Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Examining the Characteristics of Episodic Memory using Event-related Potentials in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease
Published on: August 30, 2011
"I know what I like": stability of aesthetic preference in Alzheimer's patients
Andrea R Halpern1, Jenny Ly, Seth Elkin-Frankston
1Psychology Department, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, 17837, USA. ahalpern@bucknell.edu
Abstract:
Two studies explored the stability of art preference in patients with Alzheimer's disease and age-matched control participants. Preferences for three different styles of paintings, displayed on art postcards, were examined over two sessions. Preference for specific paintings differed among individuals but AD and non-AD groups maintained about the same stability in terms of preference judgments across two weeks, even though the AD patients did not have explicit memory for the paintings. We conclude that aesthetic responses can be preserved in the face of cognitive decline. This should encourage caregivers and family to engage in arts appreciation activities with patients, and reinforces the validity of a preference response as a dependent measure in testing paradigms.
Related Concept Videos
Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ and tau...
Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction
Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment
Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Dementia
The progression of dementia is generally gradual.
Dementia l: Introduction
