Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

The 4 Mountains Test: A Short Test of Spatial Memory with High Sensitivity for the Diagnosis of Pre-dementia Alzheimer's Disease
06:23

The 4 Mountains Test: A Short Test of Spatial Memory with High Sensitivity for the Diagnosis of Pre-dementia Alzheimer's Disease

Published on: October 13, 2016

Serial position effects in mild cognitive impairment

Diane B Howieson1, Nora Mattek, Adriana M Seeyle

  • 1Layton Aging and Alzheimer's Disease Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239-3098, USA. howiesod@ohsu.edu

Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology
|December 4, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) show a reduced primacy effect in word recall. Retention weighted scoring better distinguishes MCI and AD patients than standard methods.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is frequently linked to the preclinical stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  • Serial position effects in word-list recall may enhance the differentiation between normal aging and dementia.
  • Investigating these effects in MCI is crucial for early diagnosis and understanding disease progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine serial position effects in word-list recall for individuals with MCI.
  • To compare MCI participants with Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and healthy controls.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of different scoring systems in distinguishing between these groups.

Main Methods:

  • Participants with MCI, AD, and controls underwent word-list recall tasks.
  • Analysis focused on serial position effects, specifically the primacy effect.
  • Standard scoring and retention weighted scoring were compared for diagnostic discrimination.

Main Results:

  • Individuals with MCI exhibited a diminished primacy effect, similar to AD patients.
  • Standard scoring of word-list recall did not effectively differentiate MCI from controls.
  • Retention weighted scoring demonstrated improved discrimination between MCI and AD groups.

Conclusions:

  • The primacy effect in word recall is impaired in both MCI and AD.
  • Retention weighted scoring offers a potential improvement for distinguishing MCI from AD.
  • Further research into novel scoring methods for cognitive assessments is warranted.

More Related Videos

Examining the Characteristics of Episodic Memory using Event-related Potentials in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease11:01

Examining the Characteristics of Episodic Memory using Event-related Potentials in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

Published on: August 30, 2011

A Machine Learning Approach to Design an Efficient Selective Screening of Mild Cognitive Impairment12:18

A Machine Learning Approach to Design an Efficient Selective Screening of Mild Cognitive Impairment

Published on: January 11, 2020

Related Concept Videos

Serial Position Effect01:03

Serial Position Effect

The serial position effect is a cognitive phenomenon where individuals are more likely to recall the first and last items in a list compared to those in the middle. This effect is divided into the primacy effect and the recency effect. The primacy effect is observed when the initial items in a list are remembered better. This occurs because these items are rehearsed more frequently or receive more elaborative processing, allowing them to be encoded into long-term memory more effectively. For...
Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction01:29

Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction

Alzheimer disease is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. It leads to gradual neuronal loss, causing cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and loss of functional independence.Risk Factors and EtiologyThe disease is multifactorial. Age is the strongest risk factor, with prevalence doubling every 5 years after age 65. Genetic factors include mutations in genes such as APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2, which are associated...
Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology01:23

Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology

Alzheimer disease involves structural changes in the brain that begin long before symptoms appear. The most distinctive features are extracellular neuritic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.Neuritic plaques form in the cerebral cortex and around blood vessels. These plaques contain a dense core of beta-amyloid (Aβ)—a toxic protein fragment that clumps outside neurons. The core is surrounded by damaged neuronal extensions, as well as reactive astrocytes and microglia. Abnormal...
Alzheimer's Disease: Overview01:26

Alzheimer's Disease: Overview

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a continually advancing neurodegenerative disorder, distinguished by escalating memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, and dementia. The disease unfolds in three stages: preclinical, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia. Its onset is insidious, and the progression gradual, with the cause not well explained by other disorders.
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ and tau...