Content and Temporal Order Memory for Performed Activities in Parkinson's Disease

This study examined content and temporal order memory for subject-performed activities in an incidental learning condition in cognitively healthy individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) (N = 20) and controls (N = 20).

Participant's free recall of activities provided a measure of content memory. Temporal order memory was assessed with a reconstruction task of activities. Self- and informant-reports of everyday memory were used to examine the relationship between everyday memory, and content and temporal order memory.

Individuals with PD recalled fewer activities although recognition memory was intact. Temporal order memory was also impaired for individuals with PD. For the PD group, both self- and informant-reports of changes in current memory abilities were strongly associated with temporal order memory but not content memory for activities.

These findings suggest that there is a strong link between everyday memory abilities and temporal order memory for activities, and support the need for additional study of temporal order memory abilities in PD.