Serial position effects on list learning tasks in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease

Serial position effects (SPEs) on list learning tasks refer to the relationship between a word's placement on the list and its likelihood of being recalled. Typically, adults recall more words from the beginning (primacy) and end (recency) of the list compared to the middle of the list. These effects can be affected by neurological disease such that SPEs have been shown to be related to both current and future cognitive decline. This review aimed to summarize existing research on SPEs in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

A systematic review of SPEs in MCI and AD was conducted.

Despite inconsistencies in the number of items included on word list tasks analyzing SPEs and inconsistencies in how researchers have defined and analyzed SPEs, SPEs have demonstrated the ability to predict future cognitive decline, at times above and beyond traditional memory score performance. In addition, individuals with MCI and AD show similar SPE patterns of reduced primacy and intact recency, with primacy being more reduced in AD, whereas individuals with vascular dementia demonstrate a reversed SPE pattern.

The analysis of SPEs has demonstrated some utility as a marker of cognitive impairment associated with MCI, AD, and other dementias; however, research is limited by the multiple ways in which SPEs are defined and analyzed. Future research is discussed, including the need for increased data accessibility in order to quantitatively summarize previous research on SPEs in relation to MCI and AD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).