The differential effect of normal and pathological aging on egocentric and allocentric spatial memory in navigational an
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
The differential effect of normal and pathological aging on egocentric and allocentric spatial memory in navigational and reaching space Alessandro O. Caffò 1 & Antonella Lopez 1 & Giuseppina Spano 1 Pietro Cipresso 4,5 & Giuseppe Riva 4,5 & Andrea Bosco 1
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Fabrizio Stasolla 2
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Silvia Serino 3
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Received: 25 January 2019 / Accepted: 18 January 2020 # Fondazione Società Italiana di Neurologia 2020
Abstract Background Topographical disorientation (TD) refers to a particular condition which determines the loss of spatial orientation, both in new and familiar environments. TD and spatial memory impairments occur relatively early as effect of cognitive decline in aging, even in prodromal stages of dementia, namely mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Aims (a) To show that components linked to the recall of familiar spatial knowledge are relatively spared with respect to the learning of unfamiliar ones in normal aging, while they are not in MCI, and (b) to investigate gender differences for their impact on egocentric and allocentric frames of reference. Method Forty young participants (YC), 40 healthy elderly participants (HE), 40 elderly participants with subjective memory complaints (SMC), and 40 elderly with probable MCI were administered with egocentric and allocentric familiar tasks, based on the map of their hometown, and with egocentric and allocentric unfamiliar tasks, based on new material to be learned. A series of general linear models were used to analyze data. Results No group differences were found on egocentric task based on familiar information. MCI performed worse than the other groups on allocentric tasks based on familiar information (YC = HE = SMC > MCI). Significant differences emerged between groups on egocentric and allocentric tasks based on unfamiliar spatial information (YC > HE = SMC > MCI). A gender difference was found, favoring men on allocentric unfamiliar task. Conclusion Familiarity of spatial memory traces can represent a protective factor for retrospective components of TD in normal aging. Conversely, using newly learned information for assessment may lead to overestimating TD severity. Keywords Topographical disorientation . Egocentric spatial frame of reference . Allocentric spatial frame of reference . Aging . Mild cognitive impairment . Familiarity
* Alessandro O. Caffò [email protected] 1
Department of Educational Sciences, Psychology, Communication, University of Studies of Bari, Via Crisanzio, 42, 70122 Bari, BA, Italy
2
University “Giustino Fortunato”, Viale Raffaele Delcogliano, 12, 82100 Benevento, BN, Italy
3
MySpace Lab, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University Hospital Lausanne (CHUV), Bâtiment Champ de l’Air, Rue du Bugnon, 21, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
4
Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, I.R.C.C.S, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Via Pellizza da Volpedo, 41, 20149 Milan, MI, Italy
5
Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20100 Milan, MI, Italy
Introduction Topographical
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