Neuropsychology measures -- autobiographical memory

[sardonic]

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Hi Everyone,
I'm a neuropsychology practicum student at a VA location and will be seeing a patient with a profoundly amnestic presentation for a 2nd round of testing. It's a fascinating case as his deficits seem localized to memory and he is average or above average in terms of language, attention, executive function, etc. His presentation is very similar to patient HM.

In any case, I am looking for measures of autobiographical memory and memory for public events. While I've found a great many research articles that reference measures, I haven't had luck finding any actual assessment tools. Does anyone have access to any of these, or similar tests? I've emailed some of the authors.

Autobiographical Memory Interview (Kopeland et al., 1989)
Famous Faces (as referenced in Reed & Squire, 1998)
Public Events (Squire, 1975)
Duke Personal Memory Questionnaire
Squire Subjective Memory Questionnaire
Personal and Impersonal Memory Test
Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire

Thanks!

 

[WisNeuro]

While very interesting from a theoretical perspective, these tests are not widely used and most likely have either no or poor norms. I'm just wondering what your referral question is and how this will help you to answer it.

 

[sardonic]

I understand that these are not widely used (which is why the VA doesn't have them) and that they don't have much in the way of norms. Qualitatively they have the potential to inform the case and to help with differentials.

It seems like people are often quick to criticism here. Clearly I didn't give you all of the information, so jumping to criticizing the use of these measures seems premature. I'm also supervised by expert neuropsychologists, and they are aware of the limitations here. I understand that you don't want to encourage something that sounds crazy, but honestly I'm not looking for test selection guidance (I don't actually have the final say here anyway), just for these tests or similar ones. Perhaps you know of similar tests that do have good norms?

 

[WisNeuro]

I wasn't attempting pure criticism, but rather advice. If the measures available tell you no more, or even less in some cases, than you will get based on interview and collateral report, should you administer it? I, for one, believe that our strength relies more on our knowledge base and ability to accurately rule out differentials, than just testing.

I thought I still answered the question anyway. To my knowledge, there are no good normed tests of autobiographical knowledge out there. You make a good one of those bad boys that actually predicts above and beyond self and/or collateral report and then you can sell it to a publishing company.

 

[WisNeuro]

Also, you're in the VA, make sure you do some SVT/PVT testing, that may explain your findings. Especially if you have imaging and there is no sign of MTL sclerosis/atrophy.

 

[neuronic]

I do not think Wisneuro was jumping to criticism, but rather doing what any other clinician would do, which is to try and gain more knowledge about the case to inform the testing protocol. There are not a lot of measures of autobiographical/public events because most clinicians can get a pretty good gauge relatively quickly and easily through interview questions (e.g., current president, last president, 9/11, ask them their name, birthday, address, etc.). For a more standardized measure of trivial fund of knowledge you could give the information subtest off of the WAIS.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Also, you're in the VA, make sure you do some SVT/PVT testing, that may explain your findings. Especially if you have imaging and there is no sign of MTL sclerosis/atrophy.

That was also my first reaction.

"Horses first, then Zebras."

*edit to add*

In regard to isolated memory problems....it is much less common for someone to just have memory problems, as memory functioning should impact performance in other domains. If the imaging is clean I'd have significant reservations about the impairment being purely neurologically-based.

I would want to tease out exactly what kind of memory impairments were presenting: working, immediate v. delayed, auditory v. visual, etc.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I do not think Wisneuro was jumping to criticism, but rather doing what any other clinician would do, which is to try and gain more knowledge about the case to inform the testing protocol. There are not a lot of measures of autobiographical/public events because most clinicians can get a pretty good gauge relatively quickly and easily through interview questions (e.g., current president, last president, 9/11, ask them their name, birthday, address, etc.). For a more standardized measure of trivial fund of knowledge you could give the information subtest off of the WAIS.

Agree with this and what WisNeuro mentioned, particularly regarding the utility of the assessments in light of the referral question and, ultimately, treatment recommendations. If numbers are needed for some of the above, then you could see if the initial Orientation portion of the WMS-IV might be useful. Beyond that, though, I don't know that I have any recommendations (other than, of course, a solid interview including questions on current events and autobiographical information that can later be verified with collateral report).

 

[sardonic]

WisNeuro, I see how your post was less about criticism and more about gathering more information, which I thank you for.

Thank you to everyone else as well. This has been helpful as I think about this case, and I will be sure to bring these issues up with my supervisor!

 

[PsyDr]

SVTs/PVTs, imaging, coin in hand, and a ADLs test like Texas Functional Living.

Henry Molainer also had a full time caregiver and did not forget his life. He remembered his brother. Mrs. Molainer and the neighbor transported HM to work every day.

 

[sardonic]

SVTs/PVTs, imaging, coin in hand, and a ADLs test like Texas Functional Living.

Henry Molainer also had a full time caregiver and did not forget his life. He remembered his brother. Mrs. Molainer and the neighbor transported HM to work every day.

Thanks! We're working on getting imaging, and will likely do coin switch. Will probably use the ILS for ADLs/safety. This patient also does not fully forget his life. He remembers the family members he lives with.

 

[IT514]

HMs retrograde amnesia went back two years I believe. And yes, SVT/PVT the crap out of this one. Advanced clinical solutions for WAIS-IV/WMS-IV, if I'm not mistaken, has some norms for temporal lobectomy patients.

 

[neuronic]

In regard to isolated memory problems....it is much less common for someone to just have memory problems, as memory functioning should impact performance in other domains. If the imaging is clean I'd have significant reservations about the impairment being purely neurologically-based.

It is quite rare, but plausible if given the right neurological insult (hippocampal/PHG/anterior/dorsalmedial thalami). Presence of confabulation would aid in localizing. As for memory functioning usually affecting other domains, I am not sure if you meant to say that other domains affect memory. For example, attentional difficulties affecting learning, and executive difficulties affecting organization and retrieval of information.

 

[serotonin]

hey sardonic, this question doesn't happen to be based on a case conference in Boston yesterday, is it? (/shifty eyes)

 

[sardonic]

hey sardonic, this question doesn't happen to be based on a case conference in Boston yesterday, is it? (/shifty eyes)

Nope! Different guy!