Motor Skill Improvement Tool for Apraxia

Abstract

Apraxia is one of the cognitive defects that characterizes Alzheimer’s disease. Despite its prevalence and importance for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease (AD), this has devoted little attention among research community. Apraxia was more common in the Alzheimer’s disease (32.3%) than in both Subcortical Vascular Dementia (SVaD) (16.7%) and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) (4.8%). The present study discusses a new experimental study on fine motor-skill learning in patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Prior studies found intact fine motor-learning capacities. Subsequently, it is elaborated how these intact learning abilities can be exploited in the patient’s rehabilitation with respect to the variables day today practice and feedback. The article concludes that if training programs are adjusted to specific needs and abilities, older people with AD can (re)learn practical motor skills, which may enhance their autonomy in life.