Episodic and Semantic Autobiographical Memory in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Episodic and semantic autobiographical memories were examined in a group of adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and a control group matched for age, gender and IQ. Results demonstrated a personal episodic memory deficit in the ASD group in the absence of a personal semantic memory deficit, suggesting a deficit dissociation between these two components of memory in ASD. Further analysis of memories across different lifetime periods revealed the adolescent and early adult lifetime periods to facilitate memory recall in the control group, but not in the ASD group. These findings suggest a distinctive pattern of remembering in ASD.     

Autobiographical memory in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: A comparison between the Levine and Kopelman interview methodologies

Previous studies have produced inconsistent results concerning the two components of autobiographical memory—personal semantic memory and episodic memory. Results in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia of Alzheimer's type (DAT) have varied concerning the existence of a temporal gradient in retrograde amnesia. These results have important theoretical implications regarding multiple trace theory versus standard consolidation models of long‐term memory (LTM). We investigated whether this variability arises from differences in the methods used in assessing autobiographical memory. We examined patterns of memory impairment in 20 healthy elderly controls, 20 MCI subjects, and 10 DAT subjects using the Autobiographical Memory Interview (AMI) of Kopelman and the Autobiographical Interview (AI) of Levine. Both the AMI and AI were modified to allow for the test scores to be derived from a single interview without fatiguing the subjects. On the AMI, DAT subjects were significantly impaired on both components of autobiographical memory—episodic memory and personal semantics—with episodic memory showing a significant though gentle temporal gradient sparing childhood memories. Using the AI test, subjects with DAT showed impaired recall of episodic details (but not personal semantics), again with a gentle temporal gradient. Differences between the two interview methods (fewer epochs in the AMI; fewer memories per epoch in the AI) were found to have a significant impact on the pattern of findings; fewer epochs in the AMI brought out the temporal gradient, and fewer memories per epoch (in the AI) diminished it. These data show the importance of technical details of the different tests in favouring one versus another LTM theory. The data are not purely compatible with either theory. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Impairment of episodic and semantic autobiographical memory in patients with mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's disease

Autobiographical memory includes the retrieval of personal semantic data and the remembrance of incident or episodic memories. In retrograde amnesias, it has been observed that recall of autobiographical memories of recent events is poorer than recall of remote memories. Alzheimer's disease (AD) may also be associated with a temporal gradient (TG) in memory decline, though studies have yielded inconsistent results on this point. They have also yielded inconsistent results on whether AD might differentially affect semantic and episodic remembrance. Here, we compared autobiographical memory of childhood, early adulthood, and recent life among healthy control (HC) subjects, patients with early AD, and patients with amnesic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Both the aMCI and AD patients exhibited declines in recall of autobiographical incidents and semantic information. In AD patients, both components of autobiographical memory had a clear TG, with better preservation of memories of childhood than those of early adulthood and recent life. The TG of autobiographical memory decline in AD patients is more compatible with the Cortical Reallocation Theory than with the Multiple Trace Theory of memory consolidation. In contrast to AD patients, aMCI patients exhibited impaired recall of personal facts and autobiographical incidents relating only to recent life. The significant decline in autobiographical memory for recent life that occurred in aMCI patients suggests that deterioration of consolidation of personal facts and events begins with commencement of functional impairment in the hippocampus.     

脑小血管病总负荷与记忆力下降老年患者认知功能、脑萎缩及脑灌注的相关性

目的 探索脑小血管病（cerebral small vessel disease,CSVD）总负荷与记忆力下降老年患者认知功能、
脑萎缩及脑灌注的关系。
方法 回顾性纳入2015年12月-2017年12月同济医院神经内科门诊及记忆减退专病门诊主诉记忆力
下降患者,收集一般资料及影像学信息,进行认知评估、CSVD总负荷评分、全脑及各脑叶脑萎缩评分,
计算脑血流（cerebral blood flow,CBF）值。采用Spearman相关分析CSVD总负荷评分与认知功能、脑萎
缩及CBF的关系。
结果 共纳入200例,平均年龄69.16±9.44岁,男性99例（49.5%）。CSVD总负荷与MoCA评分呈负相
关（r =-0.202,P =0.004）;与全脑（r =-0.234,P =0.001）、额叶（r =-0.252,P <0.001）、顶叶（r =-
0.253,P <0.001）、枕叶（r =-0.224,P =0.001）CBF呈负相关;CSVD负荷与全脑（r =0.313,P <0.001）、
额叶（r =0.393,P＜0.001）及顶叶（r =0.237,P =0.001）的脑萎缩评分呈正相关。
结论 CSVD总负荷越高,认知功能越差、脑灌注越低、脑萎缩越严重。     

脑小血管病总负荷与记忆力下降老年患者认知功能、脑萎缩及脑灌注的相关性

目的 探索脑小血管病（cerebral small vessel disease,CSVD）总负荷与记忆力下降老年患者认知功能、 脑萎缩及脑灌注的关系。 方法 回顾性纳入2015年12月-2017年12月同济医院神经内科门诊及记忆减退专病门诊主诉记忆力 下降患者,收集一般资料及影像学信息,进行认知评估、CSVD总负荷评分、全脑及各脑叶脑萎缩评分, 计算脑血流（cerebral blood flow,CBF）值。采用Spearman相关分析CSVD总负荷评分与认知功能、脑萎 缩及CBF的关系。 结果 共纳入200例,平均年龄69.16±9.44岁,男性99例（49.5%）。CSVD总负荷与MoCA评分呈负相 关（r =-0.202,P =0.004）;与全脑（r =-0.234,P =0.001）、额叶（r =-0.252,P <0.001）、顶叶（r =- 0.253,P <0.001）、枕叶（r =-0.224,P =0.001）CBF呈负相关;CSVD负荷与全脑（r =0.313,P <0.001）、 额叶（r =0.393,P＜0.001）及顶叶（r =0.237,P =0.001）的脑萎缩评分呈正相关。 结论 CSVD总负荷越高,认知功能越差、脑灌注越低、脑萎缩越严重。     

Apathy,cognitive dysfunction and impaired social cognition in a patient with bilateral thalamic infarction

We describe the case of a patient with bilateral thalamic lesions due to brain infarcts in the paramedian thalamic artery territories. The patient demonstrated symptoms of apathy (e.g., loss of initiative and interest in others, poor motivation, flattened affect). Neuropsychological assessment 3 and 5 years post-infarct revealed severe deficits in verbal and non-verbal immediate and delayed memory, attention, and executive functioning, with minimal improvement over time. Also, he demonstrated difficulties in social cognition (i.e., perception of facial expressions of others and of sarcasm). These findings are discussed and interpreted in light of current theories regarding the neurobiological substrate of apathy.     

Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) in a Patient with Bilateral Temporal Seizures: Correlation Between Ictal EEG and Postictal/Ictal SPECT

Summary: We report a patient with bilateral independent temporal lobe seizures in whom two [^99mTc]HMPAO single photon emission computed tomograph (SPECT) scans were performed during two different seizures. In the first perüctal SPECT, [^99mTc]HMPAO was injected in the interval between two closely spaced seizures (one localized in the left temporal lobe and the other in the right temporal lobe). SPECT images showed hypoperfusion in the left lateral temporal lobe, hyper-perfusion of the left mesial temporal region, and pronounced hyperperfusion in the right anterior temporal lobe. These results suggest both a postictal left temporal SPECT pattern and an ictal right temporal pattern. In the second periictal SPECT, [^99mTc]HMPA was injected immediately after a right temporal lobe seizure and showed right lateral temporal lobe hypoperfusion and right mesial hyperperfusion, suggesting a postictal right temporal SPECT pattern. Interpretation of the periictal SPECT should take into account EEG changes at the time or in the minutes immediately after injection of [^99mTc] HMPAO.     

Using Behavioral Approaches to Assess Memory,Imitation and Motor Performance in Children with Angelman Syndrome: Results of a Pilot Study

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This study was designed to assess memory, imitation of motor actions and motor performance by 12 children (age range 40–151 months) with Angelman syndrome (AS), a rare neurogenetic disorder associated with learning and memory impairments. Methods: Children’s functioning was assessed at several time points over a 3-month period. Results: Memory and motor performance tests had acceptable test-retest and inter-rater reliability whereas the motor imitation test did not. Children were able to recall action sequences after a 24-h delay. Memory and motor performance scores were correlated with children’s chronological age and raw scores on subdomains of the Vineland-II. Conclusions: These behavioral tests require further development and evaluation but may show promise to accompany standardized assessments that are currently in use with children with AS.