Demented persons with Alzheimer s disease (AD) show severe impairments of episodic and semantic memory. Nevertheless, the implicit memory of AD are relatively well preserved until the later stages of AD. Studies of normal aging and AD using neuroimaging techniques reveal that the difference between healthy aging and pathological aging are found in the brain structure and function. Brain imaging studies suggest that neurocognitive rationale of memory rehabilitation is based on the concept of cognitive reserve and brain plasticity. In addition to traditional cognitive memory rehabilitation strategies, physical exercise and brain plasticity-based training program would potentially be applicable to demented elderly with the promise of improving their memory capabilities. Numerous brain imaging studies should be conducted to identify how training programs affect the structural change and function recovery of the demented elderly. It is expected that more effective memory rehabilitation interventions focused on stimulating cognitive reserve and brain plasticity of the demented elderly will be developed in the near future.
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