Dementia diseases are the most common cause of severe mental deterioration in the world today, and expected changes in the population structure will inevitably result in a gradually increasing occurrence of dementia. One of the primary symptoms of dementia diseases is severe memory dysfunction. Knowledge about the ways in which dementia diseases affect memory increases our knowledge about the relationship between brain structures and memory functions, is imperative for early clinical diagnosis, and forms a basis for sound behavioral and pharmacological intervention. While the memory impairment in dementia has been known for more than 2000 years, the nature of this impairment is not yet completely understood. Research in this area has not, until quite recently, utilized theoretical and methodological advances from basic cognitive psychology. This volume gives a comprehensive treatment of this new and increasingly developing field of inquiry.

Table of Contents

EPISODIC MEMORY IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. Patterns of Short-Term Memory Impairment in Alzheimer's Disease (R.G. Morris). Introduction. The Function of Short-Term Memory. Models of Short-Term Memory. Exploring Short-Term Memory in Alzheimer's Disease. Neuropsychological Mechanisms. Conclusions. References. Episodic Memory in Alzheimer's Disease: Breakdown of Multiple Memory Processes (J.T. Becker, O.L. Lopez). Introduction. Episodic Memory in Alzheimer's Disease. Secondary Episodic Memory. Conclusions. References. Storage, Forgetting, and Retrieval in the Anterograde and Retrograde Amnesia of Alzheimer Dementia (M.D. Kopelman). Introduction. Short-Term Forgetting. Long-Term Forgetting. Intermediate-Term Forgetting. Retrograde Amnesia and Autobiographical Memory. Conclusions. References. Utilization of Cognitive Support for Episodic Remembering in Alzheimer's Disease (A. Herlitz, B. Lipinska, L. Backman). Introduction. Item Richness. Item Exposure. Item Elaboration. Item Organization. Item Knowledge. Memory Training. Summary. References. NON-EPISODIC FORMS OF MEMORY IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. Semantic Memory, Priming, and Skill Learning in Alzheimer's Disease (D.P. Salmon, W.C. Heindel, N. Butters). Introduction. Semantic Memory. Implicit Memory: Priming. Implicit Memory: Skill Learning. Conclusions. References. Semantic Knowledge in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease: Evidence For Degraded Representations (A. Martin). Introduction. Evidence for Degraded Knowledge Representations. On-Line Semantic Priming. A Model of Semantic Representations of Objects. Evidence in Support of Degraded Semantic Representations of Objects. Implications for Object Naming and Word-Finding Ability. Conclusions. References. Motor and Procedural Memory in Alzheimer's Disease (M.B. Dick). Introduction. Why Study Motor Memory in Alzheimer's Disease? Types of Motor Memory. Practical Applications. Further Areas of Exploration. References. ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND OTHER CLINICAL POPULATIONS. Memory Dysfunction in the Subcortical Dementias (W.W. Beatty). Introduction. Anterograde Memory. Access to Established Memories. Memory, Subcortical Disease, and the Frontal Lobes. Summary and Conclusions. References. Interaction of Language and Memory in Major Depression and Senile Dementia of Alzheimer's Type (V.O. Beattie Emery). Introduction. Nomological Context. Language Deficits in SDAT. Language Deficits in Major Depression. Memory Deficits in SDAT. Memory Deficits in Major Depression. Methods. Results. Discussion. Conclusion. References. PROGRESSION. Progression of Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer Type on a Battery of Psychometric Tests (M. Storandt, J.C. Morris, E.H. Rubin, L.A. Coben, L. Berg). Introduction. Method. Attrition. Index of Rate of Progression. Comparison of Demented and Control Groups. Principal Components Analysis. Correlates of Progression. Summary. References. Impaired and Preserved Semantic Memory Functions in Dementia (H.F.A. Diesfeldt). Introduction.