Priming deficits in patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type

Abstract

SynopsisIn a study that replicated the procedures used by Salmon et al. (1988), the effect on stem completion performance of two different semantic orientation tasks has been assessed in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Previously reported findings of impairment in repetition priming in Alzheimer patients were confirmed. Performance was not affected by the nature of the orientation task. No significant correlations were found between explicit and implicit memory tests. The results are discussed in the context of a hypothesized parallel decline in explicit and implicit memory systems.