Intact cross-modality text-specific repetition priming in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
This study was aimed at investigating the basic mechanisms of the normal repetition priming evoked by text re-reading procedures in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients (Monti, Gabrieli, Wilson, & Reminger, 1994; Monti et al., 1997). For this purpose, we contrasted the reading facilitation elicited by previous reading or listening to a text in a sample of AD patients and a group of age-matched normal controls. Consistent with previous evidence in normal undergraduates (Levy & Kirsner, 1989), previous listening to a text decreased the successive reading time of the same text (cross-modality priming). However, the reading facilitation elicited by previous reading of the same text (within-modality priming) was significantly larger than the facilitation evoked by previous listening. Compared to normal controls, AD patients showed intact cross-modality and within-modality priming. These data are discussed in the light of alternative hypotheses regarding the basic mechanisms of impaired and spared repetition priming in degenerative demented patients.
Carlesimo
G A
GA
IRCCSS Lucia, Rome, Italy. memolab@hsantalucia.it
Mauri
M
M
Fadda
L
L
Turriziani
P
P
Caltagirone
C
C
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D011932:Reading; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012153:Retention, Psychology