Memory Remediation: Restoration, Alleviation, and the Acquisition of Domain-Specific Knowledge

Abstract

Clinical and experimental observations have established that memory deficits are among the most prominent symptoms in virtually all forms of neuropsychological impairment. Disorders of memory that reduce or eliminate patients’ ability to function independently represent a common element in diverse neuropsychological syndromes, including closed-head injuries, Alzheimer’s disease, Korsakoff’s syndrome, ruptured aneurysms, anoxia, and encephalitis. (For review, see [1–5].) For many years, neuropsychological research focused exclusively on describing the patterns of memory impairment that are associated with different types of brain dysfunction. During the past decade, however, a substantial number of studies have explored the possibility of developing psychological interventions that in some way improve patients’ mnemonic function and thereby lessen the impact of memory disorder on their everyday lives. Terms such as “memory remediation,” “memory rehabilitation,” and “memory retraining” are frequently used to characterize this rapidly growing sector of neuropsychological research. We know of only three studies published prior to 1975 that are specifically concerned with memory remediation [6–8]. In contrast, we have come across over 30 articles or chapters published during the past decade that focus on this subject, and our list is surely no exhaustive (see[9–39]). These studies have illustrated how various remedial techniques can be used with amnestic patients, and have also provided an emperical basis for determining some of the conditions in which psychological interventions are effective.