title: Autobiographical memory for the differential diagnosis of cognitive pathology in aging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study distinguishes three memory stages across the lifespan, and aims to compare episodic and semantic autobiographical memory in healthy older adults, with amnesic mild cognitive impairment, and with Alzheimer's disease. This information can offer evidence about the way semantic and episodic autobiographical memory work, and how the disease affects them.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample was composed of 56 people, all aged over 60 years; 15 with amnestic mild cognitive impairment, 12 with Alzheimer's disease and 29 healthy older people. Participants were evaluated with the Autobiographical Memory Interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A mixed anova showed significant main effects of memory and time-period, and significant interactions of memory × group, time-period × group and memory × time × group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Assessment of autobiographical memory provides information to differentiate amnestic mild cognitive impairment patients from Alzheimer's disease patients. Although the decline in episodic memory starts with the onset of the disease, semantic memory is maintained until moderate stages of dementia. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16:1220-1225.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan C
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6353-6035
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Meléndez
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Redondo
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Department of Methodology for the Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mayordomo
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sales
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D061212:Memory, Episodic; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D012494:Sampling Studies
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; amnesic mild cognitive impairment; autobiographical memory; episodic and semantic memory; healthy elderly