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Objective and subjective memory impairment in pregnancy.
P M Brindle1, M W Brown, J Brown
1Department of Psychology, University of Bristol.
Psychological Medicine
|August 1, 1991
Summary
Pregnant women reported worse memory, but their explicit memory remained intact. However, implicit memory was impaired in first-time mothers, linking subjective memory complaints to objective findings.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Subjective memory complaints are common during pregnancy.
- Previous research has yielded mixed results on objective memory function in pregnant individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate objective memory performance in pregnant women compared to controls.
- To examine the relationship between subjective memory ratings and objective memory function.
Main Methods:
- Pregnant women (primigravidae) and non-pregnant controls were assessed.
- Explicit memory was tested using recognition and recall tasks.
- Implicit memory was evaluated using relevant cognitive tasks.
Main Results:
- Pregnant subjects reported significantly worse memory than controls.
- Explicit memory function was unimpaired in pregnant individuals.
- Implicit memory was significantly impaired in primigravidae.
- Impairment in implicit memory correlated with subjective memory ratings.
Conclusions:
- Pregnancy is associated with a specific impairment in implicit memory, not explicit memory.
- Subjective memory complaints during pregnancy may reflect underlying changes in implicit memory processes.
- This dissociation highlights distinct memory systems affected differently by physiological changes in pregnancy.