Memory assessment represents an important part of the clinical neuropsychologist's duties in a geriatric context. In fact, in Canada, about one-third of seniors report memory complaints, with different causes. Based on the underlying etiology, different components of memory may be affected in older adults. Nonautobiographical retrograde memory (public or semantic) is an important aspect of memory to assess; nevertheless, there is currently no reliable and standardized clinical tool to evaluate this aspect of memory in the elderly Quebecer population. The aims of this research were therefore: (1) to develop a protocol specifically aimed at assessing non-autobiographical retrograde memory in this population, the PUB-40; (2) to obtain reference data among 105 healthy subjects; and (3) to develop a short version based on the items which discriminated a group of 20 patients with amnestic Mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) from older healthy subjects.
Keywords: aging; amnestic mild cognitive impairment; mémoire rétrograde non autobiographique; mémoire sémantique; neuropsychological assessment; nonautobiographical memory; public mediated events; semantic memory; trouble cognitif léger de type amnésique; vieillissement; évaluation neuropsychologique; événements publics médiatisés.