An assistive device for persons with severe amnesia

Five persons with severe amnesia were trained to use a device containing items of information relevant to daily activities. The training consisted of a procedure in which requests for information were paired with a tone, and the subject was required to access the device and respond with the answer to the request. The tone was gradually faded, with the goal of having the subject respond to a question alone. All of the subjects learned to consistently access the device and provide correct responses following a request for information. Generalization across requesters and settings in which the requests were made was also achieved. The findings are discussed in regard to the utility of exploiting the relatively well-preserved procedural memory system for rehabilitation of persons with severe amnesia.