The imagination inflation effect in healthy older adults and patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease.

Abstract

Objective The imagination inflation effect is a type of memory distortion defined as an increased tendency to falsely remember that an item has been seen, or an action has been performed, when it has only been imagined. For patients with very mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD), susceptibility to the imagination inflation effect could have significant functional consequences in daily life. Method We assessed whether patients with very mild AD were more or less susceptible to the imagination inflation effect when compared to healthy older adults. In the first session, participants were read an action statement such as “fill the pillbox” and engaged in one of three activities: listened to the statement being read, performed the action, or imagined performing the action. During the second session, participants imagined action statements from the first session as well as new action statements. During the recognition test, participants were asked to determine whether action statements were or were not performed during the first session. Results We found that imagining performing actions increased the tendency of patients with very mild AD to falsely recall the action as having been performed to an extent similar to that of healthy older adults. Conclusion We concluded that, similar to healthy older adults, patients with very mild AD were susceptible to the imagination inflation effect, which we attributed to difficulties with source monitoring and reliance on familiarity.

Response bias and response monitoring: Evidence from healthy older adults and patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease

“…These studies, in general, have demonstrated that patients with AD have a higher rate of false memory, especially when gist-information is strengthened (e.g., Balota et al, 1999; Budson, Daffner, Desikan, & Schacter, 2000; Budson, Desikan, Daffner, & Schacter, 2001; Budson, Sullivan, Daffner, & Schacter, 2003; O'Connor et al, 2015; Gallo et al, 2006). Memory test lists used in these studies are often composed of an unequal number of items, usually split into a third of old items, a third of unstudied critical lure items, and a third of unrelated new items.…”

The use of metacognitive strategies to decrease false memories in source monitoring in patients with mild cognitive impairment

“…Patients with MCI and mild AD dementia show impairments in recognizing and recalling information compared to healthy older adults (Budson et al, 2004; Budson, Wolk, Chong, & Waring, 2006; Budson et al, 2007; Dalla Barba, Nedjam, & Dubois, 1999; Embree, Budson, & Ally, 2012). Additionally, these patients show increased rates of false memories (Balota et al, 1999; Budson, Daffner, Desikan, & Schacter, 2000; Gallo et al, 2006; Hildebrandt, Haldenwanger, & Eling, 2009; O’Connor et al, 2015), which can create stressful and frustrating situations for patients and caregivers, as well as limiting a patient’s ability to live independently. False memories are often due to failures in monitoring the source of the information.…”

“…Patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia have been shown to exhibit higher rates of false recognition and recall relative to healthy age matched peers (Balota et al, 1999; Budson et al, 2000; Gallo et al, 2006; O’Connor et al, 2015). In false memory studies utilizing study lists of semantically related items (e.g., door, glass, pane, shade , etc.…”

The influence of strategic encoding on false memory in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease dementia

“…In contrast to this result, we have shown that elaborative processing can be detrimental to memory in these patients. In O’Connor et al (2015), participants were asked to perform, imagine, or listen to actions. Later, they re-imagined performing all actions 0, 1, or 3 times (regardless if they performed it, imagined it, or listened to it initially).…”

“…Healthy older adults have been shown to rely more on gist for their memory judgments (Gallo, Bell, Beier, & Schacter, 2006; Koutstaal & Schacter, 1997; Norman & Schacter, 1997). In comparison to healthy older individuals, patients with AD dementia exhibit more false memories and memory distortions (Balota et al, 1999; Budson, Daffner, Desikan, & Schacter, 2000; Budson, Sitarski, Daffner, & Schacter, 2002; Budson, Todman, Chong, et al, 2006; Budson, Todman, & Schacter, 2006; Budson et al, 2003; O’Connor et al, 2015). Patients with AD dementia have been shown to have higher rates of false memory to critical lures when matched on true memory performance (Balota et al, 1999).…”