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McClure JHC, Elwell C, Jones T, Mirković J, Cole SN. On second thoughts: Testing the underlying mechanisms of spontaneous future thought. Cognition 2024; 250:105863. [PMID: 38924875 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2024.105863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The human capacity to imagine possible future events unintentionally, with minimal cognitive effort, is termed spontaneous future thought (SFT). This paper addresses an important theoretical question for cognitive science: What are the possible cognitive mechanisms underlying such SFT experiences? We contrasted three hypotheses present in the literature: the online construction hypothesis, the recasting hypothesis, and the memories of future thoughts hypothesis. Study 1 (N = 41) used novel subjective ratings which challenged the recasting mechanism: SFTs were mostly rated as dissimilar to autobiographical memories, suggesting they are not simply past experiences 'recast' as future events. Study 2 (N = 90) used a novel experimental paradigm, comparing effects of voluntary episodic future constructions and non-personal narratives upon subsequent spontaneous thought sampling. Results suggested that voluntary future constructions remain accessible to spontaneous retrieval, supporting the memories of future thoughts hypothesis. This finding, and other data presented across the two studies, still indicates a role for online construction processes in SFT, but further empirical work is needed to clarify how and when constructive processes are engaged in SFT. Taken together, these two studies represent initial efforts to elucidate the mechanisms underlying SFT, providing the first proof-of-principle that deliberately envisioned future events can reappear, without intention, in consciousness at some later time, and further supporting the dual process account of future thinking. These methods and findings provide a firm basis for subsequent experimental and longitudinal research on SFT.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Helgi Clayton McClure
- School of Education, Language & Psychology, York St John University, York, YO31 7EX, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte Elwell
- School of Education, Language & Psychology, York St John University, York, YO31 7EX, United Kingdom
| | - Theo Jones
- School of Education, Language & Psychology, York St John University, York, YO31 7EX, United Kingdom
| | - Jelena Mirković
- School of Education, Language & Psychology, York St John University, York, YO31 7EX, United Kingdom
| | - Scott N Cole
- School of Education, Language & Psychology, York St John University, York, YO31 7EX, United Kingdom.
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2
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Li-Chay-Chung A, Starrs F, Ryan JD, Barense M, Olsen RK, Addis DR. Integrity of autobiographical memory and episodic future thinking in older adults varies with cognitive functioning. Neuropsychologia 2024; 201:108943. [PMID: 38908476 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2024.108943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
Research has documented changes in autobiographical memory and episodic future thinking in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, cognitive decline occurs gradually and recent findings suggest that subtle alterations in autobiographical cognition may be evident earlier in the trajectory towards dementia, before AD-related symptoms emerge or a clinical diagnosis has been given. The current study used the Autobiographical Interview to examine the episodic and semantic content of autobiographical past and future events generated by older adults (N = 38) of varying cognitive functioning who were grouped into High (N = 20) and Low Cognition (N = 18) groups based on their Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores. Participants described 12 past and 12 future autobiographical events, and transcripts were scored to quantify the numbers of internal (episodic) or external (non-episodic, including semantic) details. Although the Low Cognition group exhibited a differential reduction for internal details comprising both past and future events, they did not show the expected overproduction of external details relative to the High Cognition group. Multilevel modelling demonstrated that on trials lower in episodic content, semantic content was significantly increased in both groups. Although suggestive of a compensatory mechanism, the magnitude of this inverse relationship did not differ across groups or interact with MoCA scores. This finding indicates that external detail production may be underpinned by mechanisms not affected by cognitive decline, such as narrative style and the ability to contextualize one's past and future events in relation to broader autobiographical knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Li-Chay-Chung
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Canada; Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Academy for Research and Education, Toronto, Canada
| | - Faryn Starrs
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Academy for Research and Education, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jennifer D Ryan
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Academy for Research and Education, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Morgan Barense
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Academy for Research and Education, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Rosanna K Olsen
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Academy for Research and Education, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Donna Rose Addis
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Academy for Research and Education, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; School of Psychology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
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3
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Ulugut H, Bertoux M, Younes K, Montembeault M, Fumagalli GG, Samanci B, Illán-Gala I, Kuchcinski G, Leroy M, Thompson JC, Kobylecki C, Santillo AF, Englund E, Waldö ML, Riedl L, Van den Stock J, Vandenbulcke M, Vandenberghe R, Laforce R, Ducharme S, Pressman PS, Caramelli P, de Souza LC, Takada LT, Gurvit H, Hansson O, Diehl-Schmid J, Galimberti D, Pasquier F, Miller BL, Scheltens P, Ossenkoppele R, van der Flier WM, Barkhof F, Fox NC, Sturm VE, Miyagawa T, Whitwell JL, Boeve B, Rohrer JD, Gorno-Tempini ML, Josephs KA, Snowden J, Warren JD, Rankin KP, Pijnenburg YAL. Clinical recognition of frontotemporal dementia with right anterior temporal predominance: A multicenter retrospective cohort study. Alzheimers Dement 2024. [PMID: 38982845 DOI: 10.1002/alz.14076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Although frontotemporal dementia (FTD) with right anterior temporal lobe (RATL) predominance has been recognized, a uniform description of the syndrome is still missing. This multicenter study aims to establish a cohesive clinical phenotype. METHODS Retrospective clinical data from 18 centers across 12 countries yielded 360 FTD patients with predominant RATL atrophy through initial neuroimaging assessments. RESULTS Common symptoms included mental rigidity/preoccupations (78%), disinhibition/socially inappropriate behavior (74%), naming/word-finding difficulties (70%), memory deficits (67%), apathy (65%), loss of empathy (65%), and face-recognition deficits (60%). Real-life examples unveiled impairments regarding landmarks, smells, sounds, tastes, and bodily sensations (74%). Cognitive test scores indicated deficits in emotion, people, social interactions, and visual semantics however, lacked objective assessments for mental rigidity and preoccupations. DISCUSSION This study cumulates the largest RATL cohort unveiling unique RATL symptoms subdued in prior diagnostic guidelines. Our novel approach, combining real-life examples with cognitive tests, offers clinicians a comprehensive toolkit for managing these patients. HIGHLIGHTS This project is the first international collaboration and largest reported cohort. Further efforts are warranted for precise nomenclature reflecting neural mechanisms. Our results will serve as a clinical guideline for early and accurate diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hulya Ulugut
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Maxime Bertoux
- Lille Neuroscience & Cognition U1172, Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, LiCEND & Labex DistALZ, Lille, France
| | - Kyan Younes
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Stanford Neuroscience Health Center, Department of Neurology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Maxime Montembeault
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Giorgio G Fumagalli
- Department of Neurology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Università degli Studi di Trento | UNITN·CIMEC - Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, Mattarello, Trentino, Italy
| | - Bedia Samanci
- Department of Neurology, Istanbul University, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ignacio Illán-Gala
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Red-Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Gregory Kuchcinski
- Lille Neuroscience & Cognition U1172, Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, LiCEND & Labex DistALZ, Lille, France
| | - Melanie Leroy
- Lille Neuroscience & Cognition U1172, Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, LiCEND & Labex DistALZ, Lille, France
| | - Jennifer C Thompson
- Cerebral Function Unit, Greater Manchester Neuroscience Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Salford, UK
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Salford, Manchester, UK
| | - Christopher Kobylecki
- Department of Neurology, Manchester Centre for Clinical Neurosciences NHS Foundation Trust, Salford, UK
- Division of Neuroscience, University of Manchester, Salford, Manchester, UK
| | - Alexander F Santillo
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Elisabet Englund
- Division of Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Maria Landqvist Waldö
- Division of Clinical Sciences Helsingborg, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Lina Riedl
- School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jan Van den Stock
- Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mathieu Vandenbulcke
- Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rik Vandenberghe
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robert Laforce
- Clinique Interdisciplinaire de Mémoire (CIME), Département des Sciences Neurologiques, Laval University, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Simon Ducharme
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Peter S Pressman
- Anschutz Medical Campus, Behavioral Neurology Section, Department of Neurology, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Paulo Caramelli
- Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Cruz de Souza
- Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Leonel T Takada
- Cognitive and Behavioral Unit, Hospital das Clinicas, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo Medical School, Pacaembu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Hakan Gurvit
- Department of Neurology, Istanbul University, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Oskar Hansson
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Janine Diehl-Schmid
- School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Kbo-Inn-Salzach-Klinikum, Clinical Center for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatic Medicine, Geriatrics and Neurology, Wasserburg/Inn, Germany
| | - Daniela Galimberti
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Florence Pasquier
- Lille Neuroscience & Cognition U1172, Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, LiCEND & Labex DistALZ, Lille, France
| | - Bruce L Miller
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Philip Scheltens
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rik Ossenkoppele
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Radiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wiesje M van der Flier
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frederik Barkhof
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Radiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- UCL Institutes of Neurology and Healthcare Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nick C Fox
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Virginia E Sturm
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Toji Miyagawa
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Bradley Boeve
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jonathan D Rohrer
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Maria Luisa Gorno-Tempini
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California San Francisco, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Keith A Josephs
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Julie Snowden
- Cerebral Function Unit, Greater Manchester Neuroscience Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Salford, UK
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Salford, Manchester, UK
| | - Jason D Warren
- Dementia Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Katherine P Rankin
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Yolande A L Pijnenburg
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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4
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Mace JH. Priming in the autobiographical memory system: implications and future directions. Memory 2024; 32:694-708. [PMID: 37922385 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2023.2277134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/05/2023]
Abstract
Studies examining priming in autobiographical memory are fewer in number (some two dozen) compared to other areas (e.g., semantic memory priming), which have seen hundreds of studies. Nevertheless, autobiographical memory priming studies have utilised quite a number of different experimental paradigms, with many having interesting ecological implications. This paper reviews the bulk of these studies. It discusses the various theoretical implications of these studies, past and present. It suggests numerous future directions in this area, as the study of priming in autobiographical memory has had significant implications, despite the small number of studies, and it offers enormous future potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Mace
- Department of Psychology, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, USA
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5
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Gurguryan L, Yang H, Köhler S, Sheldon S. Lifetime familiarity cue effects for autobiographical memory. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024; 88:1456-1470. [PMID: 38696131 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-024-01968-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Recollecting an autobiographical memory requires a cue to initiate processes related to accessing and then elaborating on a past personal experience. Prior work has shown that the familiarity of a cue can influence the autobiographical memory retrieval process. Extending this work, we tested how familiarity accrued from cumulative lifetime exposures associated with the cue-as well as associated semantic knowledge-can affect how we access and remember autobiographical memories. In Experiment 1, we measured reaction times to access and report memories in response to cue words. In Experiment 2 we examined the details with which participants described memories in response to cue words. For both experiments, participants provided estimates of lifetime exposure and semantic knowledge for each cue. In Experiment 1, we found a cue's lifetime exposure, independent of semantic knowledge, led to quicker memory access. In Experiment 2, we found the lifetime exposure and semantic knowledge of a cue interactively affected the specificity of a described autobiographical memory. These results provide new evidence that the amount of lifetime exposure associated with a cue, both independently and interactively with semantic knowledge, influences how autobiographical memories are accessed and described.Clinical trial This was not a clinical trial.Trial Registration Number (TRN) N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauri Gurguryan
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, 2001 Avenue McGill College, Montréal, QC, H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Haopei Yang
- Department of Psychology & Brain and Mind, University of Western Ontario, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Stefan Köhler
- Department of Psychology & Brain and Mind, University of Western Ontario, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Signy Sheldon
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, 2001 Avenue McGill College, Montréal, QC, H3A 1G1, Canada.
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Faustmann LL, Altgassen M. Practice is the best of all instructors-Effects of enactment encoding and episodic future thinking on prospective memory performance in high-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2024; 17:1258-1275. [PMID: 38800974 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Prospective memory (PM) is the ability to remember to carry out intended actions in the future. The present study investigated the effects of episodic future thinking (EFT) and enactment encoding (EE) on PM performance in autistic adults (ASD). A total of 72 autistic individuals and 70 controls matched for age, gender, and cognitive abilities completed a computerized version of the Dresden breakfast Task, which required participants to prepare breakfast following a set of rules and time restrictions. A two (group: ASD vs. controls) by three (encoding condition: EFT vs. EE vs. standard) between-subjects design was applied. Participants were either instructed to engage in EFT or EE to prepare to the different tasks prior to performing the Dresden breakfast or received standard instructions. Analyses of variance were conducted. Autism-spectrum-disorders (ASD) participants did not differ from control participants in their PM performance, regardless of which strategy they used. Compared to the standard condition, EE but not EFT improved time-based PM performance in all participants. This is the first study to find spared time-based PM performance in autistic individuals. The results confirm earlier results of beneficial effects of EE on PM performance. Findings are discussed with regards to the methodology used, sample composition as well as autistic characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa L Faustmann
- Department of Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Mareike Altgassen
- Department of Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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7
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Stoica T, Andrews ES, Deffner AM, Griffith C, Grilli MD, Andrews-Hanna JR. Speaking Well and Feeling Good: Age-Related Differences in the Affective Language of Resting State Thought. AFFECTIVE SCIENCE 2024; 5:141-159. [PMID: 39050037 PMCID: PMC11264499 DOI: 10.1007/s42761-024-00239-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Despite the prevalence and importance of resting state thought for daily functioning and psychological well-being, it remains unclear how such thoughts differ between young and older adults. Age-related differences in the affective tone of resting state thoughts, including the affective language used to describe them, could be a novel manifestation of the positivity effect, with implications for well-being. To examine this possibility, a total of 77 young adults (M = 24.9 years, 18-35 years) and 74 cognitively normal older adults (M = 68.6 years, 58-83 years) spoke their thoughts freely during a think-aloud paradigm across two studies. The emotional properties of spoken words and participants' retrospective self-reported affective experiences were computed and examined for age differences and relationships with psychological well-being. Study 1, conducted before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, revealed that older adults exhibited more diversity of positive, but not negative, affectively tinged words compared to young adults and more positive self-reported thoughts. Despite being conducted virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic, study 2 replicated many of study 1's findings, generalizing results across samples and study contexts. In an aggregated analysis of both samples, positive diversity predicted higher well-being beyond other metrics of affective tone, and the relationship between positive diversity and well-being was not moderated by age. Considering that older adults also exhibited higher well-being, these results hint at the possibility that cognitively healthy older adults' propensity to experience more diverse positive concepts during natural periods of restful thought may partly underlie age-related differences in well-being and reveal a novel expression of the positivity effect. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42761-024-00239-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teodora Stoica
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, 1503 E. University Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA
| | - Eric S. Andrews
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, 1503 E. University Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA
| | - Austin M. Deffner
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, 1503 E. University Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA
| | - Christopher Griffith
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, 1503 E. University Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA
| | - Matthew D. Grilli
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, 1503 E. University Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucso, AZ USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ USA
| | - Jessica R. Andrews-Hanna
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, 1503 E. University Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA
- Cognitive Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ USA
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucso, AZ USA
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Fenerci C, Davis EE, Henderson SE, Campbell KL, Sheldon S. Shift happens: aging alters the content but not the organization of memory for complex events. NEUROPSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, AND COGNITION. SECTION B, AGING, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2024:1-24. [PMID: 38814192 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2024.2360216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
While cognitive aging research has compared episodic memory accuracy between younger and older adults, less work has described differences in how memories are encoded and recalled. This is important for memories of real-world experiences, since there is immense variability in which details can be accessed and organized into narratives. We investigated age effects on the organization and content of memory for complex events. In two independent samples (N = 45; 60), young and older adults encoded and recalled the same short-movie. We applied a novel scoring on the recollections to quantify recall accuracy, temporal organization (temporal contiguity, forward asymmetry), and content (perceptual, conceptual). No age-effects on recall accuracy nor on metrics of temporal organization emerged. Older adults provided more conceptual and non-episodic content, whereas younger adults reported a higher proportion of event-specific information. Our results indicate that age-related differences in episodic recall reflect distinctions in what details are assembled from the past.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Fenerci
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Emily E Davis
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catherines, ON, Canada
| | - Sarah E Henderson
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catherines, ON, Canada
| | - Karen L Campbell
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catherines, ON, Canada
| | - Signy Sheldon
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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9
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Conti F, Carnemolla S, Piguet O, Irish M. Scene construction in healthy aging - Exploring the interplay between task complexity and oculomotor behaviour. Brain Cogn 2024; 177:106163. [PMID: 38685168 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2024.106163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Mounting evidence indicates a close correspondence between episodic memory, mental imagery, and oculomotor behaviour. It remains unclear, however, how oculomotor variables support endogenously driven forms of mental imagery and how this relationship changes across the adult lifespan. In this study we investigated age-related changes in oculomotor signatures during scene construction and explored how task complexity impacts these processes. Younger and cognitively healthy older participants completed a guided scene construction paradigm where scene complexity was manipulated according to the number of elements to be sequentially integrated. We recorded participants' eye movements and collected subjective ratings regarding their phenomenological experience. Overall, older adults rated their constructions as more vivid and more spatially integrated, while also generating more fixations and saccades relative to the younger group, specifically on control trials. Analyses of participants' total scan paths revealed that, in the early stages of scene construction, oculomotor behaviour changed as a function of task complexity within each group. Following the introduction of a second stimulus, older but not younger adults showed a significant decrease in the production of eye movements. Whether this shift in oculomotor behaviour serves a compensatory function to bolster task performance represents an important question for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Conti
- The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; The University of Sydney, School of Psychology, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sarah Carnemolla
- The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; The University of Sydney, School of Psychology, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Olivier Piguet
- The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; The University of Sydney, School of Psychology, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Muireann Irish
- The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; The University of Sydney, School of Psychology, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
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10
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Lockrow AW, Setton R, Spreng KAP, Sheldon S, Turner GR, Spreng RN. Taking stock of the past: A psychometric evaluation of the Autobiographical Interview. Behav Res Methods 2024; 56:1002-1038. [PMID: 36944860 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-023-02080-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Autobiographical memory (AM) involves a rich phenomenological re-experiencing of a spatio-temporal event from the past, which is challenging to objectively quantify. The Autobiographical Interview (AI; Levine et al. Psychology and Aging, 17(4), 677-689, 2002) is a manualized performance-based assessment designed to quantify episodic (internal) and semantic (external) features of recalled and verbally conveyed prior experiences. The AI has been widely adopted, yet has not undergone a comprehensive psychometric validation. We investigated the reliability, validity, association to individual differences measures, and factor structure in healthy younger and older adults (N = 352). Evidence for the AI's reliability was strong: the subjective scoring protocol showed high inter-rater reliability and previously identified age effects were replicated. Internal consistency across timepoints was robust, suggesting stability in recollection. Central to our validation, internal AI scores were positively correlated with standard, performance-based measures of episodic memory, demonstrating convergent validity. The two-factor structure for the AI was not well supported by confirmatory factor analysis. Adjusting internal and external detail scores for the number of words spoken (detail density) improved trait estimation of AM performance. Overall, the AI demonstrated sound psychometric properties for inquiry into the qualities of autobiographical remembering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber W Lockrow
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Roni Setton
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | | | - Signy Sheldon
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Gary R Turner
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - R Nathan Spreng
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada.
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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11
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Ngo S, Jackson AJ, Manivannan M, Young JC, Leggins B, Cryns NG, Tran ST, Grant HE, Knudtson MV, Chiong W. Real World Financial Mismanagement in Alzheimer's Disease, Frontotemporal Dementia, and Primary Progressive Aphasia. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 99:251-262. [PMID: 38669528 PMCID: PMC11132181 DOI: 10.3233/jad-231021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Background Whereas clinical experience in dementia indicates high risk for financial mismanagement, there has been little formal study of real world financial errors in dementia. Objective We aimed to compare caregiver-reported financial mistakes among people with Alzheimer's disease, behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), and primary progressive aphasia (PPA). Methods Caregivers reported whether participants with dementia had made financial mistakes within the last year; and if so, categorized these as resulting from: (a) being too trusting or gullible, (b) being wasteful or careless with money, or (c) trouble with memory. In a pre-registered analysis https://archive.org/details/osf-registrations-vupj7-v1), we examined the hypotheses that (1) financial mistakes due to impaired socioemotional function and diminished sensitivity to negative outcomes are more prevalent in bvFTD than in Alzheimer's disease, and (2) financial mistakes due to memory are more prevalent in Alzheimer's disease than in bvFTD. Exploratory analyses addressed vulnerability in PPA and brain-behavior relationships using voxel-based morphometry. Results Concordant with our first hypothesis, bvFTD was more strongly associated than Alzheimer's disease with mistakes due to being too trusting/gullible or wasteful/careless; contrary to our second hypothesis, both groups were similarly likely to make mistakes due to memory. No differences were found between Alzheimer's disease and PPA. Exploratory analyses indicated associations between financial errors and atrophy in right prefrontal and insular cortex. Conclusions Our findings cohere with documented socioemotional and valuation impairments in bvFTD, and with research indicating comparable memory impairment between bvFTD and Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Ngo
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ashley J Jackson
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - J Clayton Young
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Brandon Leggins
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Noah G Cryns
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sheila T Tran
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Harli E Grant
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Marguerite V Knudtson
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Winston Chiong
- Memory and Aging Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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12
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Diveica V, Riedel MC, Salo T, Laird AR, Jackson RL, Binney RJ. Graded functional organization in the left inferior frontal gyrus: evidence from task-free and task-based functional connectivity. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:11384-11399. [PMID: 37833772 PMCID: PMC10690868 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The left inferior frontal gyrus has been ascribed key roles in numerous cognitive domains, such as language and executive function. However, its functional organization is unclear. Possibilities include a singular domain-general function, or multiple functions that can be mapped onto distinct subregions. Furthermore, spatial transition in function may be either abrupt or graded. The present study explored the topographical organization of the left inferior frontal gyrus using a bimodal data-driven approach. We extracted functional connectivity gradients from (i) resting-state fMRI time-series and (ii) coactivation patterns derived meta-analytically from heterogenous sets of task data. We then sought to characterize the functional connectivity differences underpinning these gradients with seed-based resting-state functional connectivity, meta-analytic coactivation modeling and functional decoding analyses. Both analytic approaches converged on graded functional connectivity changes along 2 main organizational axes. An anterior-posterior gradient shifted from being preferentially associated with high-level control networks (anterior functional connectivity) to being more tightly coupled with perceptually driven networks (posterior). A second dorsal-ventral axis was characterized by higher connectivity with domain-general control networks on one hand (dorsal functional connectivity), and with the semantic network, on the other (ventral). These results provide novel insights into an overarching graded functional organization of the functional connectivity that explains its role in multiple cognitive domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Diveica
- Department of Psychology & Cognitive Neuroscience Institute, Bangor University, Bangor, Wales LL57 2AS, United Kingdom
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery & Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Michael C Riedel
- Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, United States
| | - Taylor Salo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, United States
| | - Angela R Laird
- Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, United States
| | - Rebecca L Jackson
- Department of Psychology & York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J Binney
- Department of Psychology & Cognitive Neuroscience Institute, Bangor University, Bangor, Wales LL57 2AS, United Kingdom
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13
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Tanguay AFN, Palombo DJ, Love B, Glikstein R, Davidson PSR, Renoult L. The shared and unique neural correlates of personal semantic, general semantic, and episodic memory. eLife 2023; 12:e83645. [PMID: 37987578 PMCID: PMC10662951 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most common distinctions in long-term memory is that between semantic (i.e., general world knowledge) and episodic (i.e., recollection of contextually specific events from one's past). However, emerging cognitive neuroscience data suggest a surprisingly large overlap between the neural correlates of semantic and episodic memory. Moreover, personal semantic memories (i.e., knowledge about the self and one's life) have been studied little and do not easily fit into the standard semantic-episodic dichotomy. Here, we used fMRI to record brain activity while 48 participants verified statements concerning general facts, autobiographical facts, repeated events, and unique events. In multivariate analysis, all four types of memory involved activity within a common network bilaterally (e.g., frontal pole, paracingulate gyrus, medial frontal cortex, middle/superior temporal gyrus, precuneus, posterior cingulate, angular gyrus) and some areas of the medial temporal lobe. Yet the four memory types differentially engaged this network, increasing in activity from general to autobiographical facts, from autobiographical facts to repeated events, and from repeated to unique events. Our data are compatible with a component process model, in which declarative memory types rely on different weightings of the same elementary processes, such as perceptual imagery, spatial features, and self-reflection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annick FN Tanguay
- School of Psychology, University of OttawaOttawaCanada
- School of Psychology, University of East AngliaNorwichUnited Kingdom
| | - Daniela J Palombo
- Department of Psychology, University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - Brittany Love
- School of Psychology, University of OttawaOttawaCanada
| | | | | | - Louis Renoult
- School of Psychology, University of East AngliaNorwichUnited Kingdom
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14
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Tanguay AFN, Gardam O, Archibald J, Ayson G, Atance CM. Using an episodic specificity induction to improve children's future thinking. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1249090. [PMID: 37928570 PMCID: PMC10622774 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1249090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Episodic future thinking (EFT) is the ability to subjectively pre-experience a specific future event. Future-oriented cognition in young children positively predicts physical health and financial status later in life. Can EFT be improved in children, even temporarily? Developmental research emphasizes the importance of thinking about one's own near future to enhance EFT, whereas research in adults suggests benefits reside in constructing a richly detailed event. We bridged the two perspectives to examine whether a procedure, the "episodic specificity induction" (ESI), could be adapted to encourage an episodic mode of thinking in children, benefitting performance on a variety of subsequent EFT tasks. The present study implemented a child-friendly ESI in which children mentally simulated a future event and were probed for specific details about it. We randomly assigned 66 children aged 6 and 7 years to one of two conditions: (1) ESI, in which children imagined "having breakfast tomorrow" in detail, describing surroundings, people, and actions, or (2) a Control condition (i.e., no construction), in which children simply viewed and described a picture of another child having breakfast. Children then completed a series of future thinking tasks assessing prospective memory, recollection/imagination of events, delay of gratification, and planning. Our ESI was successful in promoting the construction of a detailed event, and subsequently increasing the number of details of recollected and imagined events on an outcome task as compared to a control condition. Nonetheless, the effect of ESI was smaller than expected - a finding that fits with recent work suggesting that such interventions may be too cognitively taxing for young children and/or that benefits may hinge on further development in episodic processes. We discuss possible modifications to the induction and implications for EFT amelioration in young children.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Cristina M. Atance
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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15
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Garcia Jimenez C, Mazzoni G, D'Argembeau A. Repeated simulation increases belief in the future occurrence of uncertain events. Mem Cognit 2023; 51:1593-1606. [PMID: 36973545 DOI: 10.3758/s13421-023-01414-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
The feeling that an imagined event will or will not occur in the future - referred to as belief in future occurrence - plays a key role in guiding our decisions and actions. Recent research suggests that this belief may increase with repeated simulation of future events, but the boundary conditions for this effect remain unclear. Considering the key role of autobiographical knowledge in shaping belief in occurrence, we suggest that the effect of repeated simulation only occurs when prior autobiographical knowledge does not clearly support or contradict the occurrence of the imagined event. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the repetition effect for events that were either plausible or implausible due to their coherence or incoherence with autobiographical knowledge (Experiment 1), and for events that initially appeared uncertain because they were not clearly supported or contradicted by autobiographical knowledge (Experiment 2). We found that all types of events became more detailed and took less time to construct after repeated simulation, but belief in their future occurrence increased only for uncertain events; repetition did not influence belief for events already believed or considered implausible. These findings show that the effect of repeated simulation on belief in future occurrence depends on the consistency of imagined events with autobiographical knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giuliana Mazzoni
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychology, University of Hull, Hull, UK
| | - Arnaud D'Argembeau
- Psychology and Neuroscience of Cognition, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
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16
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Mahr JB, Schacter DL. A language of episodic thought? Behav Brain Sci 2023; 46:e283. [PMID: 37766653 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x2300198x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
We propose that episodic thought (i.e., episodic memory and imagination) is a domain where the language-of-thought hypothesis (LoTH) could be fruitfully applied. On the one hand, LoTH could explain the structure of what is encoded into and retrieved from long-term memory. On the other, LoTH can help make sense of how episodic contents come to play such a large variety of different cognitive roles after they have been retrieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes B Mahr
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA ;
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17
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Melega G, Sheldon S. Conceptual relatedness promotes memory generalization at the cost of detailed recollection. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15575. [PMID: 37730718 PMCID: PMC10511542 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40803-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
An adaptive memory system is one that allows us to both retrieve detailed memories as well as generalize knowledge about our past, the latter termed memory generalization and is useful for making inferences about new situations. Research has indicated that memory generalization relies on forming knowledge structures by integrating experiences with shared encountered elements. Whether memory generalization occurs more readily when experiences also have elements that share established (conceptual) information is less clear. It is also unclear if engaging in memory generalization during learning comes at the cost of retrieving detailed memories, the other function of episodic memory. To address these two knowledge gaps, we paired a modified version of the acquired equivalence task with a recognition memory test. Across three experiments, participants first learned a series of overlapping object-scene pairs (A-X, B-X and A-Y) in which half of the overlapping pairs contained conceptually-related objects (e.g., A-pencil; B-scissors; conceptual condition) and the other half contained unrelated objects (neutral condition). Participants ability to generalize to new overlapping object-scene pairs (B-Y) as well as not-learned but semantically-related objects was measured. Finally, participants completed a recognition memory test that included the encoded objects, perceptually similar lures or new foil objects. Across all experiments, we found higher rates of generalization but reduced detailed memory (indexed by increased false alarms to lure objects) for information learned in the conceptual than neutral condition. These results suggest the presence of conceptual knowledge biases an individual towards a generalization function of memory, which comes at the expense of detailed recollection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Melega
- Department of Neurology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, 2001 McGill College, Montreal, QC, H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Signy Sheldon
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, 2001 McGill College, Montreal, QC, H3A 1G1, Canada.
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18
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Jackson RL, Humphreys GF, Rice GE, Binney RJ, Lambon Ralph MA. A network-level test of the role of the co-activated default mode network in episodic recall and social cognition. Cortex 2023; 165:141-159. [PMID: 37285763 PMCID: PMC10284259 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2022.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Resting-state network research is extremely influential, yet the functions of many networks remain unknown. In part, this is due to typical (e.g., univariate) analyses independently testing the function of individual regions and not examining the full set of regions that form a network whilst co-activated. Connectivity is dynamic and the function of a region may change based on its current connections. Therefore, determining the function of a network requires assessment at this network-level. Yet popular theories implicating the default mode network (DMN) in episodic memory and social cognition, rest principally upon analyses performed at the level of individual brain regions. Here we use independent component analysis to formally test the role of the DMN in episodic and social processing at the network level. As well as an episodic retrieval task, two independent datasets were employed to assess DMN function across the breadth of social cognition; a person knowledge judgement and a theory of mind task. Each task dataset was separated into networks of co-activated regions. In each, the co-activated DMN, was identified through comparison to an a priori template and its relation to the task model assessed. This co-activated DMN did not show greater activity in episodic or social tasks than high-level baseline conditions. Thus, no evidence was found to support hypotheses that the co-activated DMN is involved in explicit episodic or social tasks at a network-level. The networks associated with these processes are described. Implications for prior univariate findings and the functional significance of the co-activated DMN are considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L Jackson
- Department of Psychology & York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York, UK; MRC Cognition & Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Gina F Humphreys
- MRC Cognition & Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Grace E Rice
- MRC Cognition & Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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19
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Girardeau JC, Ledru R, Gaston-Bellegarde A, Blondé P, Sperduti M, Piolino P. The benefits of mind wandering on a naturalistic prospective memory task. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11432. [PMID: 37454161 PMCID: PMC10349849 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37996-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Mind wandering (MW) occurs when our attention spontaneously shifts from the task at hand to inner thoughts. MW is often future-oriented and may help people remember to carry out their planned actions (Prospective Memory, PM). Past-oriented MW might also play a critical role in boosting PM performance. Sixty participants learned 24 PM items and recalled them during an immersive virtual walk in a town. The items were divided into event-based-EB and time-based-TB. During the PM retention phase, participants were randomly assigned to a high or a low cognitive load condition, in order to manipulate MW frequency. Some PM items were encoded before this MW manipulation (pre-PM) and some during the virtual walk (post-PM). A high MW frequency was linked with better global PM performances. Spontaneous past-oriented MW predicted better pre-EB retrospective PM retrieval, while spontaneous future-oriented MW predicted better Pre-EB prospective PM retrieval. Voluntary future-oriented MW predicted better post-EB retrospective retrieval. We highlighted, for the first time, a differential impact of spontaneous MW content depending on the PM component (retrospective or prospective). Past-oriented MW is crucial for (re)consolidating PM intentions, and episodic future thinking MW for the execution of PM intentions. We discuss the twofold functional role of MW, namely, to consolidate an already programmed intention and to plan future actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- J C Girardeau
- Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau & Cognition (LMC2 UR 7536), Institut de Psychologie, Université Paris Cité, 71 Ave Édouard Vaillant, 92100, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
| | - R Ledru
- Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau & Cognition (LMC2 UR 7536), Institut de Psychologie, Université Paris Cité, 71 Ave Édouard Vaillant, 92100, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - A Gaston-Bellegarde
- Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau & Cognition (LMC2 UR 7536), Institut de Psychologie, Université Paris Cité, 71 Ave Édouard Vaillant, 92100, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - P Blondé
- Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau & Cognition (LMC2 UR 7536), Institut de Psychologie, Université Paris Cité, 71 Ave Édouard Vaillant, 92100, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
- Icelandic Vision Lab, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - M Sperduti
- Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau & Cognition (LMC2 UR 7536), Institut de Psychologie, Université Paris Cité, 71 Ave Édouard Vaillant, 92100, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - P Piolino
- Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau & Cognition (LMC2 UR 7536), Institut de Psychologie, Université Paris Cité, 71 Ave Édouard Vaillant, 92100, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
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20
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Fivush R, Grysman A. Accuracy and reconstruction in autobiographical memory: (Re)consolidating neuroscience and sociocultural developmental approaches. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2023; 14:e1620. [PMID: 36125799 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Autobiographical memories are never isolated episodes; they are embedded in a network that is continually updated and prediction driven. We present autobiographical memory as a meaning-driven process that includes both veridical traces and reconstructive schemas. Our developmental approach delineates how autobiographical memory develops across childhood and throughout adulthood, and our sociocultural approach examines the ways in which autobiographical memories are shaped by everyday social interactions embedded within cultural worldviews. These approaches are enhanced by a focus on autobiographical memory functions, namely self-coherence, social embeddedness, and directing future behaviors. Neuroscience models of memory outlined in multiple trace and trace transformation theories and perceptual principles of predictive processing establish mechanisms and frameworks into which autobiographical memory processes are incorporated. Rather than conceptualizing autobiographical and episodic memories as accurate versus error-prone, we frame memory as a dynamic process that is continuously updated to create coherent meaning for individuals living in complex sociocultural worlds. Autobiographical memory is a process of both accuracy and error, an intricate weaving of specific episodic details, inferences and confusions among similar experiences; it incorporates post-event information through reminiscing and conversations, in the service of creating more meaningful coherent memories that define self, others, and the world. This article is categorized under: Psychology > Memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn Fivush
- Institute for the Liberal Arts, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Azriel Grysman
- Psychology, Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, USA
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21
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D’Angelo M, Frassinetti F, Cappelletti M. The Role of Beta Oscillations in Mental Time Travel. Psychol Sci 2023; 34:490-500. [PMID: 37067986 DOI: 10.1177/09567976221147259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The brain processes short-interval timing but also allows people to project themselves into the past and the future (i.e., mental time travel [MTT]). Beta oscillations index seconds-long-interval timing (i.e., higher beta power is associated with longer durations). Here, we used parietal transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) to investigate whether MTT is also supported by parietal beta oscillations and to test the link between MTT and short intervals. Thirty adults performed a novel MTT task while receiving beta and alpha tACS, in addition to no stimulation. Beta tACS corresponded to a temporal underestimation in past but not in future MTT. Furthermore, participants who overestimated seconds-long intervals also overestimated temporal distances in the past-projection MTT condition and showed a stronger effect of beta tACS. These data provide a unique window into temporal perception, showing how beta oscillations may be a common mechanism for short intervals and MTT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariano D’Angelo
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Institute of Castel Goffredo
| | - Francesca Frassinetti
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Institute of Castel Goffredo
- Department of Psychology, University of Bologna
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22
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Afterlife future thinking: imagining oneself beyond death. Mem Cognit 2023; 51:4-22. [PMID: 35415796 DOI: 10.3758/s13421-022-01308-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Studies on episodic future thinking (the capacity to simulate possible experiences in one's personal future) have ignored future thinking that extends beyond death. We here examined personal afterlife projections in comparison with autobiographical memories and future projections in Thai (Study 1) and American (Study 2) samples. Participants reported all three types of events and rated their characteristics. In both studies, the characteristics of afterlife events were rated lower than those of memories and future events. Participants who believed in the afterlife generally rated afterlife events higher than non-believers and those who were uncertain, although this effect was most pronounced in Study 2. The content of afterlife events followed religious beliefs in the afterlife, and the majority of afterlife events were expected to take place immediately after death. The findings show that afterlife thoughts demonstrate characteristics that are comparable to memories and episodic future thoughts, and are shaped by religious beliefs.
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23
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Moulin CJA, Carreras F, Barzykowski K. The phenomenology of autobiographical retrieval. WIRES COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2022; 14:e1638. [DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chris J. A. Moulin
- Laboratoire de Psychologie et Neurocognition (LPNC CNRS 5105) Université Grenoble Alpes Grenoble France
- Institut Universitaire de France Paris France
| | - Fabien Carreras
- Laboratoire de Psychologie et Neurocognition (LPNC CNRS 5105) Université Grenoble Alpes Grenoble France
| | - Krystian Barzykowski
- Applied Memory Research Laboratory Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University Kraków Poland
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Irish M. Autobiographical memory in dementia syndromes—An integrative review. WIRES COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2022; 14:e1630. [DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Muireann Irish
- School of Psychology and Brain & Mind Centre The University of Sydney Sydney Australia
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25
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Setton R, Mwilambwe-Tshilobo L, Sheldon S, Turner GR, Spreng RN. Hippocampus and temporal pole functional connectivity is associated with age and individual differences in autobiographical memory. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2203039119. [PMID: 36191210 PMCID: PMC9564102 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2203039119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recollection of one's personal past, or autobiographical memory (AM), varies across individuals and across the life span. This manifests in the amount of episodic content recalled during AM, which may reflect differences in associated functional brain networks. We take an individual differences approach to examine resting-state functional connectivity of temporal lobe regions known to coordinate AM content retrieval with the default network (anterior and posterior hippocampus, temporal pole) and test for associations with AM. Multiecho resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and autobiographical interviews were collected for 158 younger and 105 older healthy adults. Interviews were scored for internal (episodic) and external (semantic) details. Age group differences in connectivity profiles revealed that older adults had lower connectivity within anterior hippocampus, posterior hippocampus, and temporal pole but greater connectivity with regions across the default network compared with younger adults. This pattern was positively related to posterior hippocampal volumes in older adults, which were smaller than younger adult volumes. Connectivity associations with AM showed two significant patterns. The first dissociated connectivity related to internal vs. external AM across participants. Internal AM was related to anterior hippocampus and temporal pole connectivity with orbitofrontal cortex and connectivity within posterior hippocampus. External AM was related to temporal pole connectivity with regions across the lateral temporal cortex. In the second pattern, younger adults displayed temporal pole connectivity with regions throughout the default network associated with more detailed AMs overall. Our findings provide evidence for discrete ensembles of brain regions that scale with systematic variation in recollective styles across the healthy adult life span.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roni Setton
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138
| | - Laetitia Mwilambwe-Tshilobo
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Signy Sheldon
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Gary R. Turner
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - R. Nathan Spreng
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1G1, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1A1, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QC, H4H 1R3, Canada
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Cognitive Reactivity Amplifies the Activation and Development of Negative Self-schema: A Revised Mnemic Neglect Paradigm and Computational Modelling. COGNITIVE THERAPY AND RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10608-022-10332-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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27
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Barzykowski K, Moulin CJA. Are involuntary autobiographical memory and déjà vu natural products of memory retrieval? Behav Brain Sci 2022; 46:e356. [PMID: 36111499 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x22002035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Involuntary autobiographical memories (IAMs) and déjà vu are phenomena that occur spontaneously in daily life. IAMs are recollections of the personal past, whereas déjà vu is defined as an experience in which the person feels familiarity at the same time as knowing that the familiarity is false. We present and discuss the idea that both IAMs and déjà vu can be explained as natural phenomena resulting from memory processing and, importantly, are both based on the same memory retrieval processes. Briefly, we hypothesise that both can be described as "involuntary" or spontaneous cognitions, where IAMs deliver content and déjà vu delivers only the feeling of retrieval. We map out the similarities and differences between the two, making a theoretical and neuroscientific account for their integration into models of memory retrieval and how the autobiographical memory literature can explain these quirks of daily life and unusual but meaningful phenomena. We explain the emergence of the déjà vu phenomenon by relating it to well-known mechanisms of autobiographical memory retrieval, concluding that IAMs and déjà vu lie on a continuum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystian Barzykowski
- Applied Memory Research Laboratory, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Chris J A Moulin
- Laboratoire de Psychologie et Neurocognition, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
- Institut Universitaire de France
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King CI, Romero ASL, Schacter DL, St. Jacques PL. The influence of shifting perspective on episodic and semantic details during autobiographical memory recall. Memory 2022; 30:942-954. [PMID: 35392765 PMCID: PMC9420763 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2022.2061003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Shifting to a novel visual perspective during retrieval influences autobiographical memories (AM) and can lead to persistent changes in memories. Adopting an observer-like compared to an own eyes perspective reduces episodic information during AM recall, but less is known regarding how viewpoint influences semantic information. In the current study, we investigated how shifting from an own eyes to an observer-like perspective during narrative recall of AMs influences episodic and semantic information. Shifting perspective reduced the number of episodic details associated with emotions and thoughts, and also led to similar reductions in personal semantics. We replicated prior research showing that shifting perspective reduces emotional intensity in subsequent memories, but these subjective changes were not coupled with objective changes in a narrative recall. Our findings suggest that shifting perspective influences the interplay between episodic and semantic information during proximate recall and subjective changes when memories are later recalled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe I. King
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Anna S. L. Romero
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada
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29
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Mazachowsky TR, Atance CM, Rutt JL, Mahy CEV. Verbal Explanations and Item Choices as Joint Indices of Children’s Episodic Foresight. JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2022.2110874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
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30
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Fayyaz Z, Altamimi A, Zoellner C, Klein N, Wolf OT, Cheng S, Wiskott L. A Model of Semantic Completion in Generative Episodic Memory. Neural Comput 2022; 34:1841-1870. [PMID: 35896150 DOI: 10.1162/neco_a_01520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Many studies have suggested that episodic memory is a generative process, but most computational models adopt a storage view. In this article, we present a model of the generative aspects of episodic memory. It is based on the central hypothesis that the hippocampus stores and retrieves selected aspects of an episode as a memory trace, which is necessarily incomplete. At recall, the neocortex reasonably fills in the missing parts based on general semantic information in a process we call semantic completion. The model combines two neural network architectures known from machine learning, the vector-quantized variational autoencoder (VQ-VAE) and the pixel convolutional neural network (PixelCNN). As episodes, we use images of digits and fashion items (MNIST) augmented by different backgrounds representing context. The model is able to complete missing parts of a memory trace in a semantically plausible way up to the point where it can generate plausible images from scratch, and it generalizes well to images not trained on. Compression as well as semantic completion contribute to a strong reduction in memory requirements and robustness to noise. Finally, we also model an episodic memory experiment and can reproduce that semantically congruent contexts are always recalled better than incongruent ones, high attention levels improve memory accuracy in both cases, and contexts that are not remembered correctly are more often remembered semantically congruently than completely wrong. This model contributes to a deeper understanding of the interplay between episodic memory and semantic information in the generative process of recalling the past.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Fayyaz
- Institute for Neural Computation, Faculty of Computer Science, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Aya Altamimi
- Institute for Neural Computation, Faculty of Computer Science, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Carina Zoellner
- Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Nicole Klein
- Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Oliver T Wolf
- Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Sen Cheng
- Institute for Neural Computation, Faculty of Computer Science, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Laurenz Wiskott
- Institute for Neural Computation, Faculty of Computer Science, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
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31
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Bellmund JLS, Deuker L, Montijn ND, Doeller CF. Mnemonic construction and representation of temporal structure in the hippocampal formation. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3395. [PMID: 35739096 PMCID: PMC9226117 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30984-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The hippocampal-entorhinal region supports memory for episodic details, such as temporal relations of sequential events, and mnemonic constructions combining experiences for inferential reasoning. However, it is unclear whether hippocampal event memories reflect temporal relations derived from mnemonic constructions, event order, or elapsing time, and whether these sequence representations generalize temporal relations across similar sequences. Here, participants mnemonically constructed times of events from multiple sequences using infrequent cues and their experience of passing time. After learning, event representations in the anterior hippocampus reflected temporal relations based on constructed times. Temporal relations were generalized across sequences, revealing distinct representational formats for events from the same or different sequences. Structural knowledge about time patterns, abstracted from different sequences, biased the construction of specific event times. These findings demonstrate that mnemonic construction and the generalization of relational knowledge combine in the hippocampus, consistent with the simulation of scenarios from episodic details and structural knowledge. Activity patterns in the hippocampus resemble temporal relations of learned event sequences. Here, the authors show that these relational memories arise through mnemonic construction and are generalized to reflect the temporal event structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob L S Bellmund
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Lorena Deuker
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole D Montijn
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Christian F Doeller
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany. .,Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Centre for Neural Computation, The Egil and Pauline Braathen and Fred Kavli Centre for Cortical Microcircuits, Jebsen Centre for Alzheimer's Disease, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. .,Wilhelm Wundt Institute of Psychology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
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32
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Wardell V, Grilli MD, Palombo DJ. Simulating the best and worst of times: the powers and perils of emotional simulation. Memory 2022; 30:1212-1225. [PMID: 35708272 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2022.2088796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
We are remarkably capable of simulating events that we have never experienced. These simulated events often paint an emotional picture to behold, such as the best and worst possible outcomes that we might face. This review synthesises dispersed literature exploring the role of emotion in simulation. Drawing from work that suggests that simulations can influence our preferences, decision-making, and prosociality, we argue for a critical role of emotion in informing the consequences of simulation. We further unpack burgeoning evidence suggesting that the effects of emotional simulation transcend the laboratory. We propose avenues by which emotional simulation may be harnessed for both personal and collective good in applied contexts. We conclude by offering important future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Wardell
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Matthew D Grilli
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Daniela J Palombo
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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33
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Antony JW, Romero A, Vierra AH, Luenser RS, Hawkins RD, Bennion KA. Semantic relatedness retroactively boosts memory and promotes memory interdependence across episodes. eLife 2022; 11:72519. [PMID: 35704025 PMCID: PMC9203053 DOI: 10.7554/elife.72519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Two fundamental issues in memory research concern when later experiences strengthen or weaken initial memories and when the two memories become linked or remain independent. A promising candidate for explaining these issues is semantic relatedness. Here, across five paired-associate learning experiments (N=1000), we systematically varied the semantic relatedness between initial and later cues, initial and later targets, or both. We found that learning retroactively benefited long-term memory performance for semantically related words (vs. unshown control words), and these benefits increased as a function of relatedness. Critically, memory dependence between initial and later pairs also increased with relatedness, suggesting that pre-existing semantic relationships promote interdependence for memories formed across episodes. We also found that modest retroactive benefits, but not interdependencies, emerged when subjects learned via studying rather than practice testing. These findings demonstrate that semantic relatedness during new learning retroactively strengthens old associations while scaffolding new ones into well-fortified memory traces.
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Affiliation(s)
- James W Antony
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States.,Department of Psychology and Child Development, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, United States
| | - America Romero
- Department of Psychology and Child Development, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, United States
| | - Anthony H Vierra
- Department of Psychology and Child Development, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, United States
| | - Rebecca S Luenser
- Department of Psychology and Child Development, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, United States
| | - Robert D Hawkins
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, United States
| | - Kelly A Bennion
- Department of Psychology and Child Development, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, United States
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34
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Fenerci C, Gurguryan L, Spreng RN, Sheldon S. Comparing neural activity during autobiographical memory retrieval between younger and older adults: An ALE meta-analysis. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 119:8-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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35
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Ayala OD, Banta D, Hovhannisyan M, Duarte L, Lozano A, García JR, Montañés P, Davis SW, De Brigard F. Episodic Past, Future, and counterfactual thinking in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple sclerosis. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 34:103033. [PMID: 35561552 PMCID: PMC9112031 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Performance in episodic past, future or counterfactual thinking in relapsing-remitting MS and controls was explored. Behavioral and diffusion weighted imaging were used to evaluate associations between white matter integrity and group differences in performance. Relative to controls, MS patients showed reductions in episodic details across all three simulations. Reduced white matter integrity in three association tracts predicted this reduction in episodic details during counterfactual simulations.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive disease characterized by widespread white matter lesions in the brain and spinal cord. In addition to well-characterized motor deficits, MS results in cognitive impairments in several domains, notably in episodic autobiographical memory. Recent studies have also revealed that patients with MS exhibit deficits in episodic future thinking, i.e., our capacity to imagine possible events that may occur in our personal future. Both episodic memory and episodic future thinking have been shown to share cognitive and neural mechanisms with a related kind of hypothetical simulation known as episodic counterfactual thinking: our capacity to imagine alternative ways in which past personal events could have occurred but did not. However, the extent to which episodic counterfactual thinking is affected in MS is still unknown. The current study sought to explore this issue by comparing performance in mental simulation tasks involving either past, future or counterfactual thoughts in relapsing-remitting MS. Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) measures were also extracted to determine whether changes in structural pathways connecting the brain’s default mode network (DMN) would be associated with group differences in task performance. Relative to controls, patients showed marked reductions in the number of internal details across all mental simulations, but no differences in the number of external and semantic-based details. It was also found that, relative to controls, patients with relapsing-remitting MS reported reduced composition ratings for episodic simulations depicting counterfactual events, but not so for actual past or possible future episodes. Additionally, three DWI measures of white matter integrity—fractional anisotropy, radial diffusivity and streamline counts—showed reliable differences between patients with relapsing-remitting MS and matched healthy controls. Importantly, DWI measures associated with reduced white matter integrity in three association tracts on the DMN—the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, the left hippocampal portion of the cingulum and the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus—predicted reductions in the number of internal details during episodic counterfactual simulations. Taken together, these results help to illuminate impairments in episodic simulation in relapsing-remitting MS and show, for the first time, a differential association between white matter integrity and deficits in episodic counterfactual thinking in individuals with relapsing-remitting MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Daniel Ayala
- Department of Psychology, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia; Clínica de Marly, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Daisy Banta
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Mariam Hovhannisyan
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | - Patricia Montañés
- Department of Psychology, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Simon W Davis
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA; Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Felipe De Brigard
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Philosophy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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36
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González D, Aixalà MB, Neimeyer RA, Cantillo J, Nicolson D, Farré M. Restorative Retelling for Processing Psychedelic Experiences: Rationale and Case Study of Complicated Grief. Front Psychol 2022; 13:832879. [PMID: 35592178 PMCID: PMC9111738 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.832879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale Many psychedelic experiences are meaningful, but ineffable. Engaging in meaning-making regarding emerging symbolic content and changing previous schemas have been proposed as mechanisms of change in psychedelic therapy. Objective Firstly, we suggest the implementation of a Restorative Retelling (RR) technique to process and integrate the psychedelic experience into autobiographical memory, in a way that fosters meaning-making. We also show how ayahuasca has the potential to evoke key psychological content in survivors, during the process of grief adjustment following the death of a loved one. Methods The rationale for the implementation of RR to process psychedelic experiences and a case study of a woman suffering from Complicated Grief (CG) after her mother's suicide are presented. Results Evaluations conducted before the ayahuasca experience and after RR suggest the effectiveness of ayahuasca and RR in reducing symptoms of CG and psychopathology. Conclusion This case report illustrates an effective adaptation of the RR technique for processing the psychedelic experience. The significance of the study and its limitations are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora González
- Fundación BeckleyMed, Barcelona, Spain
- PHI Association, Barcelona, Spain
- International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Services (ICEERS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marc B. Aixalà
- International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Services (ICEERS), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Jordi Cantillo
- International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Services (ICEERS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Donald Nicolson
- Department of Psychotherapy, Bath Spa University, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Magi Farré
- Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol and Institut de Recerca Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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37
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Abraham A. How We Tell Apart Fiction from Reality. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.5406/19398298.135.1.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The human ability to tell apart reality from fiction is intriguing. Through a range of media, such as novels and movies, we are able to readily engage in fictional worlds and experience alternative realities. Yet even when we are completely immersed and emotionally engaged within these worlds, we have little difficulty in leaving the fictional landscapes and getting back to the day-to-day of our own world. How are we able to do this? How do we acquire our understanding of our real world? How is this similar to and different from the development of our knowledge of fictional worlds? In exploring these questions, this article makes the case for a novel multilevel explanation (called BLINCS) of our implicit understanding of the reality–fiction distinction, namely that it is derived from the fact that the worlds of fiction, relative to reality, are bounded, inference-light, curated, and sparse.
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38
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Colás-Blanco I, Mioche J, La Corte V, Piolino P. The role of temporal distance of the events on the spatiotemporal dynamics of mental time travel to one's personal past and future. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2378. [PMID: 35149740 PMCID: PMC8837801 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05902-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Mental time travel to personal past and future events shows remarkable cognitive and neural similarities. Both temporalities seem to rely on the same core network involving episodic binding and monitoring processes. However, it is still unclear in what way the temporal distance of the simulated events modulates the recruitment of this network when mental time-travelling to the past and the future. The present study explored the electrophysiological correlates of remembering and imagining personal events at two temporal distances from the present moment (near and far). Temporal distance modulated the late parietal component (LPC) and the late frontal effect (LFE), respectively involved in episodic and monitoring processes. Interestingly, temporal distance modulations differed in the past and future event simulation, suggesting greater episodic processing for near as opposed to far future situations (with no differences on near and far past), and the implementation of greater post-simulation monitoring processes for near past as compared to far past events (with high demands on both near and far future). These findings show that both past and future event simulations are affected by the temporal distance of the events, although not exactly in a mirrored way. They are discussed according to the increasing role of semantic memory in episodic mental time travel to farther temporal distances from the present.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Colás-Blanco
- Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau et Cognition (MC2Lab), UR 7536, Université de Paris, 71 Avenue Edouard Vaillant, Boulogne-Billancourt, Île de France, France.
| | - J Mioche
- Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau et Cognition (MC2Lab), UR 7536, Université de Paris, 71 Avenue Edouard Vaillant, Boulogne-Billancourt, Île de France, France
| | - V La Corte
- Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau et Cognition (MC2Lab), UR 7536, Université de Paris, 71 Avenue Edouard Vaillant, Boulogne-Billancourt, Île de France, France.,Institut de la Mémoire et de la Maladie d'Alzheimer (IM2A), Département de Neurologie, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - P Piolino
- Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau et Cognition (MC2Lab), UR 7536, Université de Paris, 71 Avenue Edouard Vaillant, Boulogne-Billancourt, Île de France, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
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39
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Fenerci C, Sheldon S. The role of episodic memory in imagining autobiographical events: the influence of event expectancy and context familiarity. Memory 2022; 30:573-590. [PMID: 35129426 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2022.2032178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Episodic memory plays a common role in constructing mental representations of past and imagined autobiographical events. Research has suggested that certain factors will affect how episodic memory is used during mental construction, such as the expectancy that an event will occur and the familiarity with an event's context. The aim of the current study was to understand how these factors affect episodic memory engagement and subjective experience during event imagination. In a within-subjects design, participants viewed context cues (high or low in familiarity), described imagined autobiographical events (expected or not expected to occur in these contexts) and rated their experience. 24-hours later, participants recalled and described the same events. We found that expectancy of the imagined events was associated with quicker access and increased episodic detail generation, regardless of context familiarity. Additionally, both event expectancy and context familiarity affected the subjective quality of the imagined events. Examining the episodic details in descriptions after the delay revealed comparable effects of these two factors. Our results underscore the importance of event expectancy in recruiting episodic memory for imagined autobiographical experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Fenerci
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Signy Sheldon
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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40
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Setton R, Lockrow AW, Turner GR, Spreng RN. Troubled past: A critical psychometric assessment of the self-report Survey of Autobiographical Memory (SAM). Behav Res Methods 2022; 54:261-286. [PMID: 34159511 PMCID: PMC8692492 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-021-01604-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The Survey of Autobiographical Memory (SAM) was designed as an easy-to-administer measure of self-perceived autobiographical memory (AM) recollection capacity. We provide a comprehensive psychometric evaluation of the SAM in younger and older adults. First, we evaluated the reliability of the SAM as a measure of self-perceived recollective capacity. Next, we tested whether the SAM was a valid measure of episodic and autobiographical memory performance, as assessed with widely used performance-based measures. Finally, we investigated associations between the SAM, cognitive measures and self-reported assessments of psychological functioning. The SAM demonstrated reliability as a self-report measure of perceived recollective capacity. High internal consistency was observed across subscales, with the exception of SAM-semantic. Evidence for independence among the subscales was mixed: SAM-episodic and SAM-semantic items showed poor correspondence with respective subscales. Good correspondence was observed between the future and spatial items and their SAM subscales. The SAM showed limited associations with AM performance as measured by the Autobiographical Interview (AI), yet was broadly associated with self-reported AI event vividness. SAM scores were weakly associated with performance-based memory measures and were age-invariant, inconsistent with known age effects on declarative memory. Converging evidence indicated that SAM-episodic and SAM-semantic subscales are not independent and should not be interpreted as specific measures of episodic or semantic memory. The SAM was robustly associated with self-efficacy, suggesting an association with confidence in domain general self-report abilities. We urge caution in the use and interpretation of the SAM as a measure of AM, pending revision and further psychometric validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roni Setton
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, 3801 University St., Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Amber W Lockrow
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, 3801 University St., Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Gary R Turner
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - R Nathan Spreng
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, 3801 University St., Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada.
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Exploring episodic and semantic contributions to past and future thinking performance in Korsakoff's syndrome. Mem Cognit 2022; 50:630-640. [PMID: 35084717 DOI: 10.3758/s13421-021-01262-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Korsakoff's syndrome (KS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by severe declarative memory disruption. While episodic memory deficits and confabulation are well documented, it remains unclear to what extent semantic memory is compromised in this syndrome. Moreover, how such impairments relate to the capacity for future-oriented thinking remains unknown. Here, we sought to determine the extent to which episodic and semantic forms of past and future thinking are impacted in KS and the interrelationship between different classes of memory in this syndrome. Twenty patients with KS and 17 matched healthy controls took part in this study. We included well-established indices of past and future thinking capacity, enabling us to compare episodic (event-based) versus semantic (nonpersonal knowledge) across past and future conditions. We also included a novel event generation task to probe implausible event simulation (i.e., spending a day on the moon). Our findings revealed marked impairments in KS across all forms of past and future thinking, as well as the generation of episodic details on the implausible event simulation task. Correlation analyses revealed significant associations between implausible event construction and episodic and semantic future thinking in KS; however, no significant associations were found between future thinking performance and confabulation. This study is the first, to our knowledge, to reveal striking impairments in the capacity for past and future thinking across episodic and semantic domains in KS. Our findings resonate with current theoretical perspectives in which the lines between episodic and semantic memory systems are viewed as increasingly blurred.
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Elliott M, Terrett G, Curran HV, De Bono N, Rendell PG, Henry JD. Deficits in episodic future thinking following acute alcohol consumption. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:2445-2455. [PMID: 35419636 PMCID: PMC9294006 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06136-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Acute alcohol consumption adversely affects many cognitive abilities, including episodic memory and executive functioning. However, no study to date has tested whether these acute effects of alcohol also extend to episodic future thinking (EFT). This is a surprising omission given that EFT refers to the ability to imagine oneself experiencing the future, a highly adaptive ability that has been implicated in many important functional behaviours. EFT is also thought to impose demands on episodic memory and executive control. OBJECTIVES The current study was designed to provide the first test of whether a moderate dose of alcohol influences EFT and whether any observed EFT difficulties are secondary to broader problems in episodic memory and executive functioning. Sex differences in EFT following acute alcohol consumption were also examined. METHODS One hundred and twenty-four healthy adult social drinkers were recruited and randomly assigned to either the alcohol (n = 61) or placebo (n = 63) condition. Participants were administered a dose of 0.6 g/kg alcohol or a matched placebo drink. RESULTS Relative to the placebo condition, EFT was impaired by acute alcohol consumption. This impairment was underpinned by broader difficulties with episodic memory, but not executive functioning. There were no sex differences in EFT performance following acute alcohol use. CONCLUSION These data provide novel insights into the effects of acute alcohol consumption on EFT and the broader cognitive mechanisms that contribute to these difficulties. The results are discussed in relation to their implications for understanding many of the maladaptive behaviours commonly associated with acute alcohol use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Elliott
- School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Gill Terrett
- grid.411958.00000 0001 2194 1270School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC Australia
| | - H. Valerie Curran
- grid.83440.3b0000000121901201Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Natalie De Bono
- grid.411958.00000 0001 2194 1270School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC Australia
| | - Peter G. Rendell
- grid.411958.00000 0001 2194 1270School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC Australia
| | - Julie D. Henry
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD Australia
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Abstract
Many studies suggest that information about past experience, or episodic memory, is divided into discrete units called "events." Yet we can often remember experiences that span multiple events. Events that occur in close succession might simply be linked because of their proximity to one another, but we can also build links between events that occur farther apart in time. Intuitively, some kind of organizing principle should enable temporally distant events to become bridged in memory. We tested the hypothesis that episodic memory exhibits a narrative-level organization, enabling temporally distant events to be better remembered if they form a coherent narrative. Furthermore, we tested whether post-encoding memory consolidation is necessary to integrate temporally distant events. In three experiments, participants learned and subsequently recalled events from fictional stories, in which pairs of temporally distant events involving side characters ("sideplots") either formed one coherent narrative or two unrelated narratives. Across participants, we varied whether recall was assessed immediately after learning, or after a delay: 24 hours, 12 hours between morning and evening ("wake"), or 12 hours between evening and morning ("sleep"). Participants recalled more information about coherent than unrelated narrative events, in most delay conditions, including immediate recall and wake conditions, suggesting that post-encoding consolidation was not necessary to integrate temporally distant events into a larger narrative. Furthermore, post hoc modeling across experiments suggested that narrative coherence facilitated recall over and above any effects of sentence-level semantic similarity. This reliable memory benefit for coherent narrative events supports theoretical accounts which propose that narratives provide a high-level architecture for episodic memory.
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Wilson NA, Ahmed RM, Piguet O, Irish M. Putting the Pieces Together: Mental Construction of Semantically Congruent and Incongruent Scenes in Dementia. Brain Sci 2021; 12:brainsci12010020. [PMID: 35053763 PMCID: PMC8773466 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12010020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Scene construction refers to the process by which humans generate richly detailed and spatially cohesive scenes in the mind’s eye. The cognitive processes that underwrite this capacity remain unclear, particularly when the envisaged scene calls for the integration of various types of contextual information. Here, we explored social and non-social forms of scene construction in Alzheimer’s disease (AD; n = 11) and the behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD; n = 15) relative to healthy older control participants (n = 16) using a novel adaptation of the scene construction task. Participants mentally constructed detailed scenes in response to scene–object cues that varied in terms of their sociality (social; non-social) and congruence (congruent; incongruent). A significant group × sociality × congruence interaction was found whereby performance on the incongruent social scene condition was significantly disrupted in both patient groups relative to controls. Moreover, bvFTD patients produced significantly less contextual detail in social relative to non-social incongruent scenes. Construction of social and non-social incongruent scenes in the patient groups combined was significantly associated with independent measures of semantic processing and visuospatial memory. Our findings demonstrate the influence of schema-incongruency on scene construction performance and reinforce the importance of episodic–semantic interactions during novel event construction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikki-Anne Wilson
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; (N.-A.W.); (R.M.A.); (O.P.)
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- School of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Rebekah M. Ahmed
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; (N.-A.W.); (R.M.A.); (O.P.)
- Memory and Cognition Clinic, Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Olivier Piguet
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; (N.-A.W.); (R.M.A.); (O.P.)
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Muireann Irish
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; (N.-A.W.); (R.M.A.); (O.P.)
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- Correspondence:
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Liu L, Bulley A, Irish M. Subjective Time in Dementia: A Critical Review. Brain Sci 2021; 11:1502. [PMID: 34827501 PMCID: PMC8616021 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11111502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The capacity for subjective time in humans encompasses the perception of time's unfolding from moment to moment, as well as the ability to traverse larger temporal expanses of past- and future-oriented thought via mental time travel. Disruption in time perception can result in maladaptive outcomes-from the innocuous lapse in timing that leads to a burnt piece of toast, to the grievous miscalculation that produces a traffic accident-while disruption to mental time travel can impact core functions from planning appointments to making long-term decisions. Mounting evidence suggests that disturbances to both time perception and mental time travel are prominent in dementia syndromes. Given that such disruptions can have severe consequences for independent functioning in everyday life, here we aim to provide a comprehensive exposition of subjective timing dysfunction in dementia, with a view to informing the management of such disturbances. We consider the neurocognitive mechanisms underpinning changes to both time perception and mental time travel across different dementia disorders. Moreover, we explicate the functional implications of altered subjective timing by reference to two key and representative adaptive capacities: prospective memory and intertemporal decision-making. Overall, our review sheds light on the transdiagnostic implications of subjective timing disturbances in dementia and highlights the high variability in performance across clinical syndromes and functional domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Liu
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (L.L.); (A.B.)
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Adam Bulley
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (L.L.); (A.B.)
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02138, USA
| | - Muireann Irish
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (L.L.); (A.B.)
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
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Mahr JB, Greene JD, Schacter DL. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away: How temporal are episodic contents? Conscious Cogn 2021; 96:103224. [PMID: 34715457 PMCID: PMC8633156 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2021.103224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
A prominent feature of mental event (i.e. 'episodic') simulations is their temporal orientation: human adults can generate episodic representations directed towards the past or the future. Here, we investigated how the temporal orientation of imagined events relates to the contents of these events. Is there something intrinsically temporal about episodic contents? Or does their temporality rely on a distinct set of representations? In three experiments (N = 360), we asked participants to generate and later recall a series of imagined events differing in (1) location, (2) time of day, (3) temporal orientation, and (4) weekday. We then tested to what extent successful recall of episodic content (i.e. (1) and (2)) would predict recall of temporality and/or weekday information. Results showed that recall of temporal orientation was only weakly predicted by recall of episodic contents. Nonetheless, temporal orientation was more strongly predicted by content recall than weekday recall. This finding suggests that episodic simulations are unlikely to be intrinsically temporal in nature. Instead, similar to other forms of temporal information, temporal orientation might be determined from such contents by reconstructive post-retrieval processes. These results have implications for how the human ability to 'mentally travel' in time is cognitively implemented.
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Strikwerda-Brown C, Williams K, Lévesque M, Brambati S, Sheldon S. What are your thoughts? Exploring age-related changes in episodic and semantic autobiographical content on an open-ended retrieval task. Memory 2021; 29:1375-1383. [PMID: 34637681 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2021.1987476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Older adults display impairments in accessing episodic, but not semantic details, when specifically requested to construct autobiographical events. How aging affects access to autobiographical information under conditions of low retrieval constraint remains unclear. We examined the production of episodic and "non-episodic" details in young (n = 25) and older (n = 24) adults on a novel autobiographical narrative task free from constraints on the type of information to be retrieved (Thoughts task), compared with the standard autobiographical memory and picture description tasks. Older adults generated fewer episodic and more non-episodic details on the memory task than young adults, however there was no age difference in detail profiles on the Thoughts task. Under these conditions of low retrieval constraint, narratives of young and older adults consisted of mostly personal and general semantic content. Young adults also provided less episodic and more semantic details on the Thoughts than the memory task, while older adults provided similar amounts of details across tasks. These results reveal that both young and older adults retrieve semantic autobiographical content under minimally constrained retrieval conditions. Moreover, aging may impact upon the ability to shift the detail types (episodic, semantic) provided in response to changing demands of different autobiographical narrative tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cherie Strikwerda-Brown
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,School of Psychology, the University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Kayla Williams
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Simona Brambati
- Department of Psychology, University de Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Signy Sheldon
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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48
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Memory, Future Thinking, and the Self. In Honour of Martial Van Der Linden. Psychol Belg 2021; 61:274-283. [PMID: 34611494 PMCID: PMC8447971 DOI: 10.5334/pb.1074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past 20 years, much progress has been made in understanding the relations between memory and future thinking, and their role in shaping our sense of self and identity. My own interest in these research questions owes much to Martial Van der Linden, with whom I had the chance to interact closely for several years. The purpose of this article is to pay tribute to him by reviewing the work we initiated together on autobiographical memory and future-oriented thinking. I first review our early work on the relationship between memory and future thinking and discuss their role in self-representation. Then, I provide an overview of the underlying neural bases and describe the alterations of autobiographical thinking that characterize certain psychological disorders. Finally, I outline an integrative framework that I recently proposed to account for the cognitive structure of past and future autobiographical thinking.
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49
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Boyle A. The mnemonic functions of episodic memory. PHILOSOPHICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/09515089.2021.1980520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandria Boyle
- Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Center for Science and Thought, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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50
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van Genugten RD, Beaty RE, Madore KP, Schacter DL. Does Episodic Retrieval Contribute to Creative Writing? An Exploratory Study. CREATIVITY RESEARCH JOURNAL 2021; 34:145-158. [PMID: 35814526 PMCID: PMC9267970 DOI: 10.1080/10400419.2021.1976451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Previous research indicates that episodic retrieval contributes to divergent creative thinking. However, this research has relied on standard laboratory tests of divergent creative thinking, such as generating creative uses for objects; it is unknown whether episodic retrieval also contributes to domain-specific forms of creativity. Here we start to explore whether episodic retrieval contributes to content generation on one such domain-specific task: creative writing. In two experiments, we use an episodic specificity induction (ESI) that selectively impacts tasks that draw on episodic retrieval. If episodic retrieval contributes to content generation during creative writing, then ESI should selectively increase the number of episodic details that people subsequently generate on a creative writing task. In our first experiment, we found evidence that ESI increased the number of episodic details participants generated. We observed a similar, though non-significant, trend in the second experiment. These findings constitute a starting point for examining the contribution of episodic retrieval to creative writing, but additional studies will be needed to more definitively characterize the nature and extent of these contributions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roger E Beaty
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Kevin P Madore
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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