Type of memory and emotional valence in healthy aging, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s disease

espanolAntecedentes: la memoria autobiografica (MA) presenta componentes relacionados con el tipo de recuerdo y una valencia emocional asociada a este. Los resultados al comparar adultos mayores sanos, deterioro cognitivo leve (DCL) y enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA) son contradictorios. Se evaluo la MA de estos grupos para analizar diferencias y ofrecer informacion que contribuya a la comprension de la MA y los defi cits emocionales asociados a los pacientes. Metodo: 31 AD, 32 MCI y 32 adultos mayores sanos fueron evaluados con el Test de Memoria Autobiografi ca. Tomando como variable dependiente el numero de memorias elicitadas en cada categoria se aplico un ANOVA de tres grupos × 3 tipos de valencia (positiva, negativa, neutra; intrasujeto), y otro ANOVA de 3 grupos × 3 tipos de recuerdo (especifi co, general, vago; intrasujeto). Resultados: las respuestas especificas se reducen con la progresion de la patologia y los sanos presentan mayor recuerdo positivo y los EA principalmente valencias neutras. Conclusiones: los problemas cognitivos asociados con el envejecimiento tienden a afectar el nivel mas alto de especificidad de la MA. Los sujetos sanos y DCL presentan recuerdos con valencia emocional, mientras que los EA tiene un deterioro significativo en los recuerdos y su asociacion a las emociones EnglishBackground: Autobiographical memory (AM) presents components related to the type of memory and may present an associated emotional valence. Comparing healthy older adults, adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and adults with Alzheimer´s disease (AD) gives contradictory results. We examined AM in these groups to analyze differences and provide information that would contribute to the understanding of AM and associated emotional defi cits in patients. Method: 31 AD, 32 MCI, and 32 healthy older adults were evaluated using the Autobiographical Memory Test. Taking the number of memories elicited in each category as a dependent variable, an ANOVA of three groups × 3 types of valence was applied (positive, negative, neutral, intrasubject), and another ANOVA of 3 groups × 3 types of memory (specifi c, general, vague, intrasubject). Results: Specifi c-type responses are reduced with the progression of the pathology and in addition healthy subjects have a positive valence while AD presents a mainly neutral valence. Conclusions: Cognitive problems associated with aging tend to affect the highest level of AM specifi city. Healthy subjects and MCI have memories with an emotional valence, whereas the AD group has a signifi cant deterioration in these memories