Dataset Information

The Effect of Blindness on Long-Term Episodic Memory for Odors and Sounds.

ABSTRACT: We recently showed that compared with sighted, early blind individuals have better episodic memory for environmental sounds, but not odors, after a short retention interval (? 8 - 9 min). Few studies have investigated potential effects of blindness on memory across long time frames, such as months or years. Consequently, it was unclear whether compensatory effects may vary as a function of retention interval. In this study, we followed-up participants (N = 57 out of 60) approximately 1 year after the initial testing and retested episodic recognition for environmental sounds and odors, and identification ability. In contrast to our previous findings, the early blind participants (n = 14) performed at a similar level as the late blind (n = 13) and sighted (n = 30) participants for sound recognition. Moreover, the groups had similar recognition performance of odors and identification ability of odors and sounds. These findings suggest that episodic odor memory is unaffected by blindness after both short and long retention intervals. However, the effect of blindness on episodic memory for sounds may vary as a function of retention interval, such that early blind individuals have an advantage over sighted across short but not long time frames. We speculate that the finding of a differential effect of blindness on auditory episodic memory across retention intervals may be related to different memory strategies at initial and follow-up assessments. In conclusion, this study suggests that blindness does not influence auditory or olfactory episodic memory as assessed after a long retention interval.

SUBMITTER: Cornell Karnekull S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6020764 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

The Effect of Blindness on Long-Term Episodic Memory for Odors and Sounds.

Cornell Kärnekull Stina S Arshamian Artin A Nilsson Mats E ME Larsson Maria M

Frontiers in psychology 20180620

We recently showed that compared with sighted, early blind individuals have better episodic memory for environmental sounds, but not odors, after a short retention interval (∼ 8 - 9 min). Few studies have investigated potential effects of blindness on memory across long time frames, such as months or years. Consequently, it was unclear whether compensatory effects may vary as a function of retention interval. In this study, we followed-up participants (<i>N</i> = 57 out of 60) approximately 1 ye ...[more]

PMID: 29973898

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundEpisodic memory decline varies by age and underlying neuropathology. Whether ambient air pollution contributes to the heterogeneity of episodic memory decline in older populations remains unclear.ObjectivesWe estimated associations between air pollution exposures and episodic memory decline according to pollutant, exposure time window, age, and latent class subgroups defined by episodic memory trajectories.MethodsParticipants were from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study-Epidemiology of Cognitive Health Outcomes. Older women (n=2,056; 74-92 years of age) completed annual (2008-2018) episodic memory assessments using the telephone-based California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT). We estimated 3-y average fine particulate matter [PM with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5μm (PM2.5)] and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposures at baseline and 10 y earlier (recent and remote exposures, respectively), using regionalized national universal kriging. Separate latent class mixed models were used to estimate associations between interquartile range increases in exposures and CVLT trajectories in women ≤80 and >80 years of age, adjusting for covariates.ResultsTwo latent classes were identified for women ≤80 years of age (n=828), "slow-decliners" {slope=-0.12/y [95% confidence interval (CI): -0.23, -0.01] and "fast-decliners" [slope=-1.79/y (95% CI: -2.08, -1.50)]}. In the slow-decliner class, but not the fast-decliner class, PM2.5 exposures were associated with a greater decline in CVLT scores over time, with a stronger association for recent vs. remote exposures [-0.16/y (95% CI: -2.08, -0.03) per 2.88 μg/m3 and -0.11/y (95% CI: -0.22, 0.01) per 3.27 μg/m3, respectively]. Among women ≥80 years of age (n=1,128), the largest latent class comprised "steady-decliners" [slope=-1.35/y (95% CI: -1.53, -1.17)], whereas the second class, "cognitively resilient", had no decline in CVLT on average. PM2.5 was not associated with episodic memory decline in either class. A 6.25-ppb increase in recent NO2 was associated with nonsignificant acceleration of episodic memory decline in the ≤80-y-old fast-decliner class [-0.21/y (95% CI: -0.45, 0.04)], and in the >80-y-old cognitively resilient class [-0.10/y (95% CI: -0.24, 0.03)] and steady-decliner class [-0.11/y (95% CI: -0.27, 0.05)]. Associations with recent NO2 exposure in women >80 years of age were stronger and statistically significant when 267 women with incident probable dementia were excluded [e.g., -0.12/y (95% CI: -0.22, -0.02) for the cognitively resilient class]. In contrast with changes in CVLT over time, there were no associations between exposures and CVLT scores during follow-up in any subgroup.DiscussionIn a community-dwelling U.S. population of older women, associations between late-life exposure to ambient air pollution and episodic memory decline varied by age-related cognitive trajectories, exposure time windows, and pollutants. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7668.

Dataset Information

The Effect of Blindness on Long-Term Episodic Memory for Odors and Sounds.

Publications

The Effect of Blindness on Long-Term Episodic Memory for Odors and Sounds.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets