Investigating the difference in implicit motor-sequence learning in the elderly with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease

Acquiring the sequence of information without regard for learning is implicit learning. Many studies have shown implicit motor learning in Alzheimer’s patients, but the obtained results are not consistent about Parkinson’s patients.

In this descriptive-comparative study, through convenient sampling method among elderly patients who referred to the offices of neurologists in city of Zabol (2016), 11 Parkinson's patients, 10 patients with Alzheimer's disease based in NINCDS_ADRDA criteria and 10 cases as control group (4 males and 6 females) were selected. Then MMSE test was used to test the psycho-cognitive status test and the Wechsler Adult IQ test was used to measure the level of intelligence and memory. Parkinson's Disease Staging and Scale (Hoehn & Yahr) was used for Parkinson's patients.

The results for the percentage of errors in Parkinson's patients increased with a change from the fixed blocks to the random block, which indicates tacit learning, but this group of patients responded less tacitly to moving learning compared to other groups at a time.

The errors and the reaction time may indicate separate processes like spatial and motor components of motor-sequence that can be influenced differently in Parkinson and Alzheimer's patients.