ABSTRACT
In the course of the last 15 years, several studies in cognitive neuro-psychology have profoundly changed our understanding of the early phases of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). These studies provided evidence of the heterogeneous nature of the onset and progression of AD, of selective deficits with preservation of certain cognitive functions, and of the presence of general factors that can potentially optimize the cognitive abilities of AD patients (see chaps. 3 and 9 of this book). Based on detailed analysis of neuropsychological profiles of individual patients, it thus became possible to develop strategies of cognitive intervention that tap residual abilities and minimize the negative impact of the disease on activities of daily living (see chaps. 9 and 10 of this book).
