Improved neuropsychological test scores in Alzheimer 'S disease patients after ecologically sensitive,cognitive interventions: A pilot study

Abstract

The purpose of this pilot study was to:

• Integrate various cognitive interventions into one program for Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients;

• Identify effective interventions; and

• Measure cognitive changes over the course of instruction.

Five AD patients completed thefive week program. Techniques reflected recent cognitive intervention advances including:

• Imagery mnemonics,

• Home attention exercises,

• Relaxation exercises, and

• Weekly clinic instruction.

While the participants' ability to master specific techniques varied with dementia severity, all patients showed improvements in certain neurop-sychological tests at week six.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

1. Nebes D , Martin DC , Horn LC : Sparing of semantic memory in Alzheimer's disease. J Abnorm Psychol, 1984;93:321-330. And Nebes RD, Boller F, Holland LA: Use of semantic context by patients with Alzheimer's disease. Psychol and Aging, 1986;1:261-269

2. Grober E , Buschke H , Kawas C , Fuld P : Impaired ranking of seantic attributes in dementia. Brain and Language, 1985;26:276-286

3. Tulving E : Precis of elements of episodic memory. The Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 1984;7:223-268

4. Grober E : Encoding of item-specific information in Alzheimer's disease. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Int Neuropsychol Soc, Denver, CO, February, 1986

5. Eslinger PJ , Damasio AR : AD spares motor learning. Soc Neurosci, 1985;Abstracts;11:459-459

6. Morris RG , Kopelman D : The memory deficits in Alzheimer-type dementia: A review. Quarterly J Experimental Psychol, 1986;35A:575-602

7. Schacter DL , Rich LSA , Stampp M : Remediation of memory disorders: Experimental evaluation of the spaced-retrieval technique. J Clin and Experimental Neuropsychol, 1985;7(1):79-96

8. Hill RD , Evankovich KD , Sheikh JI , Yesavage JA : Imagery mnemonic training in a patient with primary degenerative dementia. Psychol and Aging, 1987;2(2):204-205

9. Zarit SH , Zarit JM , Reever KE : Memory training for severe memory loss: Affects on senile dementia patients and their families. The Gerontologist, 1982;22(4)

10.

10. Glisky EL , Schacter DL : Remediation of organic memory disorders: Current status and future prospects. J of Head Trauma Rehab, 1986;1:54-63

11.

11. Parasuraman R , Davies DR : Varieties of attention. New York, Academic Press, 1984

12.

12. McEvoy CL , Patterson RL : Behavioral treatment of deficit skills in dementia patients. The Gerontologist, 1986;26(5):475-478

13.

13. Camp CI : Facilitation of new learning in Alzheimer's disease. In Gilmore GC , Whitehouse PJ , Wykle ML (eds.): Memory, aging and dementia: Theory assessment and treatment. New York, Springer, 1989

14.

14. Darley CF , Murdock BB : Effects of prior free-recall testing on final recall and recognition. J of Experimental Psychology, 1971;91: 66-73

15.

15. Modigliani V : Effects on a later recall by delaying initial recall. J of Experimental Psychology: Human learning and memory, 1976;2:609-622

16.

16. Landauer TK , Bjork RA : Optimum rehears-al patterns and name learning. In Gruneberg KM , Morris PE , Sykes RN (eds.): Practical aspects of memory. New York, Academic Press, 1978:625-632

17.

17. Rabinowitz JC , Craik IM : Prior retrieval effects in young and old adults. J Gerontol, 1986;41(3):368-375

18.

18. Bjork RA : Retrieval practice. Presented to conference on development and experimental approaches to memory, Ann Arbor, 1979

19.

19. Mateer CA , Sohlberg MM : Aparadigm shift in memory rehabilitation. In Whitaker HA: Neuropsychological studies of nonfocal brain damage. New York, Springer, 1988

20.

20. Sohlberg MM , Mateer CA , Crineon I : Per-ceptions of memory function in individuals with closed head injury. J Head Trauma Rehab, 1986;2:74-84

21.

21. Camp CJ , McKitrickLA : Memory interventions in old age. The Southwestern, 1989;5:62-73

22.

22. Yesavage JA : Imagery pretraining and memory training in the elderly. Gerontology, 1983;29:271-275

23.

23. Folstein M , Folstein S , McHugh P : Mini Mental State. J of Psychiat Research, 1975; 12:189-198

24.

24. Wechsler D : The Wechsler Adult Intel-xligence Scale - Revised. New York, The Psychological corporation, 1981

25.

25. Mahurin RK , Feher EP , Cook N , Pirozzolo FJ : The serial order reversal test as a measure of attentional abilities in dementia. Clin Neurop-sychol, 1990;4:275-275

26.

26. Yesavage JA : The use of self-rating depression scales in the elderly. In Poon LW (ed.): Handbook for clinical memory assessment of older adults. Washington, DC, Amer Psycholog Assoc, 1986:213-217

27.

27. Quayhagen MP , Quayhagen M : Differential effects of family-bases strategies on Alzheimer's disease. The Gerontologist, 1989; 29(2): 150-155

28.

28. Feher EP , Mahurin RK , Inbody SB , Crook TH , Pirozzolo FJ : Anosognosia in Alzheimer's disease. Neuropsychiatry, Neuropsychology and Behavioral Neurology, 1990;3(3):89-119

29.

29. Anschutz L , Camp CJ , Markley RP , Kramer JJ : Remembering mnemonics: A three-year fol-low up of the effects of mnemonics training in elderly adults. Experimental Aging Research, 1987;13:141-144