TY - JOUR
T1 - The Days We Never Forget
T2 - Flashbulb Memories Across the Lifespan in Alzheimer’s Disease
AU - Rasmussen, Katrine W.
AU - Kirk, Marie
AU - Overgaard, Susanne B.
AU - Berntsen, Dorthe
PY - 2024/10
Y1 - 2024/10
N2 - Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by autobiographical memory deficits, with the ability to retrieve episodic-rich memories being particularly affected. Here, we investigated the influence of AD on a specific subtype of episodic memories known as flashbulb memories (i.e., the ability to remember the personal circumstances for the reception of important news events). We examined the frequency, characteristics, and the temporal distribution of flashbulb memories across the life span. To this aim, 28 older adults diagnosed with AD and a matched sample of 29 healthy older controls were probed for flashbulb memories for two historical events from each decade of their lives. They also estimated the subjective degree of reexperiencing for the memories reported. AD participants showed impaired access to flashbulb memories, the frequency of reported memories being lower than for healthy older adults. However, qualitative aspects of AD participants’ flashbulb memories were quite similar to those of the controls, as no group differences were obtained with respect to the canonical categories or degree of reexperience. AD participants’ flashbulb memories clustered during the early years of their life, consistent with a reminiscence bump, whereas healthy controls also reported memories dated to later lifetime periods. Our results suggest that probing for personal memories of important public events may serve as a powerful cue for detailed episodic memories in AD.
AB - Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by autobiographical memory deficits, with the ability to retrieve episodic-rich memories being particularly affected. Here, we investigated the influence of AD on a specific subtype of episodic memories known as flashbulb memories (i.e., the ability to remember the personal circumstances for the reception of important news events). We examined the frequency, characteristics, and the temporal distribution of flashbulb memories across the life span. To this aim, 28 older adults diagnosed with AD and a matched sample of 29 healthy older controls were probed for flashbulb memories for two historical events from each decade of their lives. They also estimated the subjective degree of reexperiencing for the memories reported. AD participants showed impaired access to flashbulb memories, the frequency of reported memories being lower than for healthy older adults. However, qualitative aspects of AD participants’ flashbulb memories were quite similar to those of the controls, as no group differences were obtained with respect to the canonical categories or degree of reexperience. AD participants’ flashbulb memories clustered during the early years of their life, consistent with a reminiscence bump, whereas healthy controls also reported memories dated to later lifetime periods. Our results suggest that probing for personal memories of important public events may serve as a powerful cue for detailed episodic memories in AD.
KW - Alzheimer’s disease
KW - Autobiographical memory
KW - Flashbulb memory
KW - Reminiscence bump
KW - Temporal distribution
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85190545238&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3758/s13421-024-01558-z
DO - 10.3758/s13421-024-01558-z
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 38627357
SN - 0090-502X
VL - 52
SP - 1477
EP - 1493
JO - Memory & Cognition
JF - Memory & Cognition
IS - 7
ER -