Implicit and explicit memory for faces in dementia of Alzheimer's type

Face memory explicit deficit in DAT is related to semantic impairment. Our study investigated performance of 20 DAT patients compared to 22 controls on both implicit and explicit processing of faces. Implicit testing: priming task, two known or unknown faces, judgment: same person or not? Variables: similarity, priming, and celebrity. Explicit testing: episodic memory (presence in previous task?), celebrity, specific semantic memory. No priming effect for DATs, deficit in explicit episodic memory, slight deficit for celebrity, hierarchical deficit in specific semantic memory. Global impairment for face processing observed in DAT patients with preponderance of episodic memory deficits.