Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths University of London.
Cognitive Neuroscience Section of the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University.
Neuropsychology. 2020 Sep;34(6):675-685. doi: 10.1037/neu0000643. Epub 2020 May 18.
Anosognosia, or unawareness, for memory loss has been proposed to underlie cognitive functions such as memory and executive function. However, there is an inconsistent association between these constructs. Recent studies have shown that compromise ongoing self-monitoring of one's memory associates with anosognosia for memory loss. Yet to date it is unclear which memory monitoring mechanisms are impaired in these patients. In this study, we examined the extent to which or (e.g., ability to monitor the temporal relevance of a memory) and (e.g., the ability to distinguish which memories stem from internal as opposed to external sources) are associated with awareness of memory deficits.
A total of 35 patients ( = 69 years; = 14 years of education) with memory difficulties following a stroke were recruited from outpatient clinics. Patients were assessed with measures of self-awareness of memory difficulties, cognitive abilities and 2 experimental paradigms assessing source and temporal monitoring.
Results showed that patients unaware of their memory difficulties were more likely to externalize the source of their memories. Specifically, those unaware of their deficits were more likely to assign an external source to memories that were internally produced (e.g., imagined). No differences were observed in relation to temporal monitoring between patients aware and unaware of their deficits. This study informs current theoretical models of self-awareness of memory loss. Future studies should attempt to replicate these findings and explore different memory monitoring mechanisms in relation to anosognosia for memory loss. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
失认症，或对记忆丧失的无意识，被认为是记忆和执行功能等认知功能的基础。然而，这些结构之间的关联并不一致。最近的研究表明，持续自我监测记忆的能力受损与对记忆丧失的失认症有关。然而，迄今为止，尚不清楚这些患者的哪些记忆监测机制受损。在这项研究中，我们研究了记忆监测的 （例如，监测记忆的时间相关性的能力）和 （例如，区分哪些记忆源自内部而不是外部来源的能力）与记忆缺陷意识之间的关联程度。
共招募了 35 名（平均年龄 69 岁；平均受教育年限 14 年）因中风后记忆困难的患者，这些患者来自门诊诊所。使用自我感知记忆困难、认知能力和 2 个评估来源和时间监测的实验范式来评估患者。
结果表明，对记忆困难没有自我意识的患者更有可能将记忆的来源外化。具体来说，那些对自己的缺陷没有意识的人更有可能将内部产生的记忆（例如想象的记忆）归因于外部来源。在与自我感知缺陷相关的时间监测方面，患者之间没有差异。这项研究为当前关于记忆丧失自我意识的理论模型提供了信息。未来的研究应该尝试复制这些发现，并探讨与记忆丧失失认症相关的不同记忆监测机制。
