Self-referential processing improves memory for narrative information in healthy aging and amnestic Mild Cognitive...

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Gerontology

Background:

• The Self-Reference Effect (SRE) enhances memory for self-related information.
• Limited research exists on SRE in amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI).
• Ecological validity of SRE studies is often low, using trait adjectives instead of narrative information.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate SRE for narrative information in healthy aging and aMCI.
• To examine the Self-Reference Recollection Effect (SRRE) in these groups.
• To assess the impact of material valence on SRE in aMCI and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Twenty individuals with aMCI and thirty healthy older adults encoded short narratives.
• Encoding conditions included self-reference, semantic, and structural processing.
• Recognition memory tests were used to assess recall of narrative details.

Main Results:

• A significant SRE for narrative information was observed in both aMCI and healthy control groups.
• The Self-Reference Recollection Effect (SRRE) was present in both groups.
• Material valence did not influence the SRE in either group.

Conclusions:

• The SRE effectively enhances memory for narrative information, even with hippocampal dysfunction in aMCI.
• The multimodal nature of narratives may contribute to the robust SRE in aMCI.
• SRE shows promise as an intervention to improve memory in aMCI.