Effects of familiar music exposure on deliberate retrieval of remote episodic and semantic memories in healthy aging adults

Bibliographic Data

ID21602500
AuthorsPaul Alexander Bloom (0000-0003-3970-5721, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA, corresponding author), Ella Bartlett (Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, NY, USA), Nicholas Kathios (0000-0002-7550-767X, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA), Sameah Algharazi (0000-0002-9079-3328, City College of New York), Matthew Siegelman (0000-0002-4093-8437, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA), Fan Shen (0000-0002-8284-6629, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA), Lea Beresford (0000-0003-3109-003X, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA), Michaelle E DiMaggio-Potter (0000-0002-3959-4972, Columbia University), Anshita Singh (0000-0002-8962-4869, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India), Sarah Bennett (0000-0001-5006-4166, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA), Sarah Anne Bennett (0000-0002-1167-9958, Columbia University), Nandhini Natarajan (0009-0007-6803-0272, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA), Hannah Lee (0000-0001-5944-6654, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA), Sumra Sajid (Columbia University, New York, NY, USA), Erin Joyce (Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA), Rachel Fischman (Columbia University, New York, NY, USA), Samuel Hutchinson (Columbia University, New York, NY, USA), Sophie Pan (Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, NY, USA), Nim Tottenham (0000-0002-9574-4197, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA), Mariam Aly (0000-0003-4033-6134, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA)
Year2023
Volume31
Issue3
Pages428-456
Publication date2023-03-16
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMemory (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0965-8211 • E-ISSN: 1464-0686
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09658211.2023.2166078
PMID36651851
OpenAlexW4317214743
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited151

Familiar music facilitates memory retrieval in adults with dementia. However, mechanisms behind this effect, and its generality, are unclear because of a lack of parallel work in healthy aging. Exposure to familiar music enhances spontaneous recall of memories directly cued by the music, but it is unknown whether such effects extend to deliberate recall more generally – e.g., to memories not directly linked to the music being played. It is also unclear whether familiar music boosts recall of specific episodes versus more generalised semantic memories, or whether effects are driven by domain-general mechanisms (e.g., improved mood). In a registered report study, we examined effects of familiar music on deliberate recall in healthy adults ages 65–80 years (N = 75) by presenting familiar music from earlier in life, unfamiliar music, and non-musical audio clips across three sessions. After each clip, we assessed free recall of remote memories for pre-selected events. Contrary to our hypotheses, we found no effects of music exposure on recall of prompted events, though familiar music evoked spontaneous memories most often. These results suggest that effects of familiar music on recall may be limited to memories specifically evoked in response to the music (Preprint and registered report protocol at https://osf.io/kjnwd/)

Autobiographical memory · Cognition · Cognitive psychology · Episodic memory · Recall · Semantic memory · Identity, Memory, and Therapy · Memory Processes and Influences · Music Therapy and Health · Neuroscience · Psychology

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