Content and Temporal Order Memory for Performed Activities in Parkinson's Disease.

Objective: This study examined content and temporal order memory for subject-performed activities in an incidental learning condition in cognitively healthy individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) (N = 20) and controls (N = 20).

Method: Participant's free recall of activities provided a measure of content memory. Temporal order memory was assessed with a reconstruction task of activities. Self- and informant-reports of everyday memory were used to examine the relationship between everyday memory, and content and temporal order memory.

Results: Individuals with PD recalled fewer activities although recognition memory was intact. Temporal order memory was also impaired for individuals with PD. For the PD group, both self- and informant-reports of changes in current memory abilities were strongly associated with temporal order memory but not content memory for activities.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that there is a strong link between everyday memory abilities and temporal order memory for activities, and support the need for additional study of temporal order memory abilities in PD.