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Time Perception in Mild Cognitive Impairment: Interval Length and Subjective Passage of Time

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 July 2016

Sara Coelho ,
Manuela Guerreiro ,
Catarina Chester ,
Dina Silva ,
João Maroco ,
Miguel Coelho ,
Fabio Paglieri  and
Alexandre de Mendonça
Sara Coelho*
Affiliation:
Institute of Molecular Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
Manuela Guerreiro
Affiliation:
Institute of Molecular Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
Catarina Chester
Affiliation:
Institute of Molecular Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
Dina Silva
Affiliation:
Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences and Centre for Biomedical Research (CBMR), University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
João Maroco
Affiliation:
William James Center for Research, ISPA-IU, Lisboa, Portugal
Miguel Coelho
Affiliation:
Institute of Molecular Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
Fabio Paglieri
Affiliation:
Institute for Cognitive Sciences and Technologies of the CNR, Rome, Italy
Alexandre de Mendonça
Affiliation:
Institute of Molecular Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Sara Coelho, Laboratory of Neuroscience, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Av Prof Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal. E-mail: arascoelho@gmail.com
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Abstract

Objectives

Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may have difficulties in time perception, which in turn might contribute to some of their symptoms, especially memory deficits. The aim of this study was to evaluate perception of interval length and subjective passage of time in MCI patients as compared to healthy controls.

Methods

Fifty-five MCI patients and 57 healthy controls underwent an experimental protocol for time perception on interval length, a questionnaire for the subjective passage of time and a neuropsychological evaluation.

Results

MCI patients presented no changes in the perception of interval length. However, for MCI patients, time seemed to pass more slowly than it did for controls. This experience was significantly correlated with memory deficits but not with performance in executive tests, nor with complaints of depression or anxiety.

Conclusions

Memory deficits do not affect the perception of interval length, but are associated with alterations in the subjective passage of time. (JINS, 2016, 22, 755–764)

Keywords

Cognitive declineTime experiencesTime intervalPerceived speed of time judgmentsMemoryAging
Type
Research Articles
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 22 , Issue 7 , August 2016 , pp. 755 - 764
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2016 

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