Relearning object use in semantic dementia

The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of a patient with semantic dementia to relearn to use objects that had, through the process of disease, become alien to her. Following only a brief demonstration of their use, JH achieved nearly perfect scores on the overall use of 10 previously familiar objects. This dramatic boost in performance did decline steadily over time without any practice. Even five weeks after the initial training, however, JH was still able to achieve an average score of around 60%, which was significantly greater than at baseline assessment and sufficient to enable partially correct use of the objects. The results of this study demonstrate that it is possible for a patient in the advanced stages of semantic dementia, with severely degraded conceptual knowledge, to relearn to manipulate objects through observation of their use. With continual reinforcement, in the form of more frequent training and practice sessions, it is likely that this improved performance could be maintained over time. A rehabilitation programme based on this research may provide a rare opportunity for improvement in the face of this progressive disease: a glimmer of hope while many other cognitive functions are deteriorating.