Reduced Feedback: Motor Learning Strategy in Persons with Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract

This study investigated various frequencies of feedback known as knowledge of results (KR) in learning a motor skill. Participants included 21 persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 19 age-matched and education level-matched well elderly individuals who were randomly assigned to two groups; a 100% KR or 33% KR group. The task involved turning a knob that controlled the height of a column on a computer screen to match the height of a target column. Participants with AD who experienced the 33% KR condition performed significantly better in the retention and transfer tasks than those who experienced the 100% KR condition. This suggests that reduced frequency of KR may facilitate the retention and generalization of simple motor skills in persons with mid to moderate levels of AD. Replicating this study using a larger sample size will provide stronger evidence to help guide effective treatment protocols that facilitate motor skill performance.

KEYWORDS:

• Dementia
• motor learning
• aging
• cognition

Notes

¹ The fifth trial was chosen as it represented the last trial in the Retention and Transfer trials. This is appropriate as there was no significant degradation of performance from the initial trial within each of these phases.