Memory training programs for cognitively impaired patients have often
been criticized for their lack of relevance to every day activities. W
e therefore report our experience with two patients suffering from pro
bable Alzheimer's disease who were trained with a new computer-based p
rogram recently developed by our research group. An everyday task of p
ersonal relevance to the patient was simulated and trained on a PC tou
ch-screen using personal photographs of the patient's surroundings and
biography. The patient's training performance (time, mistakes, number
of advices) improved substantially. While psychopathometric tests sho
wed no significant effects with regard to general cognitive performanc
e, levels of motivation were high and there was a positive acceptance
of the training, signs of emotional activation and of a transfer of th
e trained skills into real situations.