Hostname: page-component-74656f9884-j7cmm Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-05T20:58:47.074Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Episodic Memory Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease: Disentangling the Role of Encoding and Retrieval

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 September 2020

Antònia Siquier*
Affiliation:
Neuropsychology and Cognition Research Group, Department of Psychology, University of the Balearic Islands, Balearic Islands, Spain Research Institute on Health Sciences (IUNICS), University of the Balearic Islands, Balearic Islands, Spain Balearic Islands Health Research Institute (IdISBa), Balearic Islands, Spain
Pilar Andrés
Affiliation:
Neuropsychology and Cognition Research Group, Department of Psychology, University of the Balearic Islands, Balearic Islands, Spain Research Institute on Health Sciences (IUNICS), University of the Balearic Islands, Balearic Islands, Spain Balearic Islands Health Research Institute (IdISBa), Balearic Islands, Spain
*
*Correspondence and reprint requests to: Antònia Siquier, Department of Psychology, University of the Balearic Islands, Cra Valldemossa, Km 7.5, Palma 01722, Spain. E-mail: a.siquier@uib.es
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

The source of episodic memory (EM) impairment in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is still unclear. In the present study, we sought to quantify specifically encoding, consolidation, and retrieval process deficits in a list-learning paradigm by a novel method, the item-specific deficit approach (ISDA).

Methods:

We applied the ISDA method to the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) in a sample of 15 PD patients and 15 healthy participants.

Results:

The results revealed differences in free recall performance between PD patients and controls. These patients, however, benefited from cues as much as controls did, and total recall did not differ between groups. When analyzing the ISDA indices for encoding, consolidation, and retrieval deficits, the results showed a general memory deficit, but with a clear focus on encoding and retrieval, as revealed by the sensitivity values. Moreover, controlling for initial learning did not eliminate group effects in retrieval.

Conclusions:

Our findings reveal a mixed pattern in PD patients, with deficits in both encoding and retrieval processes in memory. Also, despite the fact that an encoding dysfunction may explain some of the deficits observed at retrieval, it cannot fully account for the differences, highlighting that both encoding and retrieval factors are necessary to understand memory deficits in PD.

Information

Type
Regular Research
Copyright
Copyright © INS. Published by Cambridge University Press, 2020
Figure 0

Fig. 1. Example of four stimuli sheet.

Figure 1

Table 1. Demographic data and general cognitive performance (mean of raw scores and SDs) from PD patients and controls

Figure 2

Table 2. Means and standard deviations (in brackets) for recall performance (raw scores and percentages) on the FCSRT. p-values resulting from ANCOVA controlling for depression and FAS are provided. Maximum total immediate recall = 48. Maximum total delayed recall = 16

Figure 3

Fig. 2. Delayed free and cued percent recall performance. Error bars represent standard errors.

Figure 4

Fig. 3. ISDA indices (encoding, consolidation, and retrieval) for patients with Parkinson’s and controls. Higher deficit scores indicate poorer performance. Error bars represent standard errors.

Figure 5

Table 3. AUCs, sensitivity, and specificity for traditional scores and the three FCSRT ISDA indices (encoding, consolidation, and retrieval) with 95% confidence intervals (in brackets). Cut-off scores (Youden index) are also included