Neural correlates of episodic memory in the Memento cohort

TL;DR

This study identifies specific brain regions associated with encoding, storage, and retrieval of episodic memory in a large cohort, providing insights into neural mechanisms in patients at risk for Alzheimer's disease.

Contribution

It offers a large-scale analysis of neural correlates of episodic memory processes in a sizable patient cohort, linking cognitive functions to neuroimaging markers.

Findings

Encoding linked to parietal and temporal cortices

Storage associated with entorhinal and parahippocampal regions

Retrieval involves widespread frontal regions

Abstract

IntroductionThe free and cued selective reminding test is used to identify memory deficits in mild cognitive impairment and demented patients. It allows assessing three processes: encoding, storage, and recollection of verbal episodic memory.MethodsWe investigated the neural correlates of these three memory processes in a large cohort study. The Memento cohort enrolled 2323 outpatients presenting either with subjective cognitive decline or mild cognitive impairment who underwent cognitive, structural MRI and, for a subset, fluorodeoxyglucose--positron emission tomography evaluations.ResultsEncoding was associated with a network including parietal and temporal cortices; storage was mainly associated with entorhinal and parahippocampal regions, bilaterally; retrieval was associated with a widespread network encompassing frontal regions.DiscussionThe neural correlates of episodic memory processes can be assessed in large and standardized cohorts of patients at risk for Alzheimer's disease. Their relation to pathophysiological markers of Alzheimer's disease remains to be studied.