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Implicit Memory Performance of Patients With Alzheimer's Disease: A Brief Review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 January 2005

Marko Jelicic
Affiliation:
Rotman Research Institute of Baycrest Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Annette E. Bonebakker
Affiliation:
Department of Clincal Neurology and Psychology, Psychiatric Center, Rosenburg, The Hague, The Netherlands
Benno Bonke
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Abstract

Memory can be assessed with either explicit or implicit tasks. Implicit memory tasks, in contrast with explicit tasks, do not refer to conscious recollection of a previous learning experience. Implicit memory is revealed by a change in task performance that can be attributed to previous learning. Amnesic patients perform poorly on explicit memory tasks, but exhibit normal performance on implicit tasks. Recently, researchers have studied the implicit memory performance of patients with Alzheimer's disease. This article aims to give an overview of the performance of Alzheimer patients on four tasks of implicit memory. Compared with normal elderly controls, patients with Alzheimer's disease seem to demonstrate impaired performance on conceptual, but not on perceptual, implicit memory tasks. This dissociation could yield important information about the neurologic systems subserving implicit memory processes. Some suggestions for future research into the implicit memory of Alzheimer patients are given.

Type
Research and Reviews
Copyright
© 1995 Springer Publishing Company

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