Physiologic Response Patterns Observed in a Learning Task

Abstract

The management of many disease processes requires that the patient learn new patterns of living. This is particularly true for individuals with chronic illnesses whose course cannot be easily modified by a specific medication or procedure. In this setting, the physician frequently must ask the patient that he "learn to live with the illness" and, in so doing, the patient must then establish new ways of dealing with the problems of daily life. The success with which the patient accomplishes this goal will depend upon many factors, one of which is simply how well he can carry out the process of learning. Since many patients appear to have difficulty in learning new patterns of behavior, it is important that the physician begin to develop a more detailed understanding of the physiologic correlates of the learning process so that he may adequately assess the importance of