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Is memory rehabilitation possible in older densely amnesic adults? A detailed case study of a post-encephalitic patient using errorless learning and a personal digital computer
Authors:
Jansari, A.S., Gardner, C. & WILSON, B.A.
Reference:
Brain Impairment, 7(2), 157
Year of publication:
2006
CBU number:
6378
Abstract:
Neuropsychological research has shown that both procedural (Corkin, 1968) and implicit memory remain intact in patients with amnesia (e.g., Schacter, 1987; Graf et al., 1984). Research has capitalised on this to develop rehabilitation paradigms for patients using a range of methods and devices such as NeuroPage (NP; e.g., Wilson et al. 2001). In a single case study, Wilson et al. (1997) suggested that a younger age at the time of amnesic insult was one strong predictor of successful rehabilitation. We report the case of a 62-year-old densely amnesic postencephalitic patient, NP using an errorless learning method (Baddeley & Wilson, 1994) in conjunction with an electronic personal digital computer (PalmTop) to remember to perform a series of activities of daily living. Despite NP's age, the regime proved to be very successful with significant gains following training. The bearings that this finding has on rehabilitation attempts with other groups of patients are discussed.
