Faculty Articles
Cognitive Rehabilitation of Mildly Impaired Alzheimer's Disease Patients On Cholinesterase Inhibitors
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
ISSN
1064-7481
Publication Date
Summer 2004
Abstract
The authors evaluated the efficacy of a new cognitive rehabilitation program on memory and functional performance of mildly impaired Alzheimer disease (AD) patients receiving a cholinesterase inhibitor. Twenty-five participants in the Cognitive Rehabilitation (CR) condition participated in two 45-minute sessions twice per week for 24 total sessions. CR training included face-name association tasks, object recall training, functional tasks (e.g., making change, paying bills), orientation to time and place, visuo-motor speed of processing, and the use of a memory notebook. Nineteen participants in the Mental Stimulation (MS) condition had equivalent therapist contact and number of sessions, which consisted of interactive computer games involving memory, concentration, and problem-solving skills. Compared with the MS condition, participants in CR demonstrated improved performance on tasks that were similar to those used in training. Gains in recall of face-name associations, orientation, cognitive processing speed, and specific functional tasks were present post-intervention and at a 3-month follow-up. A systematic program of cognitive rehabilitation can result in maintained improvement in performance on specific cognitive and functional tasks in mildly impaired AD patients.
DOI
10.1097/00019442-200407000-00007
Volume
12
Issue
4
First Page
395
Last Page
402
NSUWorks Citation
Loewenstein, D. A.,
Acevedo, A.,
Czaja, S. J.,
Duara, R.
(2004). Cognitive Rehabilitation of Mildly Impaired Alzheimer's Disease Patients On Cholinesterase Inhibitors. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 12(4), 395-402.
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cps_facarticles/562
