A Case Study of the Long-Lasting Effects of Cognitive Training on Similar Tasks in Alzheimer's Disease.

OBJECTIVE

Cognitive training allows patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) to reinforce their cognitive abilities. Here, we investigated the generalizability of trained skills to novel tasks, and their stability over time.

METHOD

One patient underwent a structured cognitive training using the GEO (Geographical Exercise for cognitive Optimization) task, whereas 10 patients underwent a control intervention. Participants' performances on the GEO task, on a similar untrained task, and on a different untrained task were recorded before and after the intervention, and at the 24-month follow-up.

RESULTS

On both the trained and the similar untrained tasks, patient's and controls' performance significantly differed from one another, with trained patient showing a significant acquirement of procedural skills that were maintained over time.

CONCLUSION

Our preliminary evidence showed that a cognitive training could allow patients to acquire and maintain new skills not only on performing a trained task but surprisingly also on a similar untrained task.