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Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotional Autobiographical Recollection
Published on: August 26, 2011
Mechanisms of autobiographical memory retrieval in younger and older adults
Katinka Dijkstra1, Barbara Kaup
1Department of Psychology and Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1270, USA. dijkstra@psy.fsu.edu
Abstract:
In this study, retrieval of autobiographical memories was compared within or without the context of a lifetime period and between younger and older adults. The results of two experiments demonstrated that memories were more accessible for younger and older adults when they were retrieved within a time period context than without such context. However, when the retrieval context was more constrained and limited to cue word memories, the benefit of retrieval context disappeared. The results also suggested that as compared with younger adults, older adults were more likely to selectively retain memories with distinctive characteristics, such as being self-relevant and emotionally intense, particularly when remote memories were involved. Mechanisms of autobiographical memory retrieval in younger and older adults.
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