The effects of modified spaced-retrieval training on learning and retention of face-name associations by individuals with dementia.

The purpose of this project was to assess the effects of spaced-retrieval training (SRT) on learning of new and previously known associations by individuals with dementia in two treatment conditions: one in which the recall intervals were filled with activities unrelated to the information being learned (unrelated condition) and one in which the intervals were filled with related activities (related condition). Thirty-two individuals with mild to moderate dementia (30 with a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease; two with vascular dementia) participated in the study. On average, participants learned the associations in fewer than four sessions and retained the information for variable amounts of time, up to 6 weeks. Previously known associations were learned significantly faster than new associations. The modified SRT format, in which the within-session recall intervals were filled with information related to the target association, did not result in faster learning or longer retention of learned associations. Participants learned previously known associations in the standard SRT format (with unrelated information in the recall intervals) significantly faster than new associations taught in the modified SRT condition. Cognitive impairment, as measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination, was significantly correlated with time to learn new associations, but did not explain a large proportion of the variance in new learning. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

A longitudinal study of neuropsychological change in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

OBJECTIVES: Neuropsychological changes in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) were studied longitudinally. METHODS: Sixty-nine idiopathic PD patients, with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores falling within normal range, and 37 elderly control participants were given neuropsychological tests twice approximately two years apart. RESULTS: The PD group performed poorer than the control group on Semantic Fluency, Letter Fluency, Modified Wisconsin Card Sorting Task, and Block Design at test time 1. Two years later, the PD group showed significant decline in Semantic and Letter Fluency. A subset of 12 PD patients declined in mental status by second testing (>4 MMSE points). Cox proportional-hazards models were used to see if any baseline measures were associated with relative risk of decline in mental status. In the final model, Repetition performance and Age were significantly associated with cognitive decline. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with previous studies, executive function tasks were those most susceptible to disease progression.

A longitudinal study of neuropsychological change in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Neuropsychological changes in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) were studied longitudinally. Sixty-nine idiopathic PD patients, with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores falling within normal range, and 37 elderly control participants were given neuropsychological tests twice approximately two years apart. The PD group performed poorer than the control group on Semantic Fluency, Letter Fluency, Modified Wisconsin Card Sorting Task, and Block Design at test time 1. Two years later, the PD group showed significant decline in Semantic and Letter Fluency. A subset of 12 PD patients declined in mental status by second testing (> or =4 MMSE points). Cox proportional-hazards models were used to see if any baseline measures were associated with relative risk of decline in mental status. In the final model, Repetition performance and Age were significantly associated with cognitive decline. Consistent with previous studies, executive function tasks were those most susceptible to disease progression.

Verbal perseveration in individuals with Alzheimer's disease.

Perseveration has been described as a reliable indicator of disturbed brain function and is a common characteristic of neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). This article will begin with a review of recent theories that account for the phenomenon of perseveration, and data from a National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)--supported study further delineate the nature of perseveration among individuals with AD. The study investigated the frequency of verbal perseveration in individuals with AD in relation to task type, mental status, and performance on attention and memory tests. Thirty Alzheimer's patients and 40 healthy elders were given a confrontation naming, generative naming, and picture description test. Perseveration was defined as a proportion of total number of responses. Data analysis revealed that individuals with AD perseverated more than normal elders did, but variability was high. Generative naming elicited more perseveration than either confrontation naming or picture description did. When overall frequency of perseveration was correlated with mental status and performance on attention and memory tests, seemingly paradoxical results were obtained, probably because the unique cognitive demands of each language test affected the probability of perseveration differently. Nonparadoxical, strong positive correlations were obtained, however, between language test scores and performance on tests of attention, memory and mental status.