VISUAL AND SPATIAL DISCRIMINATION DEFICITS OF ALZHEIMER PATIENTS

The goal of neuropsychological assessment is to provide information which is useful for predicting the progression of neurological deterioration and/or the site of damage. The study of Alzheimer's disease is complicated, however, by the diverse brain regions that are affected and by the fact that most tests rely heavily on the ability of the subject to comprehend and follow verbal instruction. The present research used spatial and visual discrimination tasks similar to those that are commonly used to evaluate brain lesions in non-human primates. The results indicate that Alzheimer's patients quickly learn the stimulus and response options, but are severely impaired in their ability to remember which of the visual or spatial alternatives is the one to be chosen.