Spaced-retrieval effects on name-face recognition in older adults with probable Alzheimer\u27s disease

Six older adults with probable Alzheimer’s disease (AD) were trained to recall a name-face association using the spaced-retrieval method. We administered six training sessions over a two-week period. On each trial, participants selected a target photograph and stated the target name, from eight other photographs, at increasingly longer retention intervals. Results yielded a positive effect of spaced-retrieval training for name-face recognition. All participants were able to select the target photograph and state the target’s name for longer periods of time within and across training sessions. A live person transfer task was administered to determine whether the name-face association, trained by spaced-retrieval, would transfer to a live person. The live person target was the same target that was used in the spaced-retrieval training sessions. Half of the subjects were able to call the live person by the correct name. These data provide initial evidence that spaced-retrieval training can aid older adults with probable AD in recall of a name-face association and transfer that association to an actual person

Effects of spaced retrieval on memory and quality of life in older adults with probable Alzheimer\u27s disease

This study was designed to explore the effects of spaced-retrieval training on memory and quality of life in older adults with probable Alzheimer’s disease. A total nineteen older adults with probable Alzheimer’s disease (AD) participated in these experiments. Experiment one was designed to determine whether the spacing effect is contributing to the success of the spaced-retrieval intervention. Participants were trained to recall a name-face association using either the adjusted spaced-retrieval method or a fixed interval retrieval method. The results showed a more consistent performance profile for the spaced retrieval group in comparison to the fixed interval group, providing evidence that the spacing effect is contributing to the gains in memory associated with spaced retrieval. Experiment two explored the effect of supplemental training sessions, ‘booster sessions’, on long term retention of the name-face association at a six month retest after the initial spaced retrieval training. The findings show booster sessions enhanced the long term effectiveness of the intervention, particularly during the first retest session. Experiment three examined the flexibility of the spaced retrieval method for use with familiar name-face associations. Subjects were trained on a familiar name-face association using the same methodology previously used for a non-familiar name-face association. Results indicated that the intervention could be useful in training familiar name-face associations. In addition to these specific experiments, quality of life was measured for all participants in each experiment prior to and after receiving the spaced retrieval intervention. Results provide preliminary evidence of a link between performance on the spaced retrieval task and improved rankings of quality of life

Spaced retrieval enhances memory for a name-face-occupation association in older adults with probable Alzheimer\u27s disease

The authors trained 4 older adults with probable Alzheimer\u27s disease to recall a name-face-occupation association using the spaced retrieval technique. Six training sessions were administered over a 2-week period. On each trial, participants selected a target photograph and stated the target name and occupation at increasingly longer retention intervals, contingent upon successful recall. Two transfer tasks were included to determine whether the trained association transferred to the person whose picture served as the training stimulus. Results yielded a positive effect of spaced retrieval on memory for the trained association. Analyses of errors revealed that participants remembered the target person\u27s occupation more often than his or her name. There was modest evidence of transfer of the name-face-occupation association to the actual person. Implications of these data for memory remediation and quality of life in cognitively impaired older adults are considered

A comparison of adjusted spaced retrieval versus a uniform expanded retrieval schedule for learning a name-face association in older adults with probable Alzheimer\u27s disease

We compared the efficacy of two memory training schedules, adjusted spaced retrieval and uniform expanded retrieval, for learning a name-face association in 12 older adults with probable Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD). Nine training sessions were administered on alternate days for three weeks. Results yielded a positive effect of adjusted spaced retrieval on the proportion of correct recall trials and greater success in transferring the learned information to the live target, compared to the uniform expanded retrieval schedule. These data suggest that the spacing effect may underlie the memorial benefit of spaced retrieval. Implications for practical uses of spaced retrieval are considered

Booster sessions enhance the long-term effectiveness of spaced retrieval in older adults with probable Alzheimer\u27s disease

Six older adults with probable Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD) were trained to recall a name-face association using the spaced retrieval technique. In this study, we retested these persons in a 6-month follow-up program. For half of the participants, three booster sessions were administered at 6, 12, and 18 weeks after original training to promote long-term retention of the name- face association. Results yielded a mnemonic benefit of the booster sessions at retest. Participants were successful in transferring this association to the actual person in the target photograph. These data confirmed the positive effect of spaced retrieval on recall of a name-face association over a 6-month interval. Implications for memory remediation in cognitively impaired older adults are considered