Different retrieval mechanisms of overgeneral autobiographical memory for positive and negative cues in remitted major depressive disorder

Background and objectives

Overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM) has been shown to occur in depressed and previously depressed populations regardless of the emotional valence of cues. However, recent research has pointed out that the retrieval process underlying OGM, generative retrieval (i.e., retrieval requiring effort or additional information) or direct retrieval (i.e., memory that comes to consciousness without effort or additional information), may differ depending on the emotional valence of cues. We examined the hypotheses that a remitted MDD (major depressive disorder), group compared with a control group, would show (a) more direct retrieval of categoric memories for negative cues, (b) more generative retrieval of categoric memories for positive cues, and (c) less direct retrieval of specific memories for positive cues.

Methods

A remitted clinical MDD group (n = 21) and control group (n = 21) completed the Autobiographical Memory Test with minimal instruction, and were required to subjectively judge generative retrieval and direct retrieval.

Results

As expected, results showed that the remitted MDD group reported more frequent direct retrieval of categoric memory for negative cues and more generative retrieval of categoric memory for positive cues than the control group.

Limitations

Our paradigm for distinguishing between generative and direct retrieval relied on subjective judgements.

Conclusions

This extends the findings from student sample in previous studies to a help-seeking population. Increased availability of negative categoric memories and the attenuation of positive specific recall represent vulnerabilities for MDD. We discuss how these findings provide further rationale for memory therapeutics for MDD and refinement of those techniques.