Encoding specificity and intrusion in Alzheimer's disease and amnesia.

This study was designed to examine how the pattern of memory deficits and the interaction between episodic and semantic encoding/retrieval conditions influenced intrusions in a population of Alzheimer and amnesic patients. We used as a model for an encoding/retrieval experiment a 2 x 2 experimental design in which two encoding conditions are crossed with two retrieval conditions. It was found that encoding specificity affected intrusions only if patients, regardless of their clinical diagnosis, were grouped according to the type of memory impairment.