Evaluation et prise en charge des processus de récupération en mémoire dans la maladie d'Alzheimer

L objectif de ce travail de thèse était d évaluer l état des processus de récupération en mémoire dans la maladie d Alzheimer afin de développer des programmes de prise en charge cognitive novateurs. Les deux premières études ont porté sur la caractérisation de ces processus à travers l évaluation des performances de patients avec une maladie d Alzheimer à des tâches de reconnaissance mnésique. Les deux études suivantes se sont intéressées au développement de programmes d intervention cognitive ayant pour objectif de réduire les troubles cognitifs et leur retentissement, l un en améliorant les processus cognitifs altérés à partir d un entraînement cognitif appliquant la répétition-lag procédure et l autre, en sollicitant les processus cognitifs préservés à partir d un apprentissage par des techniques de réhabilitation cognitive, à recourir à l utilisation d aides externes. Les résultats ont mis en évidence une détérioration sélective des processus de reconnaissance chez les patients à un stade léger de la maladie ; la recollection serait particulièrement altérée alors que la familiarité resterait préservée. De plus, le déficit des capacités de reconnaissance de la source serait lié à l altération des processus stratégiques de reconnaissance de la source, les processus associatifs resteraient préservés. Ensuite, le programme d entraînement cognitif expérimental s est révélé efficace, des gains cognitifs ont été objectivés à des tâches cognitives de transfert. De même, le programme de réhabilitation cognitive par le biais d un apprentissage combinant les techniques de la récupération espacée et de l apprentissage sans erreur a permis de réduire l impact des troubles cognitifs dans la vie quotidienneThe main objective of this thesis was to evaluate retrieval memory processes in Alzheimer s disease in order to develop innovative cognitive interventions. The first two studies focused on the characterization of these processes through performance evaluation of patients with Alzheimer s disease in recognition memory tasks. The next two studies became interested in development of cognitive intervention programs aimed at reducing cognitive impairment and their impact. One tries to improve impaired cognitive processes from a cognitive training using the repetition-lag procedure and the other one uses different cognitive rehabilitation techniques that involve preserved cognitive processes to learn to resort to the use of external aids. The results showed a selective deficit in recognition processes in patients with a mild stage of Alzheimer s disease, recollection would be particularly affected as familiarity remains preserved. In addition, source recognition deficit could be explained by a specific alteration of source recognition strategic processes whereas associative processes should remain preserved. Secondly, the experimental cognitive training program was effective, cognitive gains were objectified in transfer tasks. Similarly, the cognitive rehabilitation program using spaced retrieval technique and errorless learning has reduced the impact of cognitive impairment in everyday lifePARIS5-Bibliotheque electronique (751069902) / SudocSudocFranceF

Memory for Self-Performed Actions in Individuals with Asperger Syndrome

Memory for action is enhanced if individuals are allowed to perform the corresponding movements, compared to when they simply listen to them (enactment effect). Previous studies have shown that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have difficulties with processes involving the self, such as autobiographical memories and self performed actions. The present study aimed at assessing memory for action in Asperger Syndrome (AS). We investigated whether adults with AS would benefit from the enactment effect when recalling a list of previously performed items vs. items that were only visually and verbally experienced through three experimental tasks (Free Recall, Old/New Recognition and Source Memory). The results showed that while performance on Recognition and Source Memory tasks was preserved in individuals with AS, the enactment effect for self-performed actions was not consistently present, as revealed by the lower number of performed actions being recalled on the Free Recall test, as compared to adults with typical development. Subtle difficulties in encoding specific motor and proprioceptive signals during action execution in individuals with AS might affect retrieval of relevant personal episodic information. These disturbances might be associated to an impaired action monitoring system

Episodic Memory in Detoxified Alcoholics: Contribution of Grey Matter Microstructure Alteration

Even though uncomplicated alcoholics may likely have episodic memory deficits, discrepancies exist regarding to the integrity of brain regions that underlie this function in healthy subjects. Possible relationships between episodic memory and 1) brain microstructure assessed by magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), 2) brain volumes assessed by voxel-based morphometry (VBM) were investigated in uncomplicated, detoxified alcoholics