Effect of repetition and inspection times on picture recall in patients with dementia of Alzheimer type

The present study is part of a series of systematic studies intended to identify simple strategies of picture presentation to improve recall performance in demented subjects. The aims of this design were to examine the effects of elaboration by naming, 4-fold repetition and different inspection times on memory performance. 19 patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer type and 21 control subjects with remitted depression were included. Picture recall was examined using different presentation conditions on 5 consecutive days. The presentation conditions significantly influenced recall performance depending on the diagnosis and on the delay of recall. Naming of pictures did not improve later recall or recognition. In both groups repetition improved memory performance. Shorter presentation times deteriorated immediate and delayed memory performance in comparison with the control condition. Forgetting did not depend on picture inspection times in patients and control. This observation allows the use of different presentation times for further comparisons of interventions in patients and control. Even though we could provide evidence of some minor memory improvements after some interventions, i,e. prolonged inspection time and repetition. We suppose that the cognitive reserve capacity in demented subjects is limited and does not allow major memory improvements.