Stimmung und Gedachtnis bei Personen mit altersassoziierten Gedachtnisstorungen

The influence of positive mood on psychic functions has not been examined yet for people with age-associated memory impairment (AAMI) and in those with only subjective memory complaints (SMC). Likewise it has not been shown if these groups differ to a control group of healthy seniors (CG) in emotionality. To answer these questions female subjects who were divided into one group with AAMI (n = 24) and another with SMC (n = 24) were compared with healthy seniors (n = 24) with regard to emotionality, experimentally induced positive mood and the effect of positive mood on memory. AAMI and SMC do not differ from CG with respect to trait aspects of emotionality. They differ from the CG in the description of their performance. In the test condition subjects with AAMI report a worse performance state than CG. Their memory is only partially different. SMC describe a worse memory state and more depressive symptoms than CG. The experimental mood condition was successful regarding the self-reported mood state. Physiological variables and memory were not influenced by positive mood. The results might indicate that people with AAMI show characteristics in aspect of information-processing whereas seniors with only subjective memory complaints seem to be a risk group for depressive symptoms.