Motor-Skill Learning in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Review with an Eye to the Clinical Practice
Open accessAbstract
Since elderly people suffering from dementia want to go on living independently for as long as possible, they need to be able to maintain familiar and learn new practical skills. Although explicit or declarative learning methods are mostly used to train new skills, it is hypothesized that implicit or procedural techniques may be more effective in this population. The present review discusses 23 experimental studies on implicit motor-skill learning in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). All studies found intact implicit motor-learning capacities. Subsequently, it is elaborated how these intact learning abilities can be exploited in the patients' rehabilitation with respect to the variables 'practice' and 'feedback.' Recommendations for future research are provided, and it is concluded that if training programs are adjusted to specific needs and abilities, older people with AD are well able to (re)learn practical motor skills, which may enhance their autonomy.
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Similar findings (procedural learning and retention despite declarative memory impairment) have been reported in Alzheimer's disease.
“Similar findings have been reported in Alzheimer’s disease. 46”
From Domains of cognition and their assessment (2019) · cites this paper as [46]
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- Authors
- van Halteren-van Tilborg, I. A. D. A., Scherder, E. J. A., & Hulstijn, W.
- Affiliations
- University of Groningen (NL)
- Radboud University Nijmegen (NL)
- Venue
- Neuropsychology Review
- Published
- 2007-08-07
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 203-212
- ISSN
- 1040-7308 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-6660
- PMC
- PMC2039835
- OpenAlex
- W2025980259
- Cited by
- 172
- References
- 58
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 1.96
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Neuropsychology Review (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (publishedVersion)
- VU Research Portal (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion)
- University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Motor Control and Adaptation
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
- Keywords
- Alzheimer's disease, motor skill learning, implicit learning, procedural learning, dementia, rehabilitation, practice, feedback, autonomy, older adults, practical skills
- MeSH terms
- Alzheimer Disease, Humans, Learning, Motor Skills, Practice, Psychological, Psychological Theory, Databases, Factual, Recognition, Psychology
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