a Helmholtz Institute, Experimental Psychology , Utrecht University , Utrecht , The Netherlands.
Neuropsychol Rehabil. 2013;23(6):888-913. doi: 10.1080/09602011.2013.835738. Epub 2013 Sep 18.
Patients with Korsakoff's syndrome show devastating amnesia and executive deficits. Consequently, the ability to perform instrumental activities such as making coffee is frequently diminished. It is currently unknown whether patients with Korsakoff's syndrome are able to (re)learn instrumental activities. A good candidate for an effective teaching technique in Korsakoff's syndrome is errorless learning as it is based on intact implicit memory functioning. Therefore, the aim of the current study was two-fold: to investigate whether patients with Korsakoff's syndrome are able to (re)learn instrumental activities, and to compare the effectiveness of errorless learning with trial and error learning in the acquisition and maintenance of an instrumental activity, namely using a washing machine to do the laundry. Whereas initial learning performance in the errorless learning condition was superior, both intervention techniques resulted in similar improvement over eight learning sessions. Moreover, performance in a different spatial layout showed a comparable improvement. Notably, in follow-up sessions starting after four weeks without practice, performance was still elevated in the errorless learning condition, but not in the trial and error condition. The current study demonstrates that (re)learning and maintenance of an instrumental activity is possible in patients with Korsakoff's syndrome.
科萨科夫综合征患者表现出严重的健忘和执行功能缺陷。因此，他们完成像煮咖啡这样的工具性活动的能力经常受到影响。目前尚不清楚科萨科夫综合征患者是否能够（重新）学习工具性活动。无错误学习是科萨科夫综合征患者有效的教学技术的良好候选者，因为它基于完整的内隐记忆功能。因此，当前研究的目的有两个：一是调查科萨科夫综合征患者是否能够（重新）学习工具性活动，二是比较无错误学习和试错学习在获得和维持工具性活动（即使用洗衣机洗衣服）方面的效果。虽然在无错误学习条件下的初始学习表现更好，但在 8 次学习过程中，两种干预技术都取得了相似的进步。此外，在不同空间布局下的表现也有类似的提高。值得注意的是，在没有练习的四周后的随访中，无错误学习条件下的表现仍然提高，而试错学习条件下则没有。本研究表明，（重新）学习和维持工具性活动在科萨科夫综合征患者中是可能的。
