healthy participants. Interestingly, accumulation of RI predicted long-term memory (LTM) only for participants with MS. These findings suggest that individuals with MS may experience particular difficulty when required to use semantic properties of information flexibly to facilitate verbal LTM.
Related Concept Videos
Multiple Sclerosis l: Introduction
Interference and Decay
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory
Amnesia
The severity and duration of memory loss vary depending on the type and underlying cause. Amnesia is classified into two main types: retrograde and anterograde.
Retrograde amnesia is marked by the loss of memories formed before the onset of the condition. Patients may recall distant past events but often forget those occurring shortly before the incident.
Anterograde...
Long-term Potentiation
Hebbian LTP
LTP can occur when presynaptic neurons...
Long-term Potentiation

