WorldWideScience

Sample records for aids dementia complex

  1. AIDS dementia complex: a review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Portegies, P.

    1994-01-01

    AIDS dementia complex (ADC) is a constellation of cognitive, motor, and behavioral dysfunctions frequently observed in persons with AIDS. Estimates of its prevalence vary. ADC may occur at any stage of AIDS but is usually associated with later stages of disease. Its severity varies among patients

  2. Early AIDS dementia complex

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mountz, J.M.; Speed, N.M.; Adams, K.; Schwartz, J.A.; Gross, M.D.; Ostrow, D.G.

    1988-01-01

    A frequent complication of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is AIDS dementia complex (ADC). The authors evaluated seven patients with AIDS (aged 28-55 years, all male) for ADC by psychiatric evaluation, neuropsychological testing, CT scanning, and IMP-SPECT. Six of seven patients exhibited cognitive or behavioral abnormalities. Neuropsychological testing showed general deficits but no cases of explicit dementia. SPECT showed marked abnormalities in two cases: posterior temporal-parietal diminution of tracer uptake in one case (posterior/anterior=0.81) and marked right/left subcortical asymmetry (1.17) in the other. In three additional cases there was asymmetric tracer uptake in the subcortical and parietal regions. CT findings were normal in all seven cases. The authors conclude that functional imaging with the use of IMP-SPECT may be a useful method to follow ADC progression and response to therapy

  3. Single photon emission computed tomography in AIDS dementia complex

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pohl, P.; Vogl, G.; Fill, H.; Roessler, H.Z.; Zangerle, R.; Gerstenbrand, F.

    1988-01-01

    Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) studies were performed in AIDS dementia complex using IMP in 12 patients (and HM-PAO in four of these same patients). In all patients, SPECT revealed either multiple or focal uptake defects, the latter corresponding with focal signs or symptoms in all but one case. Computerized tomography showed a diffuse cerebral atrophy in eight of 12 patients, magnetic resonance imaging exhibited changes like atrophy and/or leukoencephalopathy in two of five cases. Our data indicate that both disturbance of cerebral amine metabolism and alteration of local perfusion share in the pathogenesis of AIDS dementia complex. SPECT is an important aid in the diagnosis of AIDS dementia complex and contributes to the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of this disorder

  4. Declining incidence of AIDS dementia complex after introduction of zidovudine treatment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Portegies, P.; de Gans, J.; Lange, J. M.; Derix, M. M.; Speelman, H.; Bakker, M.; Danner, S. A.; Goudsmit, J.

    1989-01-01

    To assess the incidence of the AIDS dementia complex and the presence of HIV I p24 antigen in cerebrospinal fluid in relation to zidovudine treatment. Retrospective study of a consecutive series of patients with AIDS from 1982 to 1988. An academic centre for AIDS. 196 Patients with AIDS and

  5. What's in a Name? AIDS Dementia Complex, HIV-associated ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Key words: HIV; AIDS; HIV-associated dementia (HAD); HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) .... increased survival a mixed picture is becoming more common. ... alternating sequence and memory recall of the four objects.

  6. Presentation and course of AIDS dementia complex : 10 years of follow-up in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Portegies, P; Enting, R H; de Gans, J; Algra, P R; Derix, M M; Lange, J M; Goudsmit, J

    OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical presentation and course of the AIDS dementia complex (ADC). DESIGN: Retrospective study of a consecutive series of symptomatic HIV-1-infected patients [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stages IVA, B, C and D] evaluated for neurological symptoms

  7. Nitric oxide synthase expression and apoptotic cell death in brains of AIDS and AIDS dementia patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vincent, V. A.; de Groot, C. J.; Lucassen, P. J.; Portegies, P.; Troost, D.; Tilders, F. J.; van Dam, A. M.

    1999-01-01

    To determine the occurrence and cellular localization of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), NOS activity and its association with cell death in brains of AIDS and AIDS dementia complex (ADC) patients. Post-mortem cerebral cortex tissue of eight AIDS patients, eight ADC patients and eight

  8. Reversal of brain metabolic abnormalities following treatment of AIDS dementia complex with 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (AZT, zidovudine): a PET-FDG study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brunetti, A.; Berg, G.; Di Chiro, G.

    1989-01-01

    Brain glucose metabolism was evaluated in four patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) dementia complex using [ 18 F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans at the beginning of therapy with 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (AZT, zidovudine), and later in the course of therapy. In two patients, baseline, large focal cortical abnormalities of glucose utilization were reversed during the course of therapy. In the other two patients, the initial PET study did not reveal pronounced focal alterations, while the post-treatment scans showed markedly increased cortical glucose metabolism. The improved cortical glucose utilization was accompanied in all patients by immunologic and neurologic improvement. PET-FDG studies can detect cortical metabolic abnormalities associated with AIDS dementia complex, and may be used to monitor the metabolic improvement in response to AZT treatment

  9. Exploring experience and perspectives of foreign-born direct care workers in dementia care: Accounts of Korean American personal care aides caring for older Korean Americans with dementia symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sang E; Casado, Banghwa Lee; Hong, Michin

    2018-05-01

    This focus group study explored experience of Korean American personal care aides caring for older Korean Americans with dementia symptoms. Personal care aides described dementia caregiving as challenging, demanding and stressful, yet they cared for their clients with love and affection, particularly with jeong (i.e., a Korean cultural concept of love, affection, sympathy, and bondage). They learned about dementia mostly through their caregiving experience and expressed their need and strong desire to learn more about dementia. They felt for family struggle and observed family conflict and filial obligation. They advocated the value of personal care aides' involvement in dementia care. This study revealed a pressing need for dementia training for personal care aides and called for an outreach effort to recruit and train direct care workers with potential of providing culturally competent care for traditionally underserved ethnic minorities.

  10. What's in a Name? AIDS Dementia Complex, HIV-associated ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The updated terminology is preferred because it requires assessing cognition objectively with neuropsychological tests. It is recommended that the International HIV Dementia Scale be used to screen patients and to thereafter confirm diagnosis with further neuropsychological tests e.g. the trail making and digit span tests.

  11. Development and testing of a decision aid on goals of care for advanced dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Einterz, Seth F; Gilliam, Robin; Lin, Feng Chang; McBride, J Marvin; Hanson, Laura C

    2014-04-01

    Decision aids are effective to improve decision-making, yet they are rarely tested in nursing homes (NHs). Study objectives were to (1) examine the feasibility of a goals of care (GOC) decision aid for surrogate decision-makers (SDMs) of persons with dementia; and (2) to test its effect on quality of communication and decision-making. Pre-post intervention to test a GOC decision aid intervention for SDMs for persons with dementia in NHs. Investigators collected data from reviews of resident health records and interviews with SDMs at baseline and 3-month follow-up. Two NHs in North Carolina. Eighteen residents who were over 65 years of age, had moderate to severe dementia on the global deterioration scale (5, 6, or 7), and an English-speaking surrogate decision-maker. (1) GOC decision aid video viewed by the SDM and (2) a structured care plan meeting between the SDM and interdisciplinary NH team. Surrogate knowledge, quality of communication with health care providers, surrogate-provider concordance on goals of care, and palliative care domains addressed in the care plan. Eighty-nine percent of the SDMs thought the decision aid was relevant to their needs. After viewing the video decision aid, SDMs increased the number of correct responses on knowledge-based questions (12.5 vs 14.2; P communication scores (6.1 vs 6.8; P = .01) and improved concordance on primary goal of care with NH team (50% vs 78%; P = .003). The number of palliative care domains addressed in the care plan increased (1.8 vs 4.3; P decision-support intervention piloted in this study was feasible and relevant for surrogate decision-makers of persons with advanced dementia in NHs, and it improved quality of communication between SDM and NH providers. A larger randomized clinical trial is underway to provide further evidence of the effects of this decision aid intervention. Copyright © 2014 American Medical Directors Association, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Neurocognitive differential diagnosis of dementing diseases: Alzheimer's Dementia, Vascular Dementia, Frontotemporal Dementia, and Major Depressive Disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braaten, Alyssa J; Parsons, Thomas D; McCue, Robert; Sellers, Alfred; Burns, William J

    2006-11-01

    Similarities in presentation of Dementia of Alzheimer's Type, Vascular Dementia, Frontotemporal Dementia, and Major Depressive Disorder, pose differential diagnosis challenges. The current study identifies specific neuropsychological patterns of scores for Dementia of Alzheimer's Type, Vascular Dementia, Frontotemporal Dementia, and Major Depressive Disorder. Neuropsychological domains directly assessed in the study included: immediate memory, delayed memory, confrontational naming, verbal fluency, attention, concentration, and executive functioning. The results reveal specific neuropsychological comparative profiles for Dementia of Alzheimer's Type, Vascular Dementia, Frontotemporal Dementia, and Major Depressive Disorder. The identification of these profiles will assist in the differential diagnosis of these disorders and aid in patient treatment.

  13. Treatment of early AIDS dementia in intravenous drug users : High versus low dose peptide T

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kosten, TR; Rosen, MI; McMahon, TL; Bridge, TP; OMalley, SS; Pearsall, R; OConnor, PG

    1997-01-01

    This placebo-controlled, double blind, cross-over study tested the efficacy of two different doses of Peptide T in the treatment of nine intravenous drug users with early AIDS dementia who were also receiving methadone and AZT. Subjects received Peptide T doses of either 15 or 1.5 mg daily for four

  14. Childhood school performance, education and occupational complexity: a life-course study of dementia in the Kungsholmen Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dekhtyar, Serhiy; Wang, Hui-Xin; Fratiglioni, Laura; Herlitz, Agneta

    2016-08-01

    Cognitive reserve hypothesis predicts that intellectually demanding activities over the life course protect against dementia. We investigate if childhood school performance remains associated with dementia once education and occupational complexity are taken into account. A cohort of 440 individuals aged 75+ from the Kungsholmen Project was followed up for 9 years to detect dementia. To measure early-life contributors to reserve, we used grades at age 9-10 extracted from the school archives. Data on formal education and occupational complexity were collected at baseline and first follow-up. Dementia was ascertained through comprehensive clinical examination. Cox models estimated the relationship between life-course cognitive reserve measures and dementia. Dementia risk was elevated [hazard ratio (HR): 1.54, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03 to 2.29] in individuals with low early-life school grades after adjustment for formal educational attainment and occupational complexity. Secondary education was associated with a lower risk of dementia (HR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.50 to 1.03), although the effects of post-secondary and university degrees were indistinguishable from baseline. Occupational complexity with data and things was not related to dementia. However, an association was found between high occupational complexity with people and dementia, albeit only in women (HR: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.14 to 0.99). The pattern of results remained unchanged after adjustment for genetic susceptibility, comorbidities and depressive symptoms. Low early-life school performance is associated with an elevated risk of dementia, independent of subsequent educational and occupational attainment. © The Author 2016; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

  15. Pareidolias: complex visual illusions in dementia with Lewy bodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uchiyama, Makoto; Nishio, Yoshiyuki; Yokoi, Kayoko; Hirayama, Kazumi; Imamura, Toru; Shimomura, Tatsuo; Mori, Etsuro

    2012-08-01

    Patients rarely experience visual hallucinations while being observed by clinicians. Therefore, instruments to detect visual hallucinations directly from patients are needed. Pareidolias, which are complex visual illusions involving ambiguous forms that are perceived as meaningful objects, are analogous to visual hallucinations and have the potential to be a surrogate indicator of visual hallucinations. In this study, we explored the clinical utility of a newly developed instrument for evoking pareidolic illusions, the Pareidolia test, in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies-one of the most common causes of visual hallucinations in the elderly. Thirty-four patients with dementia with Lewy bodies, 34 patients with Alzheimer's disease and 26 healthy controls were given the Pareidolia test. Patients with dementia with Lewy bodies produced a much greater number of pareidolic illusions compared with those with Alzheimer's disease or controls. A receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that the number of pareidolias differentiated dementia with Lewy bodies from Alzheimer's disease with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 88%. Full-length figures and faces of people and animals accounted for >80% of the contents of pareidolias. Pareidolias were observed in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies who had visual hallucinations as well as those who did not have visual hallucinations, suggesting that pareidolias do not reflect visual hallucinations themselves but may reflect susceptibility to visual hallucinations. A sub-analysis of patients with dementia with Lewy bodies who were or were not treated with donepzil demonstrated that the numbers of pareidolias were correlated with visuoperceptual abilities in the former and with indices of hallucinations and delusional misidentifications in the latter. Arousal and attentional deficits mediated by abnormal cholinergic mechanisms and visuoperceptual dysfunctions are likely to contribute to the development

  16. New MR imaging observation in HIV-related cognitive impairment (AIDS dementia complex)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ketonen, L.; Kieburtz, K.D.; Zetteimaier, A.; Simon, J.H.; Kido, D.K.

    1989-01-01

    MR findings have been reported on the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) demential complex, but the findings are late relative to clinical signs. This paper reports on a new MR finding observed in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related cognitive impairment studied early in the disease process. Fifty-two patients had a total of 86 MR images. Al images were obtained with a 1.5-T system (protondensity, spin-echo, TR/TE = 2,000/30 [repetition time/echo time, msec]). High-signal lesions were seen in the region of the splenium of the corpus callosum and in the crura of the fornices. The lesions demonstrated no contrast enhancement with Gd-DTPA. Pathologic examination was performed in four patients. The fornix-subcallosal abnormality may have relevance to the memory dysfunction in patients with HIV-related cognitive impairment

  17. Education and dementing disorders : The role of schooling in dementia and cognitive impairment

    OpenAIRE

    De Ronchi, Diana

    2005-01-01

    This doctoral thesis aimed to investigate the complex relationship between education, dementias, and cognitive impairment. Two different databases were used: the Faenza and the AIDS Projects. The Faenza Project is a longitudinal study on ageing and dementia, targeting 7,930 inhabitants of Faenza (including the village of Granarolo), Italy, aged 61 years and older in 1991. The study population derives from an area which has been one of the wealthiest in Italy since the beginn...

  18. Use of a dementia training designed for nurse aides to train other staff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Irvine, A Blair; Beaty, Jeff A; Seeley, John R; Bourgeois, Michelle

    2013-12-01

    Problematic resident behaviors may escalate in long-term care facilities (LTCs). If nurse aides (NAs) are not nearby, the nearest staff to intervene may be non-direct care workers (NDCWs), who have little or no dementia training. This pilot research tested Internet dementia-training program, designed for NAs, on NDCWs in a LTC setting. Sixty-eight NDCWs participated, filling out two baseline surveys at 1-month intervals and a posttest survey after training. The surveys included video-situation testing, items addressing psychosocial constructs associated with behavior change, and measures training-acceptance. Paired t tests showed significant positive effects on measures of knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, and behavioral intentions, with small-moderate effect sizes. Nursing staff as well as non-health care workers showed improved scores, and the web-site training program was well received by all participants. These results suggest that Internet training may allow staff development coordinators to conserve limited resources by cross-training of different job categories with the same program.

  19. Psychiatric interventions for AIDS-spectrum disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perry, S W; Markowitz, J

    1986-10-01

    Although the medical and psychosocial problems posed by acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) are unique, interventions to treat AIDS-related psychiatric disorders are currently available. The depression, delirium, and denial that occur in medically hospitalized patients with AIDS respond to standard psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological approaches. Outpatients with AIDS or AIDS-related complex benefit from clarification, abreaction, and support if the therapist accepts the regression associated with the sick role, focuses initially on somatic rather than on psychological concerns, and overcomes unwarranted fears of contagion. Patients with AIDS-related dementia are helped considerably by early diagnosis and planning, and patients with antibodies to the AIDS virus require a psycho-educational approach that includes stress inoculation and problem-solving techniques. The authors describe the above interventions as well as common countertransference responses that impede their implementation.

  20. EEG Differences in Two Clinically Similar Rapid Dementias: Voltage-Gated Potassium Channel Complex-Associated Autoimmune Encephalitis and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freund, Brin; Probasco, John C; Cervenka, Mackenzie C; Sutter, Raoul; Kaplan, Peter W

    2018-05-01

    Distinguishing treatable causes for rapidly progressive dementia from those that are incurable is vital. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and voltage-gated potassium channel complex-associated autoimmune encephalitis (VGKC AE) are 2 such conditions with disparate outcomes and response to treatment. To determine the differences in electroencephalography between CJD and VGKC AE, we performed a retrospective review of medical records and examined clinical data, neuroimaging, and electroencephalographs performed in patients admitted for evaluation for rapidly progressive dementia diagnosed with CJD and VGKC AE at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Bayview Medical Center between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2015. More patients in the VGKC AE group had seizures (12/17) than those with CJD (3/14; P = .008). Serum sodium levels were lower in those with VGKC AE ( P = .001). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) white blood cell count was higher in VGKC AE ( P = .008). CSF protein 14-3-3 ( P = .018) was more commonly detected in CJD, and tau levels were higher in those with CJD ( P VGKC AE, and electroencephalography can aid in their diagnoses. Performing serial EEGs better delineates these conditions.

  1. Care home design for people with dementia: What do people with dementia and their family carers value?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Innes, Anthea; Kelly, Fiona; Dincarslan, Ozlem

    2011-07-01

    To report on the views of people with dementia who live in care homes and their family carers on aspects of design that are important to them, and discuss these in relation to developing physical care environments that respond to the wishes of people with dementia and their family carers. Six focus groups were held: two in Northern Ireland and four in Scotland. A total of 40 people participated in the focus groups. Twenty nine people were with dementia (24 female and five male), and 11 were family carers (10 female and one male). Carers discussed the features of a building they took into account when selecting a care home, and discussed this in relation to 'bricks and mortar versus people'. Key themes reported by people with dementia and their family carers included how the space in the environment is used, for example, what happens in the building and the presence or absence of certain design features. Outside space and wayfinding aids were identified as positive features of the home, along with a general lack of concern about ensuite provision. The results demonstrate the complexity of building design as it must provide living space acceptable to people with dementia living there and family members who visit, as well as provide a workable environment for staff. The findings highlight areas that should be considered by care home teams involved in the build of a new home or the redevelopment of an existing care home.

  2. A Diagnostic Model for Dementia in Clinical Practice-Case Methodology Assisting Dementia Diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Londos, Elisabet

    2015-04-02

    Dementia diagnosis is important for many different reasons. Firstly, to separate dementia, or major neurocognitive disorder, from MCI (mild cognitive impairment), mild neurocognitive disorder. Secondly, to define the specific underlying brain disorder to aid treatment, prognosis and decisions regarding care needs and assistance. The diagnostic method of dementias is a puzzle of different data pieces to be fitted together in the best possible way to reach a clinical diagnosis. Using a modified case methodology concept, risk factors affecting cognitive reserve and symptoms constituting the basis of the brain damage hypothesis, can be visualized, balanced and reflected against test results as well as structural and biochemical markers. The model's origin is the case method initially described in Harvard business school, here modified to serve dementia diagnostics.

  3. New computer-aided diagnosis of dementia using positron emission tomography: brain regional sensitivity-mapping method.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akihiro Kakimoto

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: We devised a new computer-aided diagnosis method to segregate dementia using one estimated index (Total Z score derived from the Brodmann area (BA sensitivity map on the stereotaxic brain atlas. The purpose of this study is to investigate its accuracy to differentiate patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI from normal adults (NL. METHODS: We studied 101 adults (NL: 40, AD: 37, MCI: 24 who underwent (18FDG positron emission tomography (PET measurement. We divided NL and AD groups into two categories: a training group with (Category A and a test group without (Category B clinical information. In Category A, we estimated sensitivity by comparing the standard uptake value per BA (SUVR between NL and AD groups. Then, we calculated a summated index (Total Z score by utilizing the sensitivity-distribution maps and each BA z-score to segregate AD patterns. To confirm the validity of this method, we examined the accuracy in Category B. Finally, we applied this method to MCI patients. RESULTS: In Category A, we found that the sensitivity and specificity of differentiation between NL and AD were all 100%. In Category B, those were 100% and 95%, respectively. Furthermore, we found this method attained 88% to differentiate AD-converters from non-converters in MCI group. CONCLUSIONS: The present automated computer-aided evaluation method based on a single estimated index provided good accuracy for differential diagnosis of AD and MCI. This good differentiation power suggests its usefulness not only for dementia diagnosis but also in a longitudinal study.

  4. New Computer-Aided Diagnosis of Dementia Using Positron Emission Tomography: Brain Regional Sensitivity-Mapping Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kakimoto, Akihiro; Kamekawa, Yuichi; Ito, Shigeru; Yoshikawa, Etsuji; Okada, Hiroyuki; Nishizawa, Sadahiko; Minoshima, Satoshi; Ouchi, Yasuomi

    2011-01-01

    Purpose We devised a new computer-aided diagnosis method to segregate dementia using one estimated index (Total Z score) derived from the Brodmann area (BA) sensitivity map on the stereotaxic brain atlas. The purpose of this study is to investigate its accuracy to differentiate patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from normal adults (NL). Methods We studied 101 adults (NL: 40, AD: 37, MCI: 24) who underwent 18FDG positron emission tomography (PET) measurement. We divided NL and AD groups into two categories: a training group with (Category A) and a test group without (Category B) clinical information. In Category A, we estimated sensitivity by comparing the standard uptake value per BA (SUVR) between NL and AD groups. Then, we calculated a summated index (Total Z score) by utilizing the sensitivity-distribution maps and each BA z-score to segregate AD patterns. To confirm the validity of this method, we examined the accuracy in Category B. Finally, we applied this method to MCI patients. Results In Category A, we found that the sensitivity and specificity of differentiation between NL and AD were all 100%. In Category B, those were 100% and 95%, respectively. Furthermore, we found this method attained 88% to differentiate AD-converters from non-converters in MCI group. Conclusions The present automated computer-aided evaluation method based on a single estimated index provided good accuracy for differential diagnosis of AD and MCI. This good differentiation power suggests its usefulness not only for dementia diagnosis but also in a longitudinal study. PMID:21966405

  5. Nuclear medicine in the management of the AIDS patient

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kramer, E.L.; Sanger, J.J.

    1990-01-01

    For the medical diagnostic imaging specialist in general, and for the nuclear medicine physician specifically, the AIDS epidemic has generated an enormous demand to develop a means of making early diagnoses of the complications of AIDS. For the most part this has meant the early detection, and when possible, the characterization of the opportunistic infections and neoplasms that are a major source of morbidity and mortality for the AIDS patient. Detection of opportunistic infections has been helpful in reclassifying HIV-seropositive patients as having AIDS. This paper reports on nuclear medicine used to evaluate the efficacy and the complications of treatment in human immunodeficiency virus infection. Most recently, functional brain imaging has been used for the diagnosis and follow-up of the AIDS dementia complex

  6. What do people with dementia and their carers want to know about neuroimaging for dementia?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Featherstone, Hannah; Butler, Marie-Louise; Ciblis, Aurelia; Bokde, Arun L; Mullins, Paul G; McNulty, Jonathan P

    2017-05-01

    Neuroimaging forms an important part of dementia diagnosis. Provision of information on neuroimaging to people with dementia and their carers may aid understanding of the pathological, physiological and psychosocial changes of the disease, and increase understanding of symptoms. This qualitative study aimed to investigate participants' knowledge of the dementia diagnosis pathway, their understanding of neuroimaging and its use in diagnosis, and to determine content requirements for a website providing neuroimaging information. Structured interviews and a focus group were conducted with carers and people with dementia. The findings demonstrate an unmet need for information on neuroimaging both before and after the examination. Carers were keen to know about neuroimaging at a practical and technical level to help avoid diagnosis denial. People with dementia requested greater information, but with a caveat to avoid overwhelming detail, and were less likely to favour an Internet resource.

  7. Breast-axillary complex in HIV/AIDS patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eni, U E; Naaya, H U; Yawe, K D T; Lawan, M A; Bakari, A A

    2010-01-01

    HIV/AIDS have not only increased the health care burden especially in developing countries, it equally complicates the presentation of many diseases. Some well known disease entities now occur in fulminant complexities not previously described or known as such. The objective of this article is to report an unusual presentation of HIV/AIDS patients to the surgeon with Axillary and ipsilateral breast swelling. This is a report of three cases seen and managed by the authors. Three adult female patients presented with progressively increasing axillary and ipsilateral breast swellings. They also had associated fevers and weight loss. Their main concern had been development of breast cancer. One of the patients was a known retroviral positive on Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART). Examination revealed axillary abscess and ipsilateral breast oedema in two cases. The patient on HAART had a hard breast-axillary mass complex. Biopsy (FNAB) revealed inflammatory cells and no malignancy in all three cases. HIV screening was positive in all cases. One of the patients had excision of breast-axillary mass complex, and the histology showed features of chronic inflammation, with no malignant cells. The other two had incision and drainage of their axillary abscess. This shows the ubiquitous presentation of HIV/AIDS in our environment and surgeons should be aware of the breast axillary complex in HIV/AIDS. Medical practitioners should be careful to obtain accurate diagnosis before embarking on treatment especially mutilating surgical procedures.

  8. Thyroid hormone levels in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS-related complex.

    OpenAIRE

    Tang, W W; Kaptein, E M

    1989-01-01

    Hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction and thyroid gland cytomegalovirus inclusions have been described in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related complex (ARC). We evaluated 80 patients with AIDS or ARC for the frequency of hypothalamic-pituitary or thyroid gland failure and altered serum thyroid hormone levels due to nonthyroidal disorders. One patient had subclinical hypothyroidism. Of these patients, 60% had low free triiodothyronine (T3) index values and ...

  9. Nuclear medicine in the management of the aids patient

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kramer, E.L.; Sanger, J.J.

    1995-01-01

    For the medical diagnostic imaging specialist in general, and for the nuclear medicine physician specifically, the AIDS epidemic has generated an enormous demand to develop a means of making early diagnoses of the complications of AIDS. For the most part this has meant the early detection, and when possible, the characterization of the opportunistic infections and neoplasms that are a major source of morbidity and mortality for the AIDS patient. Detection of opportunistic infections has been helpful in reclassifying HIV-seropositive patients as having AIDS. This paper reports on nuclear medicine used to evaluate the efficacy and the complications of treatment in human immunodeficiency virus infection. Most recently, functional brain imaging has been used for the diagnosis and follow-up of the AIDS dementia complex. (author). 77 refs., 8 figs

  10. Correlation between depression and burden observed in informal caregivers of people suffering from dementia with time spent on caregiving and dementia severity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gregersen, Rikke

    2016-01-01

    The aim of thestudy is to compare data on the examined populationof informal caregivers of people sufferingfrom dementia with previous studies, aswell as to assess the correlation between (i) depressiondetermined on the basis of the Centerfor Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scaleand (ii) caregiver...... dementia fromdifferent backgrounds were evaluated usingthe Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale and the Centerfor Epidemiologic Studies DepressionScale. Demographic data about the time devotedto caregiving and the number of hoursspend on caregiving weekly were gathered. Thetype of dementia and its stage were...... registeredusing the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS).With the aid of the Statistica StatSoft program,mutual correlations between the parameterswere measured. The study was conducted withinthe framework of AAL UnderstAID – a platformthat supports and helps to understandand assist caregivers in the care...

  11. Cognitive impairment of dementias

    OpenAIRE

    Medina, L. D.; Rodríguez-Agudelo, Yaneth

    2012-01-01

    Dementia is a clinical syndrome characterized by a loss of cognitive and emotional abilities of sufficient severity to infer with social or occupational functioning, or both. Although the causes of dementia and characteristics are not always fully understood, it is understood that it is not a natural part of aging. Definitive diagnosis of dementia is made only through the autopsy and although the diagnosis of probable or possible dementia is complex is achieved by the intervention of several ...

  12. Awareness of financial skills in dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Wielingen, L E; Tuokko, H A; Cramer, K; Mateer, C A; Hultsch, D F

    2004-07-01

    The present study examined the relations among levels of cognitive functioning, executive dysfunction, and awareness of financial management capabilities among a sample of 42 community-dwelling persons with dementia. Financial tasks on the Measure of Awareness of Financial Skills (MAFS) were dichotomized as simple or complex based on Piaget's operational levels of childhood cognitive development. Severity of global cognitive impairment and executive dysfunction were significantly related to awareness of financial abilities as measured by informant-participant discrepancy scores on the MAFS. For persons with mild and moderate/severe dementia, and persons with and without executive dysfunction, proportions of awareness within simple and complex financial task categories were tabulated. Significantly less awareness of financial abilities occurred on complex compared with simple tasks. Individuals with mild dementia were significantly less aware of abilities on complex items, whereas persons with moderate/severe dementia were less aware of abilities, regardless of task complexity. Similar patterns of awareness were observed for individuals with and without executive dysfunction. These findings support literature suggesting that deficits associated with dementia first occur for complex cognitive tasks involving inductive reasoning or decision-making in novel situations, and identify where loss of function in the financial domain may first be expected. Copyright Taylor & Francis Ltd

  13. A dementia first aid course for family carers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pogson, Richard

    Many people with dementia are cared for by family members, who may receive little advice or support. This article describes a course developed to help carers deal with frustrating and challenging behaviour.

  14. Microbial translocation is associated with increased monocyte activation and dementia in AIDS patients.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Petronela Ancuta

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Elevated plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS, an indicator of microbial translocation from the gut, is a likely cause of systemic immune activation in chronic HIV infection. LPS induces monocyte activation and trafficking into brain, which are key mechanisms in the pathogenesis of HIV-associated dementia (HAD. To determine whether high LPS levels are associated with increased monocyte activation and HAD, we obtained peripheral blood samples from AIDS patients and examined plasma LPS by Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL assay, peripheral blood monocytes by FACS, and soluble markers of monocyte activation by ELISA. Purified monocytes were isolated by FACS sorting, and HIV DNA and RNA levels were quantified by real time PCR. Circulating monocytes expressed high levels of the activation markers CD69 and HLA-DR, and harbored low levels of HIV compared to CD4(+ T-cells. High plasma LPS levels were associated with increased plasma sCD14 and LPS-binding protein (LBP levels, and low endotoxin core antibody levels. LPS levels were higher in HAD patients compared to control groups, and were associated with HAD independently of plasma viral load and CD4 counts. LPS levels were higher in AIDS patients using intravenous heroin and/or ethanol, or with Hepatitis C virus (HCV co-infection, compared to control groups. These results suggest a role for elevated LPS levels in driving monocyte activation in AIDS, thereby contributing to the pathogenesis of HAD, and provide evidence that cofactors linked to substance abuse and HCV co-infection influence these processes.

  15. Dementia, Decision Making, and Capacity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darby, R Ryan; Dickerson, Bradford C

    After participating in this activity, learners should be better able to:• Assess the neuropsychological literature on decision making and the medical and legal assessment of capacity in patients with dementia• Identify the limitations of integrating findings from decision-making research into capacity assessments for patients with dementia ABSTRACT: Medical and legal professionals face the challenge of assessing capacity and competency to make medical, legal, and financial decisions in dementia patients with impaired decision making. While such assessments have classically focused on the capacity for complex reasoning and executive functions, research in decision making has revealed that motivational and metacognitive processes are also important. We first briefly review the neuropsychological literature on decision making and on the medical and legal assessment of capacity. Next, we discuss the limitations of integrating findings from decision-making research into capacity assessments, including the group-to-individual inference problem, the unclear role of neuroimaging in capacity assessments, and the lack of capacity measures that integrate important facets of decision making. Finally, we present several case examples where we attempt to demonstrate the potential benefits and important limitations of using decision-making research to aid in capacity determinations.

  16. Standardized evaluation of algorithms for computer-aided diagnosis of dementia based on structural MRI

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bron, Esther E.; Smits, Marion; van der Flier, Wiesje M.

    2015-01-01

    algorithms based on a clinically representative multi-center data set. Using clinical practice as the starting point, the goal was to reproduce the clinical diagnosis. Therefore, we evaluated algorithms for multi-class classification of three diagnostic groups: patients with probable Alzheimer's disease...... of aging). The best performing algorithm yielded an accuracy of 63.0% and an area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve (AUC) of 78.8%. In general, the best performances were achieved using feature extraction based on voxel-based morphometry or a combination of features that included volume......Abstract Algorithms for computer-aided diagnosis of dementia based on structural MRI have demonstrated high performance in the literature, but are difficult to compare as different data sets and methodology were used for evaluation. In addition, it is unclear how the algorithms would perform...

  17. Depression-dementia medius: between depression and the manifestation of dementia symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobayashi, Toshiyuki; Kato, Satoshi

    2011-09-01

    Depression and dementia, among the most common conditions in clinical practice, sometimes coexist, sometimes succeed each other, and often confuse clinicians. In the present paper, the clinical concept of 'depression-dementia medius' (which includes pseudodementia and depression in Alzheimer's disease as exemplars) is proposed, in reference to Janet's concept of psychological tension. Because psychosomatically complex human lives are always in a state of dynamic equilibrium, it seems sensible to propose that pseudodementia and depression in Alzheimer's disease are located within a spectrum extending from depression without dementia symptoms to dementia without depression. From the Janetian viewpoint, pseudodementia is regarded as uncovered latent dementia as a result of reduced psychological tension. Dementia is more than a fixed progressive condition under this view, and is a manifestation of dynamic mental activities. Characterizing these entities through perspectives such as psychological tension may yield deep insights in clinical practice. © 2011 The Authors. Psychogeriatrics © 2011 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

  18. Intrathecal synthesis of antibodies to HTLV-III in patients without AIDS or AIDS related complex

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goudsmit, J.; Wolters, E. C.; Bakker, M.; Smit, L.; van der Noordaa, J.; Hische, E. A.; Tutuarima, J. A.; van der Helm, H. J.

    1986-01-01

    De novo synthesis in the central nervous system of IgG antibodies to human T cell lymphotropic virus type III (HTLV-III) (lymphadenopathy associated virus) was shown in seven of 10 seropositive men who had syphilis but not the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS related complex. None

  19. Differential Classification of Dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. Mohr

    1995-01-01

    Full Text Available In the absence of biological markers, dementia classification remains complex both in terms of characterization as well as early detection of the presence or absence of dementing symptoms, particularly in diseases with possible secondary dementia. An empirical, statistical approach using neuropsychological measures was therefore developed to distinguish demented from non-demented patients and to identify differential patterns of cognitive dysfunction in neurodegenerative disease. Age-scaled neurobehavioral test results (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised and Wechsler Memory Scale from Alzheimer's (AD and Huntington's (HD patients, matched for intellectual disability, as well as normal controls were used to derive a classification formula. Stepwise discriminant analysis accurately (99% correct distinguished controls from demented patients, and separated the two patient groups (79% correct. Variables discriminating between HD and AD patient groups consisted of complex psychomotor tasks, visuospatial function, attention and memory. The reliability of the classification formula was demonstrated with a new, independent sample of AD and HD patients which yielded virtually identical results (classification accuracy for dementia: 96%; AD versus HD: 78%. To validate the formula, the discriminant function was applied to Parkinson's (PD patients, 38% of whom were classified as demented. The validity of the classification was demonstrated by significant PD subgroup differences on measures of dementia not included in the discriminant function. Moreover, a majority of demented PD patients (65% were classified as having an HD-like pattern of cognitive deficits, in line with previous reports of the subcortical nature of PD dementia. This approach may thus be useful in classifying presence or absence of dementia and in discriminating between dementia subtypes in cases of secondary or coincidental dementia.

  20. Dementia wander garden aids post cerebrovascular stroke restorative therapy: a case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Detweiler, Mark B; Warf, Carlena

    2005-01-01

    An increasing amount of literature suggests the positive effects of nature in healthcare. The extended life expectancy in the US and the consequent need for long-term care indicates a future need for restorative therapy innovations to reduce the expense associated with long-term care. Moving carefully selected stroke patients' sessions to the peaceful setting of a dementia wander garden, with its designed paths and natural stimuli, may be beneficial. Natural settings have been shown to improve attention and reduce stress--both important therapy objectives in many post-stroke rehabilitation programs. In this case study, using the dementia wander garden for restorative therapy of a non-dementia patient was a novel idea for the restorative therapy group, which does not have a horticultural therapy program. The dementia wander garden stage of the post-stroke rehabilitation helped the patient through a period of treatment resistance. The garden provided both an introduction to the patient's goal of outdoor rehabilitation and a less threatening environment than the long-term care facility hallways. In part because the patient was less self-conscious about manifesting his post-stroke neurological deficits, falling, and being viewed as handicapped when in the dementia wander garden setting, he was able to resume his treatment plan and finish his restorative therapy. In many physical and mental rehabilitation plans, finding a treatment modality that will motivate an individual to participate is a principal goal. Use of a dementia wander garden may help some patients achieve this goal in post-stroke restorative therapy.

  1. Decision aids for respite service choices by carers of people with dementia: development and pilot RCT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stirling Christine

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Decision aids are often used to assist individuals confronted with a diagnosis of a serious illness to make decisions about treatment options. However, they are rarely utilised to help those with chronic or age related conditions to make decisions about care services. Decision aids should also be useful for carers of people with decreased decisional capacity. These carers' choices must balance health outcomes for themselves and for salient others with relational and value-based concerns, while relying on information from health professionals. This paper reports on a study that both developed and pilot tested a decision aid aimed at assisting carers to make evaluative judgements of community services, particularly respite care. Methods A mixed method sequential study, involving qualitative development and a pilot randomised controlled trial, was conducted in Tasmania, Australia. We undertook 13 semi-structured interviews and three focus groups to inform the development of the decision aid. For the randomised control trial we randomly assigned 31 carers of people with dementia to either receive the service decision aid at the start or end of the study. The primary outcome was measured by comparing the difference in carer burden between the two groups three months after the intervention group received the decision aid. Pilot data was collected from carers using interviewer-administered questionnaires at the commencement of the project, two weeks and 12 weeks later. Results The qualitative data strongly suggest that the intervention provides carers with needed decision support. Most carers felt that the decision aid was useful. The trial data demonstrated that, using the mean change between baseline and three month follow-up, the intervention group had less increase in burden, a decrease in decisional conflict and increased knowledge compared to control group participants. Conclusions While these results must be interpreted with

  2. Dysfunctions associated with dementia and their treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roksana Malak

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available [u]International UnderstAID project shows[/u] the role of physiotherapist in patients with dementia as divided into two branches: helping to resolve the physical problems and solving the problems related to dementia. The role of physiotherapist in dementia treatment may be divided into two branches: helping to resolve the physical problems and solving the problems related to dementia. The physical problems consider such aspects as musculoskeletal disorders, mobility dysfunction and pain. Referring to musculoskeletal problems, the interventions of physical therapists should included whole-body progressive resistance exercise training, strengthening, “range-of-motion” and stretching exercises and transfer training. Mobility disorders are associated with physical symptoms such as: rigidity, balance problem, shuffling gait. Decreased mobility can be based on unrelieved pain. These are some crucial scales which are designed to detected the pain. For instance, The Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, massage or exercises can be provide to reduce the pain in patients with dementia. Physiotherapy in dementia treatment influences not only physical functions but also the maintenance or progression of cognitive abilities of demented elderly subjects

  3. Psychosocial Practices that Enhance Cognitive Activity in Dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neslihan Lok

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The daily lives of individuals with dementia, cognitive aspects need to be strengthened in order to maintain the quality. For this reason, dementia, cognitive, psycho-social applications there is a need to increase activity. Dementia drug treatment interventions used as an aid to increase cognitive activity. These interventions, behavior, emotion, perception and stimulation-oriented approaches can be classified into four groups. Dementia cognitive enhancer activity and an older group, this intervention and dissemination practices for selecting the most appropriate method to be applied. All psychosocial practices to increase cognitive activity psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse specialists, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists can with the condition to study the relevant therapy. [Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2014; 6(3.000: 210-216

  4. Improving Decision Making for Feeding Options in Advanced Dementia: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanson, Laura C.; Carey, Timothy S.; Caprio, Anthony J.; Lee, Tae Joon; Ersek, Mary; Garrett, Joanne; Jackman, Anne; Gilliam, Robin; Wessell, Kathryn; Mitchell, Susan L.

    2011-01-01

    Background Feeding problems are common in dementia, and decision-makers have limited understanding of treatment options. Objectives To test whether a decision aid improves quality of decision-making about feeding options in advanced dementia. Design Cluster randomized controlled trial. Setting 24 nursing homes in North Carolina Participants Residents with advanced dementia and feeding problems and their surrogates. Intervention Intervention surrogates received an audio or print decision aid on feeding options in advanced dementia. Controls received usual care. Measurements Primary outcome was the Decisional Conflict Scale (range 1–5) measured at 3 months; other main outcomes were surrogate knowledge, frequency of communication with providers, and feeding treatment use. Results 256 residents and surrogate decision-makers were recruited. Residents’ average age was 85; 67% were Caucasian and 79% were women. Surrogates’ average age was 59; 67% were Caucasian, and 70% were residents’ children. The intervention improved knowledge scores (16.8 vs 15.1, paid about feeding options in advanced dementia reduced decisional conflict for surrogates and increased their knowledge and communication about feeding options with providers. PMID:22091750

  5. Collage as a Therapeutic Modality for Reminiscence in Patients with Dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woolhiser Stallings, Jessica

    2010-01-01

    Traditional therapy, with its emphasis on verbal communication between therapist and client, may not be appropriate for patients with dementia due to impaired cognitive and verbal abilities. This brief report presents a qualitative study on the use of collage in art therapy to aid in the process of reminiscence in individuals with dementia. Data…

  6. Narratives of health and illness: Arts-based research capturing the lived experience of dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moss, Hilary; O'Neill, Desmond

    2017-01-01

    Introduction This paper presents three artists' residencies in a geriatric medicine unit in a teaching hospital. The aim of the residencies was creation of new work of high artistic quality reflecting the lived experience of the person with dementia and greater understanding of service user experience of living with dementia. This paper also explores arts-based research methodologies in a medical setting. Method Arts-based research and narrative enquiry were the method used in this study. Artists had extensive access to service users with dementia, family carers and clinical team. Projects were created through collaboration between clinical staff, arts and health director, artist, patients and family carers. Each performance was accompanied by a public seminar discussing dementia. Evaluations were undertaken following each residency. The process of creating artistic responses to dementia is outlined, presented and discussed. Results The artworks were well received with repeat performances and exhibitions requested. Evaluations of each residency indicated increased understanding of dementia. The narratives within the artworks aided learning about dementia. The results are a new chamber music composition, a series of visual artworks created collaboratively between visual artist and patients and family carers and a dance film inspired by a dancer's residency, all created through narrative enquiry. These projects support the role of arts-based research as creative process and qualitative research method which contributes to illuminating and exploring the lived experience of dementia. The arts act as a reflective tool for learning and understanding a complex health condition, as well as creating opportunities for increased understanding and public awareness of dementia. Issues arising in arts-based research in medical settings are highlighted, including ethical issues, the importance of service user narrative and multidisciplinary collaboration in arts and health

  7. UnderstAID, an ICT Platform to Help Informal Caregivers of People with Dementia: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Núñez-Naveira, Laura; Alonso-Búa, Begoña; de Labra, Carmen; Gregersen, Rikke; Maibom, Kirsten; Mojs, Ewa; Krawczyk-Wasielewska, Agnieszka; Millán-Calenti, José Carlos

    2016-01-01

    Information and communications technology (ICT) could support ambient assisted living (AAL) based interventions to provide support to informal caregivers of people with dementia, especially when they need to cope with their feelings of overburden or isolation. An e-learning platform (understAID application) was tested by informal caregivers from Denmark, Poland, and Spain to explore the technical and the pedagogical specifications, as well as evaluating the impact of its use on the psychological status of the participants. 61 informal caregivers completed the study taking part in the experimental ( n = 30) or control ( n = 31) groups. 33.3% of the caregivers were satisfied with the application and around 50% of the participants assessed it as technically and pedagogically acceptable. After using understAID the caregivers in the experimental group significantly decreased their depressive symptomatology according to the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale, but a possible benefit on their feelings of competence and satisfaction with the caring experience was also observed. The low scores obtained for satisfaction were highlighting issues that need to be modified to meet the informal caregivers' needs in national, social, and cultural context. Some possible biases are also considered and discussed to be taken into account in future improvements of understAID application.

  8. Cerebral blood flow changes in Parkinson's disease associated with dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Derejko, M.; Lass, P.; Slawek, J.; Nyka, W.M.

    2001-01-01

    Dementia is one of the main non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) and it is diagnosed in about 30% of cases. Its aetiology remains unclear and contributing factors are controversial. Dementia may be more common in old patients with severe motor symptoms and mild cognitive impairment. Clinico-pathological studies show the association between dementia in PD and the age-related group of dementias, such as AD and VaD. A valuable aid in the assessment of dementia in PD is cerebral blood flow (CBF) brain SPECT scanning. It shows three different patterns of rCBF reduction, including frontal lobe hypoperfusion, iu Alzheimer-likel type of hypoperfusion and multiple, vascular defects. The heterogeneity of rCBF reduction may reflect the multifactorial pathophysiology of dementia in PD. It may result from concomitant AD pathology, cerebrovascular disease, destruction of nigro-striato-frontal projection or may be a distinct disease of different aetiology. (author)

  9. Risk of AIDS related complex and AIDS in homosexual men with persistent HIV antigenaemia.

    OpenAIRE

    de Wolf, F; Goudsmit, J; Paul, D A; Lange, J M; Hooijkaas, C; Schellekens, P; Coutinho, R A; van der Noordaa, J

    1987-01-01

    One hundred and ninety eight men seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody and 58 HIV antibody seroconverters were studied for an average of 19.3 (SEM 0.5) months to assess the relation between HIV antigenaemia and the risk of developing the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS related complex. Forty (20.2%) of the 198 HIV antibody seropositive men were antigen positive at entry and remained so during follow up. Eight (13.8%) of the 58 HIV antibody seroconver...

  10. Complex Chemical Reaction Networks from Heuristics-Aided Quantum Chemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rappoport, Dmitrij; Galvin, Cooper J; Zubarev, Dmitry Yu; Aspuru-Guzik, Alán

    2014-03-11

    While structures and reactivities of many small molecules can be computed efficiently and accurately using quantum chemical methods, heuristic approaches remain essential for modeling complex structures and large-scale chemical systems. Here, we present a heuristics-aided quantum chemical methodology applicable to complex chemical reaction networks such as those arising in cell metabolism and prebiotic chemistry. Chemical heuristics offer an expedient way of traversing high-dimensional reactive potential energy surfaces and are combined here with quantum chemical structure optimizations, which yield the structures and energies of the reaction intermediates and products. Application of heuristics-aided quantum chemical methodology to the formose reaction reproduces the experimentally observed reaction products, major reaction pathways, and autocatalytic cycles.

  11. When Rey-Osterrieth’s Complex Figure Becomes a Church: Prevalence and Correlates of Graphic Confabulations in Dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oriana Pelati

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Verbal confabulation (VC has been described in several pathological conditions characterized by amnesia and has been defined as ‘statements that involve distortion of memories’. Here we describe another kind of confabulation (graphic confabulation, GC, evident at the recall of the Rey-Osterrieth complex figure (ROCF. In a retrospective study of 267 patients with mild-to-moderate dementia, 14 patients (4.9 % recalled the abstract ROCF as drawings with recognizable semantic meaning. VC was evident at the story recall test in 19.8% of the study participants. VC and GC were homogeneously distributed among the different types of dementia. VC has been proposed to originate from complex interactions of amnesia, motivational deficit and dysfunction of monitoring systems. On the contrary, GC seems to be the result of a deficit in visual memory replaced by the semantic translation of isolated parts of the ROCF along with a source monitoring deficit.

  12. Multiparametric computer-aided differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia using structural and advanced MRI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bron, Esther E.; Klein, Stefan; Smits, Marion; Steketee, Rebecca M.E.; Meijboom, Rozanna; Papma, Janne M.; Swieten, John C. van; Groot, Marius de; Niessen, Wiro J.

    2017-01-01

    To investigate the added diagnostic value of arterial spin labelling (ASL) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to structural MRI for computer-aided classification of Alzheimer's disease (AD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and controls. This retrospective study used MRI data from 24 early-onset AD and 33 early-onset FTD patients and 34 controls (CN). Classification was based on voxel-wise feature maps derived from structural MRI, ASL, and DTI. Support vector machines (SVMs) were trained to classify AD versus CN (AD-CN), FTD-CN, AD-FTD, and AD-FTD-CN (multi-class). Classification performance was assessed by the area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve (AUC) and accuracy. Using SVM significance maps, we analysed contributions of brain regions. Combining ASL and DTI with structural MRI resulted in higher classification performance for differential diagnosis of AD and FTD (AUC = 84%; p = 0.05) than using structural MRI by itself (AUC = 72%). The performance of ASL and DTI themselves did not improve over structural MRI. The classifications were driven by different brain regions for ASL and DTI than for structural MRI, suggesting complementary information. ASL and DTI are promising additions to structural MRI for classification of early-onset AD, early-onset FTD, and controls, and may improve the computer-aided differential diagnosis on a single-subject level. (orig.)

  13. Value assessment aid to complex decision making. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Humphress, G.; Lewis, E.

    1982-07-01

    Value assessment (VA) is a new decision aid that can improve the performance of decisionmakers confronted with multiple attributes and conflicting objectives. Managers who are not supported by formal decision aids turn to various ''satisficing'' or effort-reducing biases that can lead to serious errors in the decisionmaking process. Value assessment, on the other hand, is an optimizing approach to problem-solving behavior. VA helps decisionmakers overcome the tendency to turn to effort-reducing biases by reducing the complexity of making tradeoffs and weighing all available information. Many of the issues which confront modern electric utility managements are complex, multiple attribute problems which must be viewed from engineering, financial and socio-political perspectives simultaneously. Added to this are the complications contributed by factors like uncertainty, risk, incomplete information and conflicting objectives among the public it serves. This is the complex decisionmaking arena which VA is intended to support

  14. Smoking, dementia and cognitive decline in the elderly, a systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Burch Lisa

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Nicotine may aid reaction time, learning and memory, but smoking increases cardiovascular risk. Cardiovascular risk factors have been linked to increased risk of dementia. A previous meta-analysis found that current smokers were at higher risk of subsequent dementia, Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and cognitive decline. Methods In order to update and examine this further a systematic review and meta-analysis was carried out using different search and inclusion criteria, database selection and more recent publications. Both reviews were restricted to those aged 65 and over. Results The review reported here found a significantly increased risk of Alzheimer's disease with current smoking and a likely but not significantly increased risk of vascular dementia, dementia unspecified and cognitive decline. Neither review found clear relationships with former smoking. Conclusion Current smoking increases risk of Alzheimer's disease and may increase risk of other dementias. This reinforces need for smoking cessation, particularly aged 65 and over. Nicotine alone needs further investigation.

  15. FlexAID: Revisiting Docking on Non-Native-Complex Structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaudreault, Francis; Najmanovich, Rafael J

    2015-07-27

    Small-molecule protein docking is an essential tool in drug design and to understand molecular recognition. In the present work we introduce FlexAID, a small-molecule docking algorithm that accounts for target side-chain flexibility and utilizes a soft scoring function, i.e. one that is not highly dependent on specific geometric criteria, based on surface complementarity. The pairwise energy parameters were derived from a large dataset of true positive poses and negative decoys from the PDBbind database through an iterative process using Monte Carlo simulations. The prediction of binding poses is tested using the widely used Astex dataset as well as the HAP2 dataset, while performance in virtual screening is evaluated using a subset of the DUD dataset. We compare FlexAID to AutoDock Vina, FlexX, and rDock in an extensive number of scenarios to understand the strengths and limitations of the different programs as well as to reported results for Glide, GOLD, and DOCK6 where applicable. The most relevant among these scenarios is that of docking on flexible non-native-complex structures where as is the case in reality, the target conformation in the bound form is not known a priori. We demonstrate that FlexAID, unlike other programs, is robust against increasing structural variability. FlexAID obtains equivalent sampling success as GOLD and performs better than AutoDock Vina or FlexX in all scenarios against non-native-complex structures. FlexAID is better than rDock when there is at least one critical side-chain movement required upon ligand binding. In virtual screening, FlexAID results are lower on average than those of AutoDock Vina and rDock. The higher accuracy in flexible targets where critical movements are required, intuitive PyMOL-integrated graphical user interface and free source code as well as precompiled executables for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS make FlexAID a welcome addition to the arsenal of existing small-molecule protein docking methods.

  16. Complex decision making in patients with dementia in an internal medicine department.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kabelka, Ladislav

    2017-10-01

    With the increase of polymorbidity, extending life expectancy and improving treatment options for chronic diseases, the care for dementia is moving into other areas of medicine. The length and quality of life with advanced dementia is directly dependent on the quality of medical and nursing care, early detection and treatment of complications, nutritional support and palliative care plan. Significant is also the support for family carers. The key coordinators of care for patients with dementia are general practitioners (GPs), geriatricians, psychiatrists, and an increasingly important role play internists. Case reports of patients admitted to an internal medicine department. Description of clinical experiences with caring on patients with dementia. In the internal departments of regional hospitals, there is a room for adjustment of the care plan, for comprehensive assessment of the patient and for making crucial decisions regarding nutrition, treatment of chronic diseases, consideration of previously expressed wishes in the context of the patient condition, and potential prognostic indicators. This assessment must result in a comprehensive documentation and communication with patients, and in the case of advanced dementia with their family members. The general internal medicine is very often the first place where the patient has a chance to hear about indication for palliative care. Without the availability of a multidisciplinary assessment, good communication and documentation, it is unrealistic to expect that the hospital would provide comprehensive care for patients with dementia.

  17. TGF-β Suppression of HBV RNA through AID-Dependent Recruitment of an RNA Exosome Complex

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kitamura, Kouichi; Wang, Zhe; Chowdhury, Sajeda; Monjurul, Ahasan Md; Wakae, Kousho; Koura, Miki; Shimadu, Miyuki; Kinoshita, Kazuo; Muramatsu, Masamichi

    2015-01-01

    Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β inhibits hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication although the intracellular effectors involved are not determined. Here, we report that reduction of HBV transcripts by TGF-β is dependent on AID expression, which significantly decreases both HBV transcripts and viral DNA, resulting in inhibition of viral replication. Immunoprecipitation reveals that AID physically associates with viral P protein that binds to specific virus RNA sequence called epsilon. AID also binds to an RNA degradation complex (RNA exosome proteins), indicating that AID, RNA exosome, and P protein form an RNP complex. Suppression of HBV transcripts by TGF-β was abrogated by depletion of either AID or RNA exosome components, suggesting that AID and the RNA exosome involve in TGF-β mediated suppression of HBV RNA. Moreover, AID-mediated HBV reduction does not occur when P protein is disrupted or when viral transcription is inhibited. These results suggest that induced expression of AID by TGF-β causes recruitment of the RNA exosome to viral RNP complex and the RNA exosome degrades HBV RNA in a transcription-coupled manner. PMID:25836330

  18. Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in dementia: A qualitative study of the views of former dementia carers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomlinson, Emily; Spector, Aimee; Nurock, Shirley; Stott, Joshua

    2015-09-01

    Despite media and academic interest on assisted dying in dementia, little is known of the views of those directly affected. This study explored the views of former carers on assisted dying in dementia. This was a qualitative study using thematic analysis. A total of 16 former carers of people with dementia were recruited through national dementia charities and participated in semi-structured interviews. While many supported the individual's right to die, the complexity of assisted dying in dementia was emphasized. Existential, physical, psychological and psychosocial aspects of suffering were identified as potential reasons to desire an assisted death. Most believed it would help to talk with a trained health professional if contemplating an assisted death. Health workers should be mindful of the holistic experience of dementia at the end of life. The psychological and existential aspects of suffering should be addressed, as well as relief of physical pain. Further research is required. © The Author(s) 2015.

  19. Observed Hearing Loss and Incident Dementia in a Multiethnic Cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golub, Justin S; Luchsinger, José A; Manly, Jennifer J; Stern, Yaakov; Mayeux, Richard; Schupf, Nicole

    2017-08-01

    To determine whether observed hearing loss (OHL) is associated with incident dementia in a multiethnic population. Prospective epidemiological cohort study. Community in northern Manhattan. Participants in the Washington Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project, a longitudinal study on aging and dementia in an ethnically diverse community (n = 1,881). OHL was defined when the examiner observed it or according to self-reported hearing aid use. A consensus panel diagnosed dementia using standard research criteria. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine the relationship between OHL at baseline and risk of incident dementia (mean 7.3 ± 4.4 years of longitudinal followup, range 0.9-20 years). OHL was associated with 1.69 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.3-2.3, P < .010) times the risk of incident dementia, adjusting for demographic characteristics, cardiovascular risk factors, apolipoprotein E4 genotype, and stroke. When stratified according to race, the association between OHL and incident dementia was high in all groups but was statistically significant only in blacks (hazard ratio = 2.62, 95% CI = 1.5-4.5, P < .010). OHL was associated with greater risk of incident dementia in a multiethnic cohort. More study is needed to determine whether HL contributes to dementia and whether treating HL can reduce the risk of dementia. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

  20. A review of ethical issues in dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Rebecca A; Karlawish, Jason

    2015-10-01

    Dementia raises many ethical issues. The present review, taking note of the fact that the stages of dementia raise distinct ethical issues, focuses on three issues associated with stages of dementia's progression: (1) how the emergence of preclinical and asymptomatic but at-risk categories for dementia creates complex questions about preventive measures, risk disclosure, and protection from stigma and discrimination; (2) how despite efforts at dementia prevention, important research continues to investigate ways to alleviate clinical dementia's symptoms, and requires additional human subjects protections to ethically enroll persons with dementia; and (3) how in spite of research and prevention efforts, persons continue to need to live with dementia. This review highlights two major themes. First is how expanding the boundaries of dementias such as Alzheimer's to include asymptomatic but at-risk persons generate new ethical questions. One promising way to address these questions is to take an integrated approach to dementia ethics, which can include incorporating ethics-related data collection into the design of a dementia research study itself. Second is the interdisciplinary nature of ethical questions related to dementia, from health policy questions about insurance coverage for long-term care to political questions about voting, driving, and other civic rights and privileges to economic questions about balancing an employer's right to a safe and productive workforce with an employee's rights to avoid discrimination on the basis of their dementia risk. The review highlights these themes and emerging ethical issues in dementia.

  1. Social care and support needs of community-dwelling people with dementia and concurrent visual impairment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nyman, Samuel Robert; Innes, Anthea; Heward, Michelle

    2017-09-01

    This study explored the social care and support needs of people with dementia and visual impairment, and the barriers and facilitators for meeting these needs. Twenty-six semi-structured interviews were conducted: 21 joint and 5 individual interviews with the person with dementia and visual impairment (n=4) or their family/paid carer (n=1). Interviews were analysed thematically. Three themes are presented. (1) Social care needs: having dementia can reduce an individual's ability to cope with their visual impairment, and lead to increased dependency and reduced daily stimulation. (2) Barriers to using technology to meet social care needs: difficulties were reported with learning to use unfamiliar technology and the cost of visual impairment aids, and for some, the presence of dementia made visual impairment aids unusable and vice versa. (3) Familiarity as a facilitator for meeting social care needs: living at home or taking furnishings and ornaments into a new home facilitated independence, and continuity of paid carers/volunteers facilitated the caring relationship between the individual and staff/volunteer. Care workers will better serve older people if they are aware of the social care and support needs that arise from having both dementia and visual impairment.

  2. Non-electronic communication aids for people with complex communication needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iacono, Teresa; Lyon, Katie; West, Denise

    2011-10-01

    Non-electronic communication aids provide one form of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for people with complex communication needs. The aim here was to explore non-electronic communication aids as one AAC option and research challenges. This aim was addressed by reviewing funding for the provision of AAC systems, data from an Australian pilot project providing non-electronic communication aids, an audit of aided AAC published studies (2000-2009), and discussion of the review literature. Combined, these sources indicate that although there is great demand for non-electronic communication aids, funding schemes, both in Australia and internationally, have focused on electronic communication aids. Such funding has usually failed to meet the total device costs and has not provided for adequate speech-language pathology support. Data from the pilot indicated the demand for non-electronic communication aids, and patterns suggest potential factors that govern the types selected. Despite the high demand for non-electronic aids, the research literature has tended to focus on electronic communication aids, including within intervention studies and addressing design features and long-term outcomes. Concerns about ensuring that AAC systems are chosen according to the assessed needs of individuals are discussed within the context of limitations in outcomes research and appropriate outcome measures.

  3. Technology-based tools and services for people with dementia and carers: Mapping technology onto the dementia care pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorenz, Klara; Freddolino, Paul P; Comas-Herrera, Adelina; Knapp, Martin; Damant, Jacqueline

    2017-01-01

    The extent to which technology may be able to support people with dementia and their carers along the care pathway and in different care settings is of interest to policy makers and governments. In this paper we provide an overview of the role of technology in dementia care, treatment and support by mapping existing technologies - by function, target user and disease progression. Technologies identified are classified into seven functions: memory support, treatment, safety and security, training, care delivery, social interaction and other. Different groups of potential users are distinguished: people with mild cognitive impairment and early stages of dementia, people with moderate to severe dementia and unpaid carers and health- and social care professionals. We also identified the care settings, in which the technologies are used (or for which the technologies are developed): at home in the community and in institutional care settings. The evidence has been drawn from a rapid review of the literature, expert interviews and web and social media searches. The largest number of technologies identified aim to enhance the safety and security of people with dementia living in the community. These devices are often passive monitors, such as smoke detectors. Other safety interventions, such as panic buttons, require active intervention. The second largest number of interventions aims to enhance people's memory and includes global positioning systems devices and voice prompts. These technologies mostly target people in the early stages of dementia. A third group focusing on treatment and care delivery emerged from the literature. These interventions focus on technology-aided reminiscence or therapeutic aspects of care for people with dementia and their carers. While the review found a range of technologies available for people with dementia and carers there is very little evidence of widespread practical application. Instead, it appears that stakeholders frequently rely

  4. Measurement of Functional Cognition and Complex Everyday Activities in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Dementia: Validity of the Large Allen's Cognitive Level Screen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wesson, Jacqueline; Clemson, Lindy; Crawford, John D; Kochan, Nicole A; Brodaty, Henry; Reppermund, Simone

    2017-05-01

    To explore the validity of the Large Allen's Cognitive Level Screen-5 (LACLS-5) as a performance-based measure of functional cognition, representing an ability to perform complex everyday activities in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia living in the community. Using cross-sectional data from the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study, 160 community-dwelling older adults with normal cognition (CN; N = 87), MCI (N = 43), or dementia (N = 30) were studied. Functional cognition (LACLS-5), complex everyday activities (Disability Assessment for Dementia [DAD]), Assessment of Motor and Process Skills [AMPS]), and neuropsychological measures were used. Participants with dementia performed worse than CN on all clinical measures, and MCI participants were intermediate. Correlational analyses showed that LACLS-5 was most strongly related to AMPS Process scores, DAD instrumental activities of daily living subscale, Mini-Mental State Exam, Block Design, Logical Memory, and Trail Making Test B. Multiple regression analysis indicated that both cognitive (Block Design) and functional measures (AMPS Process score) and sex predicted LACLS-5 performance. Finally, LACLS-5 was able to adequately discriminate between CN and dementia and between MCI and dementia but was unable to reliably distinguish between CN and MCI. Construct validity, including convergent and discriminative validity, was supported. LACLS-5 is a valid performance-based measure for evaluating functional cognition. Discriminativevalidity is acceptable for identifying mild dementia but requires further refinement for detecting MCI. Copyright © 2017 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Dance movement therapy for dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karkou, Vicky; Meekums, Bonnie

    2017-02-03

    Dementia is a collective name for different degenerative brain syndromes which, according to Alzheimer's Disease International, affects approximately 35.6 million people worldwide. The latest NICE guideline for dementia highlights the value of diverse treatment options for the different stages and symptoms of dementia including non-pharmacological treatments. Relevant literature also argues for the value of interventions that acknowledge the complexity of the condition and address the person as a whole, including their physical, emotional, social and cognitive processes. At the same time, there is growing literature that highlights the capacity of the arts and embodied practices to address this complexity. Dance movement therapy is an embodied psychological intervention that can address complexity and thus, may be useful for people with dementia, but its effectiveness remains unclear. To assess the effects of dance movement therapy on behavioural, social, cognitive and emotional symptoms of people with dementia in comparison to no treatment, standard care or any other treatment. Also, to compare different forms of dance movement therapy (e.g. Laban-based dance movement therapy, Chacian dance movement therapy or Authentic Movement). Searches took place up to March 2016 through ALOIS, Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement's Specialized Register, which covers CENTRAL, a number of major healthcare databases and trial registers, and grey literature sources. We checked bibliographies of relevant studies and reviews, and contacted professional associations, educational programmes and experts from around the world. We considered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in any language, including cross-over design and cluster-RCTs for inclusion. Studies considered had to include people with dementia, in any age group and in any setting, with interventions delivered by a dance movement therapy practitioner who (i) had received formal training (ii) was a dance movement

  6. A Complex Relationship Between Suicide, Dementia, and Amyloid: A Narrative Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ismael Conejero

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Suicide rates are high among older adults and many conditions have been related to suicide in this population: chronic illnesses, physical disabilities, cancer, social isolation, mental disorders and neurocognitive disorders.Objectives: Among neurocognitive disorders, analysis of the relationships between dementia and suicidal behaviors led to conflicting results and some questions are still without answer. Particularly, it is not known whether (i Alzheimer's disease (AD increases the risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts (SA or the frequency of death by suicide; (ii the presence of suicidal ideation or SA in people older than 65 years of age is an early dementia sign; and (iii amyloid load in frontal areas facilitates SA by modifying the decision-making pathway.Methods: Therefore, in this narrative review, we searched the PubMed database using the medical subject heading (MeSH terms (“Suicide” AND “Depression” OR (“Amyloid” OR “Dementia” to identify recent (from 2000 to 2017 original studies on the links between suicidal behavior, dementia and brain amyloid load. We also explored the clinical and pathophysiological role of depression in these relationships.Results and Discussion: The findings from these studies suggest that late stage dementia could protect against suicidal ideation and SA. Conversely, the risk of complete suicide is increased during the early phase of cognitive decline.Conclusions: Serious cognitive impairment and decline of executive functions could protect against negative thoughts related to cognitive disability awareness and against suicide planning.Several factors, including brain amyloid load, could be involved in the increased suicide rate early after the diagnosis of dementia.

  7. Influence of organizational context on nursing home staff burnout: A cross-sectional survey of care aides in Western Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chamberlain, Stephanie A; Gruneir, Andrea; Hoben, Matthias; Squires, Janet E; Cummings, Greta G; Estabrooks, Carole A

    2017-06-01

    Our study examined care aide characteristics, organizational context, and frequency of dementia-related resident responsive behaviours associated with burnout. Burnout is the experience of emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and professional inefficacy. Care aide burnout has implications for turnover, staff health, and quality of care. We used surveys collected from 1194 care aides from 30 urban nursing homes in three Western Canadian provinces. We used a mixed-effects regression analysis to assess care aide characteristics, dementia-related responsive behaviours, unit and facility characteristics, and organizational context predictors of care aide burnout. We measured burnout using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Short Form. We found that care aides were at high risk for emotional exhaustion and cynicism, but report high professional efficacy. Statistically significant predictors of emotional exhaustion included English as a second language, medium facility size, organizational slack-staff, organizational slack-space, health (mental and physical) and dementia-related responsive behaviours. Statistically significant predictors of cynicism were care aide age, English as a second language, unit culture, evaluation (feedback of data), formal interactions, health (mental and physical) and dementia-related responsive behaviours. Statistically significant predictors of professional efficacy were unit culture and structural resources. Greater care aide job satisfaction was significantly associated with increased professional efficacy. This study suggests that individual care aide and organization features are both predictive of care aide burnout. Unlike care aide or structural characteristics of the facility elements of the organizational context are potentially modifiable, and therefore amenable to intervention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Development of a brain MRI-based hidden Markov model for dementia recognition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ying; Pham, Tuan D

    2013-01-01

    Dementia is an age-related cognitive decline which is indicated by an early degeneration of cortical and sub-cortical structures. Characterizing those morphological changes can help to understand the disease development and contribute to disease early prediction and prevention. But modeling that can best capture brain structural variability and can be valid in both disease classification and interpretation is extremely challenging. The current study aimed to establish a computational approach for modeling the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based structural complexity of the brain using the framework of hidden Markov models (HMMs) for dementia recognition. Regularity dimension and semi-variogram were used to extract structural features of the brains, and vector quantization method was applied to convert extracted feature vectors to prototype vectors. The output VQ indices were then utilized to estimate parameters for HMMs. To validate its accuracy and robustness, experiments were carried out on individuals who were characterized as non-demented and mild Alzheimer's diseased. Four HMMs were constructed based on the cohort of non-demented young, middle-aged, elder and demented elder subjects separately. Classification was carried out using a data set including both non-demented and demented individuals with a wide age range. The proposed HMMs have succeeded in recognition of individual who has mild Alzheimer's disease and achieved a better classification accuracy compared to other related works using different classifiers. Results have shown the ability of the proposed modeling for recognition of early dementia. The findings from this research will allow individual classification to support the early diagnosis and prediction of dementia. By using the brain MRI-based HMMs developed in our proposed research, it will be more efficient, robust and can be easily used by clinicians as a computer-aid tool for validating imaging bio-markers for early prediction of dementia.

  9. Opening up the DNA methylome of dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delgado-Morales, R; Esteller, M

    2017-04-01

    Dementia is a complex clinical condition characterized by several cognitive impairments that interfere with patient independence in executing everyday tasks. Various neurodegenerative disorders have dementia in common among their clinical manifestations. In addition, these diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia, share molecular alterations at the neuropathological level. In recent years, the field of neuroepigenetics has expanded massively and it is now clear that epigenetic processes, such as DNA methylation, are mechanisms involved in both normal and pathological brain function. Despite the persistent methodological and conceptual caveats, it has been reported that several genes fundamental to the development of neurodegenerative disorders are deregulated by aberrant methylation patterns of their promoters, and even common epigenetic signatures for some dementia-associated pathologies have been identified. Therefore, understanding the epigenetic mechanisms that are altered in dementia, especially those associated with the initial phases, will allow us not only to understand the etiopathology of dementia and its progression but also to design effective therapies to reduce this global public health problem. This review provides an in-depth summary of our current knowledge about DNA methylation in dementia, focusing exclusively on the analyses performed in human brain.

  10. ‘Hummingbird’ Sign in a Patient with Guam Parkinsonism-Dementia Complex

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tianrong Yeo

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available We present a case of a 71-year-old male Chamorro patient from Guam who presented with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP-Richardson’s syndrome. Considering his strong family history of parkinsonism and a PSP phenotype, he was clinically diagnosed with Guam parkinsonism-dementia complex (PDC. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI of the brain revealed prominent midbrain atrophy with preserved pontine volume, forming the ‘hummingbird’ sign, which has not been described before in Guam PDC. Molecular analysis of the chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 gene (C9orf72 showed only 6 GGGGCC repeats. We discuss the clinico-pathological similarities and differences between PSP and Guam PDC, and highlight the topography of neuropathological changes seen in Guam PDC to explain the appearance of the ‘hummingbird’ sign on MRI.

  11. Epidemiology and trend of neurological diseases associated to HIV/AIDS. Experience of Mexican patients 1995-2009.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramírez-Crescencio, M A; Velásquez-Pérez, L; Ramírez-Crescencio, María Antonieta; Velásquez-Pérez, Leora

    2013-08-01

    The aim of this study was to identify the main neurological conditions associated with HIV/AIDS in Mexican patients treated at the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery (NINN) in Mexico city, the main referral center for patients with disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system. An observational, transversal and descriptive analysis was performed. We reviewed the databases from the Department of Epidemiology and the medical records of patients with AIDS seen during the period from January 1st, 1995 to December 31, 2009. 320 patients were detected, the main conditions related to HIV/AIDS were brain toxoplasmosis (42%), cerebral criptoccocosis (28%), tuberculous meningitis (8.7%), linfoma no Hodking (3.75%), acute HIV infection (3.4%) and AIDS dementia complex (3%). No specific trend on morbility and mortality were detected during the period of study. In Mexico the most common neurological complications of HIV/AIDS are opportunistic infections. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Insights on dying, dementia and death certificates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vandormael, Sofie; Meirschaert, Alexander; Steyaert, Jan; De Lepeleire, Jan

    2018-01-01

    For our master thesis in medicine, we aimed to determine how many deaths were caused by and with dementia in 2014 and we compared our results with figures from abroad. The mortality rates of 2014 in Flanders were used to determine the amount of deaths related to dementia. These figures are collected by Vlaams Agentschap Zorg & Gezondheid (VAZG) and coded per ICD-10 classification. Of all deaths in Flanders in 2014, 6.60% were caused by dementia and 4.29% were caused by another condition, while also suffering from dementia. Data from abroad are ambiguous. While working on our thesis about "death & dementia", we questioned the reliability of mortality statistics. Possible explanations could be; the complexity of completing death certificates correctly and the challenges involved in properly constructing a chain of causes of death. The accuracy of mortality data can be improved by training and redrafting death certificates.

  13. Elder-clowning in long-term dementia care: Results of a pilot study

    OpenAIRE

    Kontos, Pia; Miller, Karen-Lee; Colobong, Romeo; Lazgare, Luis Ivan Palma; Binns, Malcolm; Low, Lee-Fay; Surr, Claire; Naglie, Gary

    2016-01-01

    To assess the effects of elder-clowning on moderate to severe behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in nursing home residents with dementia, primarily of the Alzheimer's type.Before-and-after study.Nursing home.Nursing home residents with moderate to severe BPSD, as defined according to a Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home version (NPI-NH) score of 10 or greater (N = 23), and their care aides.A pair of elder-clowns visited all residents twice weekly (~10 minutes per vi...

  14. Association of serum vitamin D with the risk of incident dementia and subclinical indices of brain aging the framingham heart study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Background: Identifying nutrition- and lifestyle-based risk factors for cognitive impairment and dementia may aid future primary prevention efforts. Objective: We aimed to examine the association of serum vitamin D levels with incident all-cause dementia, clinically characterized Alzheimer's disease...

  15. Visually-aided smart kitchen environment for elderly suffering from dementia

    OpenAIRE

    Li, Y. (Yahui)

    2013-01-01

    Abstract This thesis was part of smart kitchen project, it aimed to use current technology to facilitate senior citizens with mild dementia’s cooking process in the kitchen. As different senior citizens with mild dementia had different living habit and kitchen environment, smart kitchen had context aware and learning ability to adapt itself to fit senior citizens with mild dementia’s habit and living condition to assist the...

  16. A correlation of clinical, MRI and brain SPECT in dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shelley, S.; Indirani, M.; Gokhale, S.; Anirudhan, N.; Sivakumar, M.R.; Jaganathan, K.

    2004-01-01

    Background: Dementia is a clinical syndrome characterised by acquired impairment in multiple neuropsycologic and behavior domains including memory, language, speech, visuospatial ability, cognition and mood/personality. Dementia produces deficits in perfusion reflecting decreased metabolic needs. Neuroimaging techniques help in determining whether the cognitive symptoms are organic and in which pattern of cognitive loss the patient may evolve. AIM: To differentiate various types of Dementia, based on the regional perfusion abnormalities seen in Brain SPECT and correlate this with Clinical and MRI findings. Material and methods: Patients suffering from memory impairment and memory loss were referred to our department for Brain SPECT as a part of work up for Dementia. They had undergone a detailed clinical examination, psychometry, mini mental status examination (MMSE), memory/cognitive testing and an MRI. Brain SPECT was done after injecting Tc 99m ECD (Ethylene Cysteinate Dimer ) and imaging after 45 minutes. The images obtained were reconstructed in a conventional way. The various patterns of perfusion abnormalities seen in the SPECT images was studied and correlated with MRI and clinical findings. The patients were thus classified as having Multi Infarct Dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Fronto-Temporal Dementia and Mixed variety. Results: Twenty One Patients were included in our study from February 2003 to February 2004. The mean age of the patients was 73 years ( 37 to 81). 15 were males and 6 were females. Out of 21 patients, 12 had Multi Infarct Dementia, 4 had Alzheimer's disease, 1 had Fronto- Temporal Dementia and 4 had Mixed variety. Conclusion: Brain SPECT aids in substantiating the clinical findings and in correlation with MRI helps in distinguishing various types of Dementia and thus has prognostic implications and helps in instituting early appropriate treatment to the patient. In our study, the majority of the patients have Multi Infarct Dementia

  17. Multiparametric computer-aided differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia using structural and advanced MRI

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bron, Esther E.; Klein, Stefan [Erasmus MC, Biomedical Imaging Group Rotterdam, Departments of Medical Informatics and Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Office Na2502, P.O. Box 2040, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Smits, Marion; Steketee, Rebecca M.E.; Meijboom, Rozanna [Erasmus MC, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Papma, Janne M.; Swieten, John C. van [Erasmus MC, Department of Neurology, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Groot, Marius de [Erasmus MC, Biomedical Imaging Group Rotterdam, Departments of Medical Informatics and Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Office Na2502, P.O. Box 2040, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Erasmus MC, Department of Epidemiology, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Niessen, Wiro J. [Erasmus MC, Biomedical Imaging Group Rotterdam, Departments of Medical Informatics and Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Office Na2502, P.O. Box 2040, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Delft University of Technology, Imaging Physics, Applied Sciences, Delft (Netherlands)

    2017-08-15

    To investigate the added diagnostic value of arterial spin labelling (ASL) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to structural MRI for computer-aided classification of Alzheimer's disease (AD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and controls. This retrospective study used MRI data from 24 early-onset AD and 33 early-onset FTD patients and 34 controls (CN). Classification was based on voxel-wise feature maps derived from structural MRI, ASL, and DTI. Support vector machines (SVMs) were trained to classify AD versus CN (AD-CN), FTD-CN, AD-FTD, and AD-FTD-CN (multi-class). Classification performance was assessed by the area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve (AUC) and accuracy. Using SVM significance maps, we analysed contributions of brain regions. Combining ASL and DTI with structural MRI resulted in higher classification performance for differential diagnosis of AD and FTD (AUC = 84%; p = 0.05) than using structural MRI by itself (AUC = 72%). The performance of ASL and DTI themselves did not improve over structural MRI. The classifications were driven by different brain regions for ASL and DTI than for structural MRI, suggesting complementary information. ASL and DTI are promising additions to structural MRI for classification of early-onset AD, early-onset FTD, and controls, and may improve the computer-aided differential diagnosis on a single-subject level. (orig.)

  18. Dementia beyond 2025: Knowledge and uncertainties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenigsberg, Paul-Ariel; Aquino, Jean-Pierre; Bérard, Alain; Gzil, Fabrice; Andrieu, Sandrine; Banerjee, Sube; Brémond, François; Buée, Luc; Cohen-Mansfield, Jiska; Mangialasche, Francesca; Platel, Hervé; Salmon, Eric; Robert, Philippe

    2016-01-01

    Given that there may well be no significant advances in drug development before 2025, prevention of dementia-Alzheimer's disease through the management of vascular and lifestyle-related risk factors may be a more realistic goal than treatment. Level of education and cognitive reserve assessment in neuropsychological testing deserve attention, as well as cultural, social, and economic aspects of caregiving. Assistive technologies for dementia care remain complex. Serious games are emerging as virtual educational and pleasurable tools, designed for individual and cooperative skill building. Public policies are likely to pursue improving awareness and understanding of dementia; providing good quality early diagnosis and intervention for all; improving quality of care from diagnosis to the end of life, using clinical and economic end points; delivering dementia strategies quicker, with an impact on more people. Dementia should remain presented as a stand-alone concept, distinct from frailty or loss of autonomy. The basic science of sensory impairment and social engagement in people with dementia needs to be developed. E-learning and serious games programs may enhance public and professional education. Faced with funding shortage, new professional dynamics and economic models may emerge through coordinated, flexible research networks. Psychosocial research could be viewed as an investment in quality of care, rather than an academic achievement in a few centers of excellence. This would help provide a competitive advantage to the best operators. Stemming from care needs, a logical, systems approach to dementia care environment through organizational, architectural, and psychosocial interventions may be developed, to help reduce symptoms in people with dementia and enhance quality of life. Dementia-friendly environments, culture, and domesticity are key factors for such interventions. © The Author(s) 2015.

  19. Delayed-onset dementia after stroke or transient ischemic attack.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mok, Vincent C T; Lam, Bonnie Y K; Wang, Zhaolu; Liu, Wenyan; Au, Lisa; Leung, Eric Y L; Chen, Sirong; Yang, Jie; Chu, Winnie C W; Lau, Alexander Y L; Chan, Anne Y Y; Shi, Lin; Fan, Florence; Ma, Sze H; Ip, Vincent; Soo, Yannie O Y; Leung, Thomas W H; Kwok, Timothy C Y; Ho, Chi L; Wong, Lawrence K S; Wong, Adrian

    2016-11-01

    Patients surviving stroke without immediate dementia are at high risk of delayed-onset dementia. Mechanisms underlying delayed-onset dementia are complex and may involve vascular and/or neurodegenerative diseases. Dementia-free patients with stroke and/or transient ischemic attack (TIA; n = 919) were studied for 3 years prospectively, excluding those who developed dementia 3 to 6 months after stroke and/or TIA. Forty subjects (4.4%) developed dementia during the study period. Imaging markers of severe small vessel disease (SVD), namely presence of ≥3 lacunes and confluent white matter changes; history of hypertension and diabetes mellitus independently predicted delayed-onset dementia after adjustment for age, gender, and education. Only 6 of 31 (19.4%) subjects with delayed cognitive decline harbored Alzheimer's disease-like Pittsburg compound B (PiB) retention. Most PiB cases (16/25, 64%) had evidence of severe SVD. Severe SVD contributes importantly to delayed-onset dementia after stroke and/or TIA. Future clinical trials aiming to prevent delayed-onset dementia after stroke and/or TIA should target this high-risk group. Copyright © 2016 The Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Dysfunction of Protein Quality Control in Parkinsonism–Dementia Complex of Guam

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bert M. Verheijen

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Guam parkinsonism–dementia complex (G-PDC is an enigmatic neurodegenerative disease that is endemic to the Pacific island of Guam. G-PDC patients are clinically characterized by progressive cognitive impairment and parkinsonism. Neuropathologically, G-PDC is characterized by abundant neurofibrillary tangles, which are composed of hyperphosphorylated tau, marked deposition of 43-kDa TAR DNA-binding protein, and neuronal loss. Although both genetic and environmental factors have been implicated, the etiology and pathogenesis of G-PDC remain unknown. Recent neuropathological studies have provided new clues about the pathomechanisms involved in G-PDC. For example, deposition of abnormal components of the protein quality control system in brains of G-PDC patients indicates a role for proteostasis imbalance in the disease. This opens up promising avenues for new research on G-PDC and could have important implications for the study of other neurodegenerative disorders.

  1. Couples with dementia: Positioning the 'we'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hydén, Lars-Christer; Nilsson, Elin

    2015-11-01

    The aim of this article is to investigate how spouses in couples with dementia position themselves in relation to each other by analysing their use of pronouns, especially the we. The study uses joint interviews with 11 couples. Based on a quantitative analysis of pronoun use, it is argued that the pronoun we is used by all the spouses; however, it is used less frequently by the spouses with dementia in comparison with healthy spouses. A qualitative analysis of the use of the pronoun we shows that the spouses position, experience and consider themselves as a couple and that they position and experience themselves as individuals in relation to the couple. One of the challenges for couples with dementia is to be able to retain a we in face of the progression of the dementia disease. By positioning themselves in various ways, the spouses establish and negotiate quite a complex and emotionally charged web of relationships. © The Author(s) 2013.

  2. Study of the clinical and the neuroradiological findings in multi-infarct dementia and Alzheimer type dementia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Endo, Riuko [Tokyo Women' s Medical Coll. (Japan)

    1989-06-01

    In forty patients with dementia, a comparison of the clinical and the neuroradiological findings between 15 Alzheimer type dementia (ATD) and 21 multi-infarct dementia (MID) were made. MID had significantly (p<0.01) higher Hachinski's Ischemic Score (HIS) (mean +-S.D., 9.7+-1.8) compared with ATD (3.6+-1.5). The HIS was a useful diagnostic aid in differential diagnosis between the two groups. MID significantly (p<0.01) had cerebrovascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus and increase of platelet aggregation. The morphometric analysis of the ratios of the ventricular dilatation, the cortical atrophy, and the white matter changes was performed on the CT scan and the magnetic resonance imaging. This was the first time the method of having the cortical atrophy analyzed by the ratio of the area of the sylvian sulci and the area of the whole brain had been used. It was found that the degrees of the ventricular dilatation, the cortical atrophy, and the white matter changes were more increased in MID than in ATD (p<0.01{similar to}0.05). In ATD, there was a positive correlation between Hasegawa's Dementia Scale and both the ratios of the ventricular dilatation, and the cortical atrophy (r=-0.62, p<0.05, r=-0.63, p<0.05, respectively). Also a comparative study between MID and 9 patients with multiple infarction, without dementia (MI). MID had the mean infarct numbers of 6.5+-2.5, and MI had 4.1+-2.2. The white matter changes were more increased in MID than MI (p<0.05). The incidence of the dementia was significantly higher in cases with left lenticular nucleus (p<0.01) or main lesions of the white matter in the left frontal lobe (p<0.05), and in cases with bilateral lenticular nucleus (p<0.01), compared to cases without lesions. (J.P.N.).

  3. Depression and dementia: cause, consequence or coincidence?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, Sophia; Thomas, Alan J

    2014-10-01

    The relationship between depression and dementia is complex and still not well understood. A number of different views exist regarding how the two conditions are linked as well as the underlying neurobiological mechanisms at work. This narrative review examined longitudinal and cross sectional studies in the existing literature and determined the evidence supporting depression being a risk factor, a prodrome, a consequence, or an independent comorbidity in dementia. Overall there is convincing evidence to support both the notion that early life depression can act as a risk factor for later life dementia, and that later life depression can be seen as a prodrome to dementia. There is also evidence to support both conditions showing similar neurobiological changes, particularly white matter disease, either indicating shared risk factors or a shared pattern of neuronal damage. These findings highlight the need to examine if effective treatment of depressive episodes has any effect in reducing the prevalence of dementia, as well as clinicians being vigilant for late life depression indicating the incipient development of dementia, and therefore carefully following up these individuals for future cognitive impairment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Support at Home: Interventions to Enhance Life in Dementia (SHIELD) – evidence, development and evaluation of complex interventions

    OpenAIRE

    Hoe, J.; Orrell, M.; Charlesworth, G.; Russell, I.; Challis, D.; Moniz-Cook, E.; Knapp, M.; Woods, B.; Hoare, Z.; Aguirre, S.; Toot, S.; Streater, A.; Crellin, N.; Whittaker, C.; D'Amico, F.

    2017-01-01

    Background\\ud \\ud Dementia is a national priority and this research addresses the Prime Minister’s commitment to dementia research as demonstrated by his 2020 challenge and the new UK Dementia Research Institute. In the UK > 800,000 older people have dementia. It has a major impact on the lives of people with dementia themselves, on the lives of their family carers and on services, and costs the nation £26B per year. Pharmacological cures for dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease are not expe...

  5. Radiologic diagnostics of dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Essig, M.; Schoenberg, S.O.

    2003-01-01

    Dementia is one of the most common diseases in the elderly population and is getting more and more important with the ageing of the population. A radiologic structural examination with CT or MRI is meanwhile a standard procedure in the diagnostic work up of patients with dementia syndrome. Radiology enables an early diagnosis and a differential diagnosis between different causes of dementia. Because structural changes occur only late in the disease process, a more detailed structural analysis using volumetric techniques or the use of functional imaging techniques is mandatory. These days, structural imaging uses MRI which enables to detect early atrophic changes at the medial temporal lobe with focus on the amygdala hippocampal complex. These changes are also present in the normal ageing process. In patients with Alzheimer's disease, however, they are more rapid and more pronounced. The use of functional imaging methods such as perfusion MRI, diffusion MRI or fMRI allow new insights into the pathophysiologic changes of dementia. The article gives an overview of the current status of structural imaging and an outlook into the potential of functional imaging methods. Detailed results of structural and functional imaging are presented in other articles of this issue. (orig.) [de

  6. Cognitive impairment in patients with AIDS – prevalence and severity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Watkins CC

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Crystal C Watkins,1,2 Glenn J Treisman2 1The Memory Center in Neuropsychiatry, Sheppard Pratt Health System, 2Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA Abstract: The advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy has prolonged the life expectancy of HIV patients and decreased the number of adults who progress to AIDS and HIV-associated dementia. However, neurocognitive deficits remain a pronounced consequence of HIV/AIDS. HIV-1 infection targets the central nervous system in subcortical brain areas and leads to high rates of delirium, depression, opportunistic central nervous system infections, and dementia. Long-term HIV replication in the brain occurs in astrocytes and microglia, allowing the virus to hide from antiviral medication and later compromise neuronal function. The associated cognitive disturbance is linked to both viral activity and inflammatory and other mediators from these immune cells that lead to the damage associated with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders, a general term given for these disturbances. We review the severity and prevalence of the neuropsychiatric complications of HIV including delirium, neurobehavioral impairments (depression, minor cognitive-motor dysfunction, and HIV-associated dementia. Keywords: HIV, delirium, depression, HAND, dementia; HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder

  7. 3D pattern of brain atrophy in HIV/AIDS visualized using tensor-based morphometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiang, Ming-Chang; Dutton, Rebecca A.; Hayashi, Kiralee M.; Lopez, Oscar L.; Aizenstein, Howard J.; Toga, Arthur W.; Becker, James T.; Thompson, Paul M.

    2011-01-01

    35% of HIV-infected patients have cognitive impairment, but the profile of HIV-induced brain damage is still not well understood. Here we used tensor-based morphometry (TBM) to visualize brain deficits and clinical/anatomical correlations in HIV/AIDS. To perform TBM, we developed a new MRI-based analysis technique that uses fluid image warping, and a new α-entropy-based information-theoretic measure of image correspondence, called the Jensen–Rényi divergence (JRD). Methods 3D T1-weighted brain MRIs of 26 AIDS patients (CDC stage C and/or 3 without HIV-associated dementia; 47.2 ± 9.8 years; 25M/1F; CD4+ T-cell count: 299.5 ± 175.7/µl; log10 plasma viral load: 2.57 ± 1.28 RNA copies/ml) and 14 HIV-seronegative controls (37.6 ± 12.2 years; 8M/6F) were fluidly registered by applying forces throughout each deforming image to maximize the JRD between it and a target image (from a control subject). The 3D fluid registration was regularized using the linearized Cauchy–Navier operator. Fine-scale volumetric differences between diagnostic groups were mapped. Regions were identified where brain atrophy correlated with clinical measures. Results Severe atrophy (~15–20% deficit) was detected bilaterally in the primary and association sensorimotor areas. Atrophy of these regions, particularly in the white matter, correlated with cognitive impairment (P=0.033) and CD4+ T-lymphocyte depletion (P=0.005). Conclusion TBM facilitates 3D visualization of AIDS neuropathology in living patients scanned with MRI. Severe atrophy in frontoparietal and striatal areas may underlie early cognitive dysfunction in AIDS patients, and may signal the imminent onset of AIDS dementia complex. PMID:17035049

  8. Awareness of disease in dementia: factor structure of the assessment scale of psychosocial impact of the diagnosis of dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dourado, Marcia C N; Mograbi, Daniel C; Santos, Raquel L; Sousa, Maria Fernanda B; Nogueira, Marcela L; Belfort, Tatiana; Landeira-Fernandez, Jesus; Laks, Jerson

    2014-01-01

    Despite the growing understanding of the conceptual complexity of awareness, there currently exists no instrument for assessing different domains of awareness in dementia. In the current study, the psychometric properties of a multidimensional awareness scale, the Assessment Scale of Psychosocial Impact of the Diagnosis of Dementia (ASPIDD), are explored in a sample of 201 people with dementia and their family caregivers. Cronbach's alpha was high (α = 0.87), indicating excellent internal consistency. The mean of corrected item-total correlation coefficients was moderate. ASPIDD presented a four-factor solution with a well-defined structure: awareness of activities of daily living, cognitive functioning and health condition, emotional state, and social functioning and relationships. Functional disability was positively correlated with total ASPIDD, unawareness of activities of daily living, cognitive functioning, and with emotional state. Caregiver burden was correlated with total ASPIDD scores and unawareness of cognitive functioning. The results suggest that ASPIDD is indeed a multidimensional scale, providing a reliable measure of awareness of disease in dementia. Further studies should explore the risk factors associated with different dimensions of awareness in dementia.

  9. Lewy Body Dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewy body dementia Overview Lewy body dementia, also known as dementia with Lewy bodies, is the second most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer's disease dementia. Protein deposits, ...

  10. A study of the clinical and the neuroradiological findings in multi-infarct dementia and Alzheimer type dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Endo, Riuko

    1989-01-01

    In forty patients with dementia, a comparison of the clinical and the neuroradiological findings between 15 Alzheimer type dementia (ATD) and 21 multi-infarct dementia (MID) were made. MID had significantly (p<0.01) higher Hachinski's Ischemic Score (HIS) (mean ±S.D., 9.7±1.8) compared with ATD (3.6±1.5). The HIS was a useful diagnostic aid in differential diagnosis between the two groups. MID significantly (p<0.01) had cerebrovascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus and increase of platelet aggregation. The morphometric analysis of the ratios of the ventricular dilatation, the cortical atrophy, and the white matter changes was performed on the CT scan and the magnetic resonance imaging. This was the first time the method of having the cortical atrophy analyzed by the ratio of the area of the sylvian sulci and the area of the whole brain had been used. It was found that the degrees of the ventricular dilatation, the cortical atrophy, and the white matter changes were more increased in MID than in ATD (p<0.01∼0.05). In ATD, there was a positive correlation between Hasegawa's Dementia Scale and both the ratios of the ventricular dilatation, and the cortical atrophy (r=-0.62, p<0.05, r=-0.63, p<0.05, respectively). Also a comparative study between MID and 9 patients with multiple infarction, without dementia (MI). MID had the mean infarct numbers of 6.5±2.5, and MI had 4.1±2.2. The white matter changes were more increased in MID than MI (p<0.05). The incidence of the dementia was significantly higher in cases with left lenticular nucleus (p<0.01) or main lesions of the white matter in the left frontal lobe (p<0.05), and in cases with bilateral lenticular nucleus (p<0.01), compared to cases without lesions. (J.P.N.)

  11. Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Vascular Dementia: An Overview of Scientific Evidence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dennis Chang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Dementia is a leading cause of mental and physical disability. Vascular dementia (VaD is the second most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease (AD constituting 10–15% of the dementia population. Currently there are no approved pharmaceutical options for VaD and the conventional anti-AD therapies provide only modest, short-term relief of symptoms associated with VaD. Herbal medicines have been used for the management of dementia-like symptoms for centuries and may provide viable therapies for VaD due to their multicomponent and multitarget approach. This review is designed to provide an updated overview on the current status of herbal medicine research, with an emphasis on Chinese herbal medicine, for the treatment of VaD or dementia. A case study is also provided to demonstrate the development process of a novel standardized complex herbal formulation for VaD. The article reveals some preliminary evidence to support the use of single and complex herbal preparations for VaD and dementia. Multiple issues in relation to clinical and preclinical research have been identified and future research directions are discussed.

  12. Dementia-Related Work Activities of Home Care Nurses and Aides: Frequency, Perceived Competence, and Continuing Education Priorities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, Debra G.; Kosteniuk, Julie G.; O'Connell, Megan E.; Dal Bello-Haas, Vanina; Stewart, Norma J.; Karunanayake, Chandima

    2016-01-01

    An understanding of the specific dementia learning needs of home care staff is needed to plan relevant continuing education (CE) programs and supports. The study's objective was to examine frequency and perceived competence in performing 20 dementia-related work activities, and identify CE priorities among home care staff. A cross-sectional survey…

  13. Frontotemporal dementia and its subtypes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ferrari, Raffaele; Hernandez, Dena G; Nalls, Michael A

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a complex disorder characterised by a broad range of clinical manifestations, differential pathological signatures, and genetic variability. Mutations in three genes-MAPT, GRN, and C9orf72-have been associated with FTD. We sought to identify novel gene...

  14. Lewy body dementias

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Løkkegaard, Annemette; Korbo, Lise

    2017-01-01

    Dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson disease dementia share the same pathophysiology. Together they are called Lewy body dementias and are the second most common type of dementia. Lewy body dementias receive little attention, and patients are often misdiagnosed, leading to less than ideal...

  15. Needs of people with advanced dementia in their final phase of life: A multi-perspective qualitative study in nursing homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt, Holger; Eisenmann, Yvonne; Golla, Heidrun; Voltz, Raymond; Perrar, Klaus Maria

    2018-03-01

    People with advanced dementia present an important target group for palliative care. They suffer a range of symptoms, and their verbal communication abilities are highly restricted. At present, little is known about their needs in the final phase of life. To identify the needs of people with advanced dementia in their final phase of life and to explore the aspects relevant to first recognize and then meet these needs. Multi-perspective qualitative study using grounded theory methodology conducting group discussions, individual interviews, and participant observation. The study encompassed nursing homes and involved health professionals, relatives, and residents with advanced dementia. Data were collected in six nursing homes. Nine group discussions and three individual interviews were conducted comprising 42 health professionals and 14 relatives. Participant observations aided in giving the perspective of 30 residents with advanced dementia. Data analysis generated a total of 25 physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs divided into 10 categories. Physical needs were classified as follows: "food intake," "physical well-being," and "physical activity and recovery." Categories of psychosocial needs were classified as follows: "adaptation of stimuli," "communication," "personal attention," "participation," "familiarity and safety," as well as "self-determination." Spiritual needs addressed "religion." The results revealed a multitude of key aspects for recognizing and meeting these needs, stressing the importance of personhood. People with advanced dementia in their final phase of life have a multitude of individual and complex needs. This evidence contributes to narrowing the current research gap, offering an orientation framework for research and practice.

  16. Dementia and the gender trouble?: Theorising dementia, gendered subjectivity and embodiment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandberg, Linn J

    2018-06-01

    Despite person-centred approaches increasingly focusing on looking at the person in dementia instead of the pathology, the role of gender in dementia has been little explored. This article discusses how pervasive discourses on a loss of self and dementia as abject are interwoven with a de-gendering of persons with dementia. The cultural anxiety that dementia evokes in terms of loss of bodily and cognitive control could also be linked to a failure to normatively and intelligibly express gender when living with dementia. As a way to sustain personhood for people with dementia and challenge discourses on people with dementia as 'non-people', person-centred approaches have emphasised the collaborative work of carers, relatives and persons with dementia. Often implicitly, this also involves a 're-gendering' of persons with dementia where gendered biographies and pasts are upheld and gendered embodied selfhood is maintained through, for example, dress, hair and other aspects of appearance. This re-gendering could be of great significance for people with dementia to become intelligible as persons. Still, dementia studies must further consider non-normative expressions of gender and involve feminist theorising on gender as a power asymmetry since some embodiments and selves are more likely to be sustained in dementia than others. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Computer aided approach to qualitative and quantitative common cause failure analysis for complex systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cate, C.L.; Wagner, D.P.; Fussell, J.B.

    1977-01-01

    Common cause failure analysis, also called common mode failure analysis, is an integral part of a complete system reliability analysis. Existing methods of computer aided common cause failure analysis are extended by allowing analysis of the complex systems often encountered in practice. The methods aid in identifying potential common cause failures and also address quantitative common cause failure analysis

  18. Connecting research discovery with care delivery in dementia: the development of the Indianapolis Discovery Network for Dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boustani MA

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Malaz A Boustani,1–3 Amie Frame,1,2 Stephanie Munger,1,2 Patrick Healey,4 Jessie Westlund,5 Martin Farlow,6,7 Ann Hake,8 Mary Guerriero Austrom,6,9 Polly Shepard,10 Corby Bubp,10 Jose Azar,3 Arif Nazir,3 Nadia Adams,11 Noll L Campbell,1,2,12,13 Azita Chehresa,5 Paul Dexter2,31Indiana University Center for Aging Research, 2Regenstrief Institute, Inc, 3Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM, 4St Vincent Health Network, 5Community Health Network, 6Indiana Alzheimer Disease Center, IUSM, 7Department of Neurology, IUSM, 8Eli Lilly and Company, 9Department of Psychiatry, IUSM, 10The Memory Clinic of Indianapolis, 11Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, IN, USA; 12Department of Pharmacy Practice, Purdue University College of Pharmacy, West Lafayette, IN, USA; 13Department of Pharmacy, Wishard Health Services, Indianapolis, IN, USABackground: The US Institute of Medicine has recommended an integrated, locally sensitive collaboration among the various members of the community, health care systems, and research organizations to improve dementia care and dementia research.Methods: Using complex adaptive system theory and reflective adaptive process, we developed a professional network called the “Indianapolis Discovery Network for Dementia” (IDND. The IDND facilitates effective and sustainable interactions among a local and diverse group of dementia researchers, clinical providers, and community advocates interested in improving care for dementia patients in Indianapolis, Indiana.Results: The IDND was established in February 2006 and now includes more than 250 members from more than 30 local (central Indiana organizations representing 20 disciplines. The network uses two types of communication to connect its members. The first is a 2-hour face-to-face bimonthly meeting open to all members. The second is a web-based resource center (http://www.indydiscoverynetwork.org. To date, the network has: (1 accomplished the

  19. Advanced dementia pain management protocols.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montoro-Lorite, Mercedes; Canalias-Reverter, Montserrat

    Pain management in advanced dementia is complex because of neurological deficits present in these patients, and nurses are directly responsible for providing interventions for the evaluation, management and relief of pain for people suffering from this health problem. In order to facilitate and help decision-makers, pain experts recommend the use of standardized protocols to guide pain management, but in Spain, comprehensive pain management protocols have not yet been developed for advanced dementia. This article reflects the need for an integrated management of pain in advanced dementia. From the review and analysis of the most current and relevant studies in the literature, we performed an approximation of the scales for the determination of pain in these patients, with the observational scale PAINAD being the most recommended for the hospital setting. In addition, we provide an overview for comprehensive management of pain in advanced dementia through the conceptual framework «a hierarchy of pain assessment techniques by McCaffery and Pasero» for the development and implementation of standardized protocols, including a four-phase cyclical process (evaluation, planning/performance, revaluation and recording), which can facilitate the correct management of pain in these patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  20. The prevalence of dementia in a Portuguese community sample: a 10/66 Dementia Research Group study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonçalves-Pereira, Manuel; Cardoso, Ana; Verdelho, Ana; Alves da Silva, Joaquim; Caldas de Almeida, Manuel; Fernandes, Alexandra; Raminhos, Cátia; Ferri, Cleusa P; Prina, A Matthew; Prince, Martin; Xavier, Miguel

    2017-11-07

    improved the evidence base to raise awareness and empower advocacy about dementia in Portugal, so that the complex needs of frail older people may be met in better ways.

  1. Dementia and serious coexisting medical conditions: a double whammy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maslow, Katie

    2004-09-01

    Research-based information about the prevalence of other serious medical conditions in people with dementia has become available only recently, and the true prevalence is not known, primarily because many people with dementia do not have a diagnosis. The existing information is sufficient, however, to show that these other conditions are common in people with dementia. It is also clear that coexisting medical conditions increase the use and cost of health care services for people with dementia, and conversely, dementia increases the use and cost of health care services for people with other serious medical conditions. Nurses and other healthcare professionals should expect to see these relationships in their elderly patients. They should know how to recognize possible dementia and assess, or obtain an assessment of, the patient's cognitive status. They should expect the worsening of cognitive and related symptoms in acutely ill people with dementia and try to eliminate factors that cause this worsening, to the extent possible, while assuring the family that the symptoms are likely to improve once the acute phase of illness or treatment is over. Families, nurses, and other health care professionals are challenged by the complex issues involved in caring for a person with both dementia and other serious medical conditions. Greater attention to these issues by informed and thoughtful clinicians will improve outcomes for the people and their family and professional caregivers.

  2. Types of Dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Kids For Teens For Parents & Teachers Resolving Family Conflicts The Holidays and Alzheimer's Glossary Virtual Library Online ... Use Map Selector Search Alzheimer’s Association Alzheimer's & Dementia Types of Dementia Types of Dementia Types of Dementia ...

  3. Radionuclide brain imaging in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Costa, D.C.; Gacinovic, S.; Miller, R.F.

    1995-01-01

    Infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) may produce a variety of central nervous system (CNS) symptoms and signs. CNS involvement in patients with the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) includes AIDS dementia complex or HIV-1 associated cognitive/motor complex (widely known as HIV encephalopathy), progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy (PML), opportunistic infections such as Toxoplasma gondii, TB, Cryptococcus and infiltration by non-Hodgkin's B cell lymphoma. High resolution structural imaging investigations, either X-ray Computed Tomography (CT scan) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) have contributed to the understanding and definition of cerebral damage caused by HIV encephalopathy. Atrophy and mainly high signal scattered white matter abnormalities are commonly seen with MRI. PML produces focal white matter high signal abnormalities due to multiple foci of demyelination. However, using structural imaging techniques there are no reliable parameters to distinguish focal lesions due to opportunistic infection (Toxoplasma gondii abscess) from neoplasm (lymphoma infiltration). It is studied the use of radionuclide brain imaging techniques in the investigation of HIV infected patients. Brain perfusion Single Photon Emission Tomography (SPET), neuroreceptor and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) studies are reviewed. Greater emphasis is put on the potential of some radiopharmaceuticals, considered to be brain tumour markers, to distinguish intracerebral lymphoma infiltration from Toxoplasma infection. SPET with 201 Tl using quantification (tumour to non-tumour radioactivity ratios) appears a very promising technique to identify intracerebral lymphoma

  4. Effects of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor on leucopenia in zidovudine-treated patients with AIDS and AIDS related complex, a phase I/II study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Wouw, P. A.; van Leeuwen, R.; van Oers, R. H.; Lange, J. M.; Danner, S. A.

    1991-01-01

    Twelve male patients, eight with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and four with AIDS related complex (ARC), who had zidovudine associated neutropenia (less than 1 x 10(9) neutrophils/l) were treated with recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in a phase I/II

  5. Improving the identification of people with dementia in primary care: evaluation of the impact of primary care dementia coding guidance on identified prevalence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russell, Paul; Banerjee, Sube; Watt, Jen; Adleman, Rosalyn; Agoe, Belinda; Burnie, Nerida; Carefull, Alex; Chandan, Kiran; Constable, Dominie; Daniels, Mark; Davies, David; Deshmukh, Sid; Huddart, Martin; Jabin, Ashrafi; Jarrett, Penelope; King, Jenifer; Koch, Tamar; Kumar, Sanjoy; Lees, Stavroula; Mir, Sinan; Naidoo, Dominic; Nyame, Sylvia; Sasae, Ryuichiro; Sharma, Tushar; Thormod, Clare; Vedavanam, Krish; Wilton, Anja; Flaherty, Breda

    2013-12-23

    Improving dementia care is a policy priority nationally and internationally; there is a 'diagnosis gap' with less than half of the cases of dementia ever diagnosed. The English Health Department's Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) encourages primary care recognition and recording of dementia. The codes for dementia are complex with the possibility of underidentification through miscoding. We developed guidance on coding of dementia; we report the impact of applying this to 'clean up' dementia coding and records at a practice level. The guidance had five elements: (1) identify Read Codes for dementia; (2) access QOF dementia register; (3) generate lists of patients who may have dementia; (4) compare search with QOF data and (5) review cases. In each practice, one general practitioner conducted the exercise. The number of dementia QOF registers before and after the exercise was recorded with the hours taken to complete the exercise. London primary care. 23 (85%) of 27 practices participated, covering 79 312 (19 562 over 65 s) participants. The number on dementia QOF registers; time taken. The number of people with dementia on QOF registers increased from 1007 to 1139 (χ(2)=8.17, p=0.004), raising identification rates by 8.8%. It took 4.7 h per practice, on an average. These data demonstrate the potential of a simple primary care coding exercise, requiring no specific training, to increase the dementia identification rate. An improvement of 8.8% between 2011 and 2012 is equivalent to that of the fourth most improved primary care trust in the UK. In absolute terms, if this effects were mirrored across the UK primary care, the number of cases with dementia identified would rise by over 70 000 from 364 329 to 434 488 raising the recognition rate from 46% to 54.8%. Implementing this exercise appears to be a simple and effective way to improve recognition rates in primary care.

  6. Narrative Interest Standard: A Novel Approach to Surrogate Decision-Making for People With Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkins, James M

    2017-06-17

    Dementia is a common neurodegenerative process that can significantly impair decision-making capacity as the disease progresses. When a person is found to lack capacity to make a decision, a surrogate decision-maker is generally sought to aid in decision-making. Typical bases for surrogate decision-making include the substituted judgment standard and the best interest standard. Given the heterogeneous and progressive course of dementia, however, these standards for surrogate decision-making are often insufficient in providing guidance for the decision-making for a person with dementia, escalating the likelihood of conflict in these decisions. In this article, the narrative interest standard is presented as a novel and more appropriate approach to surrogate decision-making for people with dementia. Through case presentation and ethical analysis, the standard mechanisms for surrogate decision-making for people with dementia are reviewed and critiqued. The narrative interest standard is then introduced and discussed as a dementia-specific model for surrogate decision-making. Through incorporation of elements of a best interest standard in focusing on the current benefit-burden ratio and elements of narrative to provide context, history, and flexibility for values and preferences that may change over time, the narrative interest standard allows for elaboration of an enriched context for surrogate decision-making for people with dementia. More importantly, however, a narrative approach encourages the direct contribution from people with dementia in authoring the story of what matters to them in their lives.

  7. Inadequate Diagnostic Evaluation in Young Patients Registered with a Diagnosis of Dementia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Salem, Lise Cronberg; Andersen, Birgitte Bo; Nielsen, T Rune

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Establishing a diagnosis of dementia in young patients may be complex and have significant implications for the patient. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of the diagnostic work-up in young patients diagnosed with dementia in the clinical routine. METHODS: Two hundred...... patients were randomly selected from 891 patients aged ≤65 years registered with a diagnosis of dementia for the first time in 2008 in Danish hospitals, and 159 medical records were available for review. Three raters evaluated their medical records for the completeness of the diagnostic work-up on which...... the diagnosis of dementia had been based, using evidence-based guidelines for the diagnostic evaluation of dementia as reference standards. RESULTS: According to the rater review, only 111 (70%) patients met the clinical criteria for dementia. An acceptable diagnostic work-up including all items of recommended...

  8. MR spectroscopy in dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hauser, T.; Gerigk, L.; Giesel, F.; Schuster, L.; Essig, M.

    2010-01-01

    With an increasingly aging population we are faced with the problem of an increasing number of dementia patients. In addition to clinical, neuropsychological and laboratory procedures, MRI plays an important role in the early diagnosis of dementia. In addition to various morphological changes functional changes can also help in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of dementia. Overall the diagnosis of dementia can be improved by using parameters from MR spectroscopy. This article focuses on MR spectroscopic changes in the physiological aging process as well as on changes in mild cognitive impairment a precursor of Alzheimer's dementia, in Alzheimer's dementia, frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia and Lewy body dementia. (orig.) [de

  9. FDG PET imaging dementia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahn, Byeong Cheol [Kyungpook National University Medical School and Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

    2007-04-15

    Dementia is a major burden for many countries including South Korea, where life expectancy is continuously growing and the proportion of aged people is rapidly growing. Neurodegenerative disorders, such as, Alzheimer disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, frontotemporal dementia. Parkinson disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, Huntington disease, can cause dementia, and cerebrovascular disease also can cause dementia. Depression or hypothyroidism also can cause cognitive deficits, but they are reversible by management of underlying cause unlike the forementioned dementias. Therefore these are called pseudodementia. We are entering an era of dementia care that will be based upon the identification of potentially modifiable risk factors and early disease markers, and the application of new drugs postpone progression of dementias or target specific proteins that cause dementia. Efficient pharmacologic treatment of dementia needs not only to distinguish underlying causes of dementia but also to be installed as soon as possible. Therefore, differential diagnosis and early diagnosis of dementia are utmost importance. F-18 FDG PET is useful for clarifying dementing diseases and is also useful for early detection of the disease. Purpose of this article is to review the current value of FDG PET for dementing diseases including differential diagnosis of dementia and prediction of evolving dementia.

  10. FDG PET imaging dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahn, Byeong Cheol

    2007-01-01

    Dementia is a major burden for many countries including South Korea, where life expectancy is continuously growing and the proportion of aged people is rapidly growing. Neurodegenerative disorders, such as, Alzheimer disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, frontotemporal dementia. Parkinson disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, Huntington disease, can cause dementia, and cerebrovascular disease also can cause dementia. Depression or hypothyroidism also can cause cognitive deficits, but they are reversible by management of underlying cause unlike the forementioned dementias. Therefore these are called pseudodementia. We are entering an era of dementia care that will be based upon the identification of potentially modifiable risk factors and early disease markers, and the application of new drugs postpone progression of dementias or target specific proteins that cause dementia. Efficient pharmacologic treatment of dementia needs not only to distinguish underlying causes of dementia but also to be installed as soon as possible. Therefore, differential diagnosis and early diagnosis of dementia are utmost importance. F-18 FDG PET is useful for clarifying dementing diseases and is also useful for early detection of the disease. Purpose of this article is to review the current value of FDG PET for dementing diseases including differential diagnosis of dementia and prediction of evolving dementia

  11. Dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... continue to look for new genes that may be responsible for the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Several research projects hope to identify dementia biomarkers (measurable biological signs ...

  12. Behavioural Excesses and Deficits Associated with Dementia in Adults Who Have Down Syndrome

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliver, Chris; Kalsy, Sunny; McQuillan, Sharna; Hall, Scott

    2011-01-01

    Background: Informant-based assessment of behavioural change and difference in dementia in Down syndrome can aid diagnosis and inform service delivery. To date few studies have examined the impact of different types of behavioural change. Methods: The Assessment for Adults with Developmental Disabilities (AADS), developed for this study, assesses…

  13. Dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... aging. Many different diseases can cause dementia, including Alzheimer's disease and stroke. Drugs are available to treat some of these diseases. While these drugs cannot cure dementia or repair brain damage, they may improve ...

  14. The effect of treatment with zidovudine with or without acyclovir on HIV p24 antigenaemia in patients with AIDS or AIDS-related complex

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, C; Cooper, D A; Brun-Vézinet, F

    1992-01-01

    with AIDS, AIDS-related complex (ARC) or Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). DESIGN: Double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial of less than or equal to 6 months' therapy. SETTING: Samples were obtained from patients attending teaching hospital outpatient clinics in seven European countries and Australia....... SUBJECTS: One hundred and ninety-seven HIV-infected patients (60 with AIDS and 137 with ARC or KS). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum HIV p24-antigen levels measured using the Abbott HIV solid-phase enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: Of 76 ARC/KS patients who were initially HIV p24-antigen-positive, one out of 25...

  15. A qualitative review of instrumental activities of daily living in dementia: what's cooking?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sikkes, S.A.M.; de Rotrou, J.

    2014-01-01

    The measurement of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) is common in clinical practice and research into dementia. IADL are cognitively complex daily activities, such as cooking and doing finances. Their measurement is required for the diagnostic process of dementia, and also useful for

  16. The prevalence of dementia in a Portuguese community sample: a 10/66 Dementia Research Group study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manuel Gonçalves-Pereira

    2017-11-01

    approaches remains to be confirmed in the European context. We improved the evidence base to raise awareness and empower advocacy about dementia in Portugal, so that the complex needs of frail older people may be met in better ways.

  17. Dementia in Qatar

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hamad, Ahmad I.; Ibrahim, Mohammed A.; Sulaiti, Essa M.

    2004-01-01

    Dementia is the major public health problem among the elderly in developed countries and a growing problem in the underdeveloped countries. There are no published data on dementia in any of the Arab countries. The aim of this study was to determine the different subtypes of dementia among Qataris. A retrospective and prospective ongoing hospital based study in which all medical records of the patients with diagnosis of dementia seen at the Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar, between June 1997 and June 2003, whether inpatient and outpatient were reviewed. Dementia was defined according to diagnostic and statistical manual (DSM) IV criteria. Those who had dementia were evaluated by a psychologist, psychiatrist, neurologist and a geriatrician. All had brain computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging or both and routine blood test. Finally, they were classified into sub-types according to the cause of dementia. One of 300 patients, 134 fulfilled the inclusion criteria, most of them were illiterate, married and non-smokers. Among those dementia sub-types were: Alzheimer disease (AD) 39 (29%), vascular dementia (VaD) 30 (22%), mixed AD and VaD 20 (15%) and Parkinson's disease with dementia due to other medical conditions. Our stidy showed that AD is more prevalent than VaD. It also showed that patients and their families seek medical help late due to to the general belief among the public that forgetfulness and other associated cognitive impairment are part of normal aging process. The emergence of new drugs and advancement in prevention of cerebrovascular diseases make early diagnosis of dementia sub-type important. A community based study to show the real prevalence and incidence of sub-types of dementia is highly indicated. These data are necessory for planning and setting up community services and health care programs for demented patients. (author)

  18. Central nervous system involvement in human immunodeficiency virus disease. A prospective study including neurological examination, computerized tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, C; Thomsen, C; Arlien-Søborg, P

    1991-01-01

    dementia complex (p = 0.03). MRI white matter lesions occurred in 32% of CDC group IV patients and 5% of CDC groups II/III patients (p = 0.03). The corresponding figures for brain atrophy at CT were 71% and 30% (p less than 0.01) and for neurologic signs 49% and 20% (p = 0.06). The development of the AIDS...... dementia complex was significantly associated with the occurrence of MRI white matter lesions and a CD4 cell count of less than 200 x 10(6)/l, whereas it was not statistical significantly associated with brain atrophy at baseline. It is concluded that the AIDS dementia complex is a common feature of late...

  19. Executive function impairment in community elderly subjects with questionable dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lam, Linda C W; Lui, Victor W C; Chiu, Helen F K; Chan, Sandra S M; Tam, Cindy W C

    2005-01-01

    The neurocognitive profile of community-dwelling Chinese subjects with 'questionable' dementia was studied. One hundred and fifty-four ambulatory Chinese subjects were recruited from local social centers for the elderly. Each subject was examined using the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), the Cantonese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (CMMSE), the Chinese version of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog), the Category Verbal Fluency Test (CVFT), digit and visual span tests, and the Cambridge Neurological Inventory. The neurocognitive profile of nondemented subjects (CDR 0) was compared with that of subjects with 'questionable' dementia (CDR 0.5). Subjects with 'questionable' dementia were older, and had lower educational levels and global cognitive assessment scores than the controls (CMMSE and ADAS-Cog; t tests, p < 0.001). In addition, they also had significantly lower scores in delayed recall, reverse span, verbal fluency tests and worse performance in complex motor tasks related to executive function (Mann-Whitney tests, p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that ADAS-Cog, CVFT, and reverse visual span were significant predictors for the CDR of 'questionable' dementia. Aside from memory impairment, executive function deficits were also present in subjects with 'questionable' dementia. To identify groups cognitively at risk for dementia, concomitant assessments of memory and executive function are suggested.

  20. Lewy body dementias

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Løkkegaard, Annemette; Korbo, Lise

    2017-01-01

    Dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson disease dementia share the same pathophysiology. Together they are called Lewy body dementias and are the second most common type of dementia. Lewy body dementias receive little attention, and patients are often misdiagnosed, leading to less than ideal...... management. In this article, diagnostic criteria combined with imaging and other biomarkers as well as current treatment recommendations are summarized, and some of the challenges for the future are outlined. Refinement of diagnosis and clarification of the pathogenesis are required in search for disease...

  1. Genetics Home Reference: dementia with Lewy bodies

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... functions, including playing complex roles in thought (cognition), motivation, behavior, and control of movement. Over time, the loss of dopamine-producing neurons increasingly impairs intellectual and motor function and the regulation of emotions, resulting in the signs and symptoms of dementia ...

  2. Promoting collaborative dementia care via online interprofessional education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cartwright, Jade; Franklin, Diane; Forman, Dawn; Freegard, Heather

    2015-06-01

    This study aimed to develop, implement and evaluate an online interprofessional education (IPE) dementia case study for health science students. The IPE initiative aimed to develop collaborative interprofessional capabilities and client-centred mindsets that underpin high-quality dementia care. A mixed methods research design was used to assess students' values, attitudes and learning outcomes using an interprofessional socialization and valuing scale (ISVS) completed pre and post the online case study and via thematic analysis of free text responses. Students' ISVS scores improved significantly following online participation, and the qualitative results support a shift towards interprofessional collaboration and client-centred care. This online IPE case study was successful in developing the collaborative mindsets and interprofessional capabilities required by a future workforce to meet the complex, client-centred needs of people living with dementia. © 2013 ACOTA.

  3. Measuring Electrodermal Activity to Improve the Identification of Agitation in Individuals with Dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melander, Catharina; Martinsson, Jesper; Gustafsson, Silje

    2017-01-01

    Background Understanding and interpreting the complexity of agitation in people with dementia is challenging. Objective To explore whether a sensor measuring electrodermal activity (EDA) can improve the identification of agitation in individuals with dementia. Methods Nine individuals with dementia wore a sensor that measured EDA. During the same time, assistant nurses annotated the observed behavior of the person with dementia. A binary logistic regression model was applied to assess the relationship between the sensor and the assistant nurses' structured observations of agitation. Results The sensor values correlated with the assistant nurses' observations both at the time of the observation and 1 and 2 h prior to the observation. Conclusion A sensor measuring EDA can support early detection of agitation in persons with dementia. PMID:29430245

  4. Health Care Service Utilization of Dementia Patients before and after Institutionalization: A Claims Data Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Larissa Schwarzkopf

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Community-based and institutional dementia care has been compared in cross-sectional studies, but longitudinal information on the effect of institutionalization on health care service utilization is sparse. Methods: We analyzed claims data from 651 dementia patients via Generalized Estimation Equations to assess health care service utilization profiles and corresponding expenditures from four quarters before to four quarters after institutionalization. Results: In all domains, utilization increased in the quarter of institutionalization. Afterwards, the use of drugs, medical aids, and non-physician services (e.g., occupational therapy and physiotherapy remained elevated, but use of in- and outpatient treatment decreased. Cost of care showed corresponding profiles. Conclusion: Institutional dementia care seems to be associated with an increased demand for supportive services but not necessarily for specialized medical care.

  5. Music and dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baird, Amee; Samson, Séverine

    2015-01-01

    There is an increasing incidence of dementia in our aging population, and consequently an urgent need to develop treatments and activities that may alleviate the symptoms of dementia. Accumulating evidence shows that persons with dementia enjoy music, and their ability to respond to music is potentially preserved even in the late or severe stages of dementia when verbal communication may have ceased. Media interest in this topic has contributed to the public perception that music abilities are an "island of preservation" in an otherwise cognitively impaired person with dementia. In this chapter, we review the current literature on music cognition in dementia and show that there has been very scarce rigorous scientific investigation of this issue, and that various types of music memory exist and are differentially impaired in the different types of dementia. Furthermore, we discuss the recent development of music activities as a nonpharmacological treatment for dementia and highlight the methodological limitations of the current literature on this topic. While it has been reported that music activities can improve behavior, (particularly agitation), mood, and cognition in persons with dementia, recent large-scale randomized control studies have questioned the specificity of the effect of music and found that it is no more beneficial than other pleasant activities. Nevertheless, music is unique in its powerful ability to elicit both memories and emotions. This can provide an important link to individual's past and a means of nonverbal communication with carers, which make it an ideal stimulus for persons with dementia. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Aiding the Detection of QRS Complex in ECG Signals by Detecting S Peaks Independently.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabherwal, Pooja; Singh, Latika; Agrawal, Monika

    2018-03-30

    In this paper, a novel algorithm for the accurate detection of QRS complex by combining the independent detection of R and S peaks, using fusion algorithm is proposed. R peak detection has been extensively studied and is being used to detect the QRS complex. Whereas, S peaks, which is also part of QRS complex can be independently detected to aid the detection of QRS complex. In this paper, we suggest a method to first estimate S peak from raw ECG signal and then use them to aid the detection of QRS complex. The amplitude of S peak in ECG signal is relatively weak than corresponding R peak, which is traditionally used for the detection of QRS complex, therefore, an appropriate digital filter is designed to enhance the S peaks. These enhanced S peaks are then detected by adaptive thresholding. The algorithm is validated on all the signals of MIT-BIH arrhythmia database and noise stress database taken from physionet.org. The algorithm performs reasonably well even for the signals highly corrupted by noise. The algorithm performance is confirmed by sensitivity and positive predictivity of 99.99% and the detection accuracy of 99.98% for QRS complex detection. The number of false positives and false negatives resulted while analysis has been drastically reduced to 80 and 42 against the 98 and 84 the best results reported so far.

  7. Parkinson's Disease Dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Find your local chapter Join our online community Parkinson's Disease Dementia Parkinson's disease dementia is an impairment ... disease. About Symptoms Diagnosis Causes & risks Treatments About Parkinson's disease dementia The brain changes caused by Parkinson's ...

  8. Prevalence of dementia and major dementia subtypes in Spanish populations: A reanalysis of dementia prevalence surveys, 1990-2008

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boix Raquel

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This study describes the prevalence of dementia and major dementia subtypes in Spanish elderly. Methods We identified screening surveys, both published and unpublished, in Spanish populations, which fulfilled specific quality criteria and targeted prevalence of dementia in populations aged 70 years and above. Surveys covering 13 geographically different populations were selected (prevalence period: 1990-2008. Authors of original surveys provided methodological details of their studies through a systematic questionnaire and also raw age-specific data. Prevalence data were compared using direct adjustment and logistic regression. Results The reanalyzed study population (aged 70 year and above was composed of Central and North-Eastern Spanish sub-populations obtained from 9 surveys and totaled 12,232 persons and 1,194 cases of dementia (707 of Alzheimer's disease, 238 of vascular dementia. Results showed high variation in age- and sex-specific prevalence across studies. The reanalyzed prevalence of dementia was significantly higher in women; increased with age, particularly for Alzheimer's disease; and displayed a significant geographical variation among men. Prevalence was lowest in surveys reporting participation below 85%, studies referred to urban-mixed populations and populations diagnosed by psychiatrists. Conclusion Prevalence of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in Central and North-Eastern Spain is higher in females, increases with age, and displays considerable geographic variation that may be method-related. People suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's disease in Spain may approach 600,000 and 400,000 respectively. However, existing studies may not be completely appropriate to infer prevalence of dementia and its subtypes in Spain until surveys in Southern Spain are conducted.

  9. Hearing Impairment Affects Dementia Incidence. An Analysis Based on Longitudinal Health Claims Data in Germany

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teipel, Stefan; Óvári, Attila; Kilimann, Ingo; Witt, Gabriele; Doblhammer, Gabriele

    2016-01-01

    Recent research has revealed an association between hearing impairment and dementia. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of hearing impairment on dementia incidence in a longitudinal study, and whether ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist care, care level, institutionalization, or depression mediates or moderates this pathway. The present study used a longitudinal sample of 154,783 persons aged 65 and older from claims data of the largest German health insurer; containing 14,602 incident dementia diagnoses between 2006 and 2010. Dementia and hearing impairment diagnoses were defined according to International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, codes. We used a Kaplan Meier estimator and performed Cox proportional hazard models to explore the effect of hearing impairment on dementia incidence, controlling for ENT specialist care, care level, institutionalization, and depression. Gender, age, and comorbidities were controlled for as potential confounders. Patients with bilateral (HR = 1.43, pimpairment had higher risks of dementia incidence than patients without hearing impairment. We found no significant effect for unilateral hearing impairment and other diseases of the ear. The effect of hearing impairment was only partly mediated through ENT specialist utilization. Significant interaction between hearing impairment and specialist care, care level, and institutionalization, respectively, indicated moderating effects. We discuss possible explanations for these effects. This study underlines the importance of the association between hearing impairment and dementia. Preserving hearing ability may maintain social participation and may reduce the burden associated with dementia. The particular impact of hearing aid use should be the subject of further investigations, as it offers potential intervention on the pathway to dementia. PMID:27391486

  10. Dementia: role of MRI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Georgieva-Kozarova, G.

    2012-01-01

    Full text: This presentation will focus on the role of MRI in the diagnosis of dementia and related diseases. We will discuss the following subjects: 1. Systematic assessment of MR in dementia 2. MR protocol for dementia 3. Typical findings in the most common dementia syndrome Alzheimer's disease (AD), Vascular Dementia (VaD), Frontotemporal lobe dementia (FTLD) 4. Short overview of neurodegenerative disorders which may be associated with dementia. The role of neuroimaging in dementia nowadays extends to support the diagnosis of specific neurodegenerative disorders. It is a challenge to the early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Early diagnosis includes recognition of predementia conditions, such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Neuroimaging may also be used to assess disease progression and is adopted in current trials investigating MCI and AD. An MR-study of a patient suspected of having dementia must be assessed in a standardized way. First of all, treatable diseases like subdural hematomas, tumors and hydrocephalus need to be excluded. Next we should look for signs of specific dementias such as: Alzheimer's disease (AD): medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA) and parietal atrophy. Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD): (asymmetric) frontal lobe atrophy and atrophy of the temporal pole. Vascular Dementia (VaD): global atrophy, diffuse white matter lesions, lacunas and 'strategic infarcts' (infarcts in regions that are involved in cognitive function). Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB): in contrast to other forms of dementia usually no specific abnormalities. So when we study the MR images we should score in a systematic way for global atrophy, focal atrophy and for vascular disease (i.e. infarcts, white matter lesions, lacunas)

  11. [Self-consciousness, consciousness of the other and dementias].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gil, Roger

    2007-06-01

    Studies of self-consciousness in dementia concern essentially anosognosia or the loss of insight. However, Self-consciousness is multifaceted: it includes awareness of the body, perceptions, one's own history, identity, and one's own projects. Self-consciousness is linked to consciousness of others i.e. to social cognition supported by identification of others, but also by comprehension of facial expression of emotions, comprehension and expression of emotional prosody, pragmatic abilities, ability to infer other's people's mental states, thoughts, and feelings (theory of mind and empathy), knowledge of social norms and rules, social reasoning. The subtypes of dementias (and namely Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia) affect heterogeneously the different aspects of the self-and other-consciousness. Further studies are needed for a better knowledge of the complex relationship between Self-consciousness, social cognition, decision making and neuropsychiatric symptoms and behavioral disturbances occurring in demented patients.

  12. Dementia Prevention: optimizing the use of observational data for personal, clinical, and public health decision-making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dacks, Penny A; Andrieu, Sandrine; Blacker, Deborah; Carman, Aaron J; Green, Allan M; Grodstein, Francine; Henderson, Victor W; James, Bryan D; Lane, Rachel F; Lau, Joseph; Lin, Pei-Jung; Reeves, Barnaby C; Shah, Raj C; Vellas, Bruno; Yaffe, Kristine; Yurko-Mauro, Karin; Shineman, Diana W; Bennett, David A; Fillit, Howard M

    2014-02-01

    Worldwide, over 35 million people suffer from Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. This number is expected to triple over the next 40 years. How can we improve the evidence supporting strategies to reduce the rate of dementia in future generations? The risk of dementia is likely influenced by modifiable factors such as exercise, cognitive activity, and the clinical management of diabetes and hypertension. However, the quality of evidence is limited and it remains unclear whether specific interventions to reduce these modifiable risk factors can, in turn, reduce the risk of dementia. Although randomized controlled trials are the gold-standard for causality, the majority of evidence for long-term dementia prevention derives from, and will likely continue to derive from, observational studies. Although observational research has some unavoidable limitations, its utility for dementia prevention might be improved by, for example, better distinction between confirmatory and exploratory research, higher reporting standards, investment in effectiveness research enabled by increased data-pooling, and standardized exposure and outcome measures. Informed decision-making by the general public on low-risk health choices that could have broad potential benefits could be enabled by internet-based tools and decision-aids to communicate the evidence, its quality, and the estimated magnitude of effect.

  13. Computerized visuo-spatial memory test as a supplementary screening test for dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maki, Yohko; Yoshida, Hiroshi; Yamaguchi, Haruyasu

    2010-06-01

    To prepare for a super-aging society, effective dementia screening tests are required. The most salient deficit appearing from the early stages of dementia/Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a deterioration in memory. The Hasegawa Dementia Scale-revised (HDS-R) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) are widely used in Japan to screen for dementia. Both place an emphasis on memory function, but neither examines visuo-spatial memory (VSM) function, even though VSM deficits are a sensitive marker for the detection of conversion to dementia. Furthermore, brief tests of VSM that are appropriate for screening have not been standardized. Thus, in the present study, we devised a brief, computer-aided short-term VSM test. Sixty-six aged people were evaluated. Using the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), it was found that 29 could be considered normal controls (NC; CDR 0), 10 had mild cognitive impairment (MCI; CDR 0.5), 15 had mild dementia (CDR 1), and 12 had moderate to severe dementia (CDR 2-3). The VSM test estimated how many locations each subject could memorize. Several numbered circles were shown on a monitor and subjects were required to memorize the location of these circles sequentially. After the numbers on the circles on the screen had disappeared, the subjects were required to indicate the circles in ascending order. A touch panel screen was used for this test to make it easier. The HDS-R was applied to subjects with MCI and dementia. The mean (+/-SD) VSM score in subjects with MCI (5.70 +/- 0.96) was significantly lower than that in NC subjects (6.69 +/- 0.82), but significantly higher than that in subjects classified as CDR 1 (4.67 +/- 0.87). There was no significant difference in VSM scores between subjects classified as CDR 1 and CDR 2-3 (3.80 +/- 0.80). There was a moderate significant correlation between VSM and HDS-R scores. In the present study, the VSM test detected differences in VSM function among NC subjects and subjects with MCI and mild dementia. The

  14. Functional Neuroimaging in Dementia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    J.M. Papma (Janne)

    2012-01-01

    textabstractDementia refers to a clinical syndrome of cognitive deterioration and difficulty in the performance of activities of daily living. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease (AD), followed by vascular dementia (VaD) at old age and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) at young

  15. Mental health problem in HIV/AIDS patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camellia, V.

    2018-03-01

    People with HIV positive have risk increased mental health problem than the general population. It associated with psychosocial factors, direct neurological effects of the HIV infection and medication. Overall it can make increased morbidity and mortality in HIV positive patients. The more common mental problem in HIV/AIDS people is dementia, delirium, depression, and mania, suicide, psychotic, sleep problem. Both psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic treatment strategies often indicate.

  16. Brain Connectivity Alterations Are Associated with the Development of Dementia in Parkinson's Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertrand, Josie-Anne; McIntosh, Anthony R; Postuma, Ronald B; Kovacevic, Natasha; Latreille, Véronique; Panisset, Michel; Chouinard, Sylvain; Gagnon, Jean-François

    2016-04-01

    Dementia affects a high proportion of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and poses a burden on caregivers and healthcare services. Electroencephalography (EEG) is a common nonevasive and nonexpensive technique that can easily be used in clinical settings to identify brain functional abnormalities. Only few studies had identified EEG abnormalities that can predict PD patients at higher risk for dementia. Brain connectivity EEG measures, such as multiscale entropy (MSE) and phase-locking value (PLV) analyses, may be more informative and sensitive to brain alterations leading to dementia than previously used methods. This study followed 62 dementia-free PD patients for a mean of 3.4 years to identify cerebral alterations that are associated with dementia. Baseline resting state EEG of patients who developed dementia (N = 18) was compared to those of patients who remained dementia-free (N = 44) and of 37 healthy subjects. MSE and PLV analyses were performed. Partial least squares statistical analysis revealed group differences associated with the development of dementia. Patients who developed dementia showed higher signal complexity and lower PLVs in low frequencies (mainly in delta frequency) than patients who remained dementia-free and controls. Conversely, both patient groups showed lower signal variability and higher PLVs in high frequencies (mainly in gamma frequency) compared to controls, with the strongest effect in patients who developed dementia. These findings suggest that specific disruptions of brain communication can be measured before PD patients develop dementia, providing a new potential marker to identify patients at highest risk of developing dementia and who are the best candidates for neuroprotective trials.

  17. Imaging dementias

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Savoiardo, M.; Grisoli, M. [Dept. of Neuroradiology, Istituto Nazionale Neurologico, Milan (Italy)

    2001-03-01

    Dementia is the progressive loss of intellectual functions due to involvement of cortical or subcortical areas. Specific involvement of certain brain areas in the different diseases leads to impairment of different functions, e. g., memory, language, visuospatial abilities, and behavior. Magnetic resonance imaging and other neuroradiological studies may indicate which structures are mainly or selectively involved in a demented patient, thus allowing clinical-radiological correlations. Clinical presentation and evolution of the disease, supported by imaging studies, may lead to a highly probable diagnosis. The most common disorders, or the most relevant from the neuroradiological point of view, such as Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementias, dementia associated with parkinsonism, Huntington's disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and normal-pressure hydrocephalus, are briefly discussed. (orig.)

  18. Imaging dementias

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Savoiardo, M.; Grisoli, M.

    2001-01-01

    Dementia is the progressive loss of intellectual functions due to involvement of cortical or subcortical areas. Specific involvement of certain brain areas in the different diseases leads to impairment of different functions, e. g., memory, language, visuospatial abilities, and behavior. Magnetic resonance imaging and other neuroradiological studies may indicate which structures are mainly or selectively involved in a demented patient, thus allowing clinical-radiological correlations. Clinical presentation and evolution of the disease, supported by imaging studies, may lead to a highly probable diagnosis. The most common disorders, or the most relevant from the neuroradiological point of view, such as Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementias, dementia associated with parkinsonism, Huntington's disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and normal-pressure hydrocephalus, are briefly discussed. (orig.)

  19. The neurologist facing pain in dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Álvaro González, Luis Carlos

    2015-01-01

    . They are attributed to an early lesion in the LC, which reduces its prominent antinociceptive activity. Finally, in the demented patients there is a lack of expectations to analgesic treatments. This means an absence of the placebo effect, which is, alongside the pharmacokinetic action, an inherent part of the analgesic response. The placebo response is related to activity in the ACC and PGS. Giving its lack, higher doses of analgesics are necessary in dementias. The assessment of pain in dementia is rather complex, which is the main reason for the scarcity of the analgesic treatment in dementias. It must be specific and systematic. For this purpose, the pain scales are a useful tool. For communicative patients, simple visual scales are helpful, meanwhile in the non-communicative patients the multidimensional scales are the most suitable. By this means, the expressive, motor, emotional, functional and social interactions are evaluated. Pain may be responsible of progression and cognitive deterioration in dementia. This evolution could be reversible, and consequently it has to be foreseen in order to implement analgesic treatment. Trying to minimize adverse events, it has to be potent but closely monitored. Copyright © 2010 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  20. Integrated community-based dementia care: the Geriant model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ludo Glimmerveen

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available This article gives an in-depth description of the service delivery model of Geriant, a Dutch organization providing community-based care services for people suffering from dementia. Core to its model is the provision of clinical case management, embedded in multidisciplinary dementia care teams. As Geriant's client group includes people from the first presumption of dementia until they can no longer live at home, its care model provides valuable lessons about how different mechanisms of integration are flexibly put to use if the complexity of clients” care needs increases. It showcases how the integration of services for a specific sub-population is combined with alignment of these services with generalist network partners. After a detailed description of the programme and its results, this article builds on the work of Walter Leutz for a conceptual discussion of Geriant's approach to care integration. 

  1. Pharmacotherapy of dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ajit Avasthi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This review aims to evaluate the existing evidence for pharmacotherapy for management of dementia. Data search strategies included electronic databases of relevant publications or cross-references. The searches were limited to acetyl cholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs, memantine, antipsychotics, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and benzodiazepines. Data in the form of meta-analysis and systemic reviews for treatment in five main types of dementia (Alzheimer′s, frontotemporal, Parkinson′s, Lewy body disease, and vascular type were extracted. If a meta-analysis or systemic review was not available, then the searches included evaluation of data in the form of double-blind, randomized controlled trials or open-label studies. Various studies suggest that compared to placebo, AChEIs and memantine are associated with better outcome in all domains of Alzheimer′s disease. In addition, combination therapy of AChEIs and memantine is superior to monotherapy with AChEIs in terms of behavioral disturbances, activities of daily living, and global assessment. In patients with dementia associated with Parkinson′s disease or Lewy body dementia, use of donepezil, rivastigmine, and memantine is associated with significant efficacy on the global outcome measures when compared with placebo. Compared to placebo, AChEIs, but not memantine, have also been shown to have better cognitive outcomes in patients with dementia associated with Parkinson′s disease or Lewy body dementia. Data are limited for the role of pharmacotherapy in management of frontotemporal dementia. In patients of vascular dementia, all AChEIs and memantine show some beneficial effects on cognition. Antidepressants and antipsychotics have been shown to be beneficial in management of behavioral symptoms and agitation. However, it is important to remember that there is black box warning for use of antipsychotics among patients with dementia. One of the major limitations of the research is

  2. Driving and dementia: Efficient approach to driving safety concerns in family practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Linda; Molnar, Frank

    2017-01-01

    To provide primary care physicians with an approach to driving safety concerns when older persons present with memory difficulties. The approach is based on an accredited memory clinic training program developed by the Centre for Family Medicine Primary Care Collaborative Memory Clinic. One of the most challenging aspects of dementia care is the assessment of driving safety. Drivers with dementia are at higher risk of motor vehicle collisions, yet many drivers with mild dementia might be safely able to continue driving for several years. Because safe driving is dependent on multiple cognitive and functional skills, clinicians should carefully consider many factors when determining if cognitive concerns affect driving safety. Specific findings on corroborated history and office-based cognitive testing might aid in the physician's decisions to refer for comprehensive on-road driving evaluation and whether to notify transportation authorities in accordance with provincial reporting requirements. Sensitive communication and a person-centred approach are essential. Primary care physicians must consider many factors when determining if cognitive concerns might affect driving safety in older drivers. Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

  3. The 'ripple effect': Towards researching improvisational music therapy in dementia care homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavlicevic, Mercédès; Tsiris, Giorgos; Wood, Stuart; Powell, Harriet; Graham, Janet; Sanderson, Richard; Millman, Rachel; Gibson, Jane

    2015-09-01

    Increased interest in, and demand for, music therapy provision for persons with dementia prompted this study's exploration of music therapists' strategies for creating musical communities in dementia care settings, considering the needs and resources of people affected by dementia. Focus group discussions and detailed iterative study of improvisational music therapy work by six experienced practitioners clarify the contextual immediacy and socio-musical complexities of music therapy in dementia care homes. Music therapy's 'ripple effect', with resonances from micro (person-to-person musicking), to meso (musicking beyond 'session time') and macro level (within the care home and beyond), implies that all who are part of the dementia care ecology need opportunities for flourishing, shared participation, and for expanded self-identities; beyond 'staff', 'residents', or 'being in distress'. On such basis, managers and funders might consider an extended brief for music therapists' roles, to include generating and maintaining musical wellbeing throughout residential care settings. © The Author(s) 2013.

  4. Early-Onset Dementia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Konijnenberg, Elles; Fereshtehnejad, Seyed-Mohammad; Kate, Mara Ten

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Early-onset dementia (EOD) is a rare condition, with an often atypical clinical presentation, and it may therefore be challenging to diagnose. Specialized memory clinics vary in the type of patients seen, diagnostic procedures applied, and the pharmacological treatment given. The aim...... of this study was to investigate quality-of-care indicators in subjects with EOD from 3 tertiary memory clinics in 3 European countries. METHODS: We included 1325 newly diagnosed EOD patients, ages 65 years or younger, between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2013, from the Danish Dementia Registry...... (Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen), the Swedish Dementia Registry ("SveDem", Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm), and the Amsterdam Dementia Cohort (VU University Medical Center). RESULTS: The frequency of EOD among all dementia patients was significantly lower in Copenhagen (410, 20%) and Stockholm (284, 21...

  5. Antidepressants and dementia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kessing, Lars Vedel; Søndergård, Lars; Forman, Julie Lyng

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that antidepressants may have neuroprotective abilities but it has newer been investigated lately whether treatment with antidepressants reduces the risk of dementia. METHOD: Linkage of registers of all prescribed antidepressants and diagnoses of dementia...... in Denmark during a period from 1995 to 2005. RESULTS: Persons who purchased antidepressants once (N=687,552) had an increased rate of dementia compared to persons unexposed to antidepressants (N=779,831). Nevertheless, the rate of dementia changed over time; thus during the initial prescription periods...... the rate increased with the number of prescriptions but continued long-term antidepressants treatment was associated with a reduction in the rate of dementia, however, not to the same level as the rate for the general population. This pattern was found for all classes of antidepressants (SSRIs, newer non...

  6. Knowledge of Dementia: Do family members understand dementia as a terminal condition?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrews, Sharon; McInerney, Fran; Toye, Christine; Parkinson, Camillus-Anthony; Robinson, Andrew

    2017-07-01

    Current research identifies advanced dementia to be the terminal phase of this progressive and incurable condition. However, there has been relatively little investigation into how family members of people with advanced dementia understand their relative's condition. In this article, we report on semi-structured interviews with 10 family members of people with advanced dementia, in a residential aged care facility. Using a qualitative, descriptive design, we explored family members' understandings of dementia, whether they were aware that it was a terminal condition, and the ways they developed their understandings. Findings revealed that the majority of family members could not recognize the terminal nature of dementia. Relying on predominantly lay understandings, they had little access to formal information and most failed to conceptualize a connection between dementia and death. Moreover, family members engaged in limited dialogue with aged care staff about such issues, despite their relatives being in an advanced stage of the disease. Findings from our study suggest that how family members understand their relative's condition requires greater attention. The development of staff/family partnerships that promote shared communication about dementia and dying may enhance family members' understandings of the dementia trajectory and the types of decisions they may be faced with during the more advanced stages of the disease.

  7. Phytosterols and Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shuang, Rong; Rui, Xu; Wenfang, Li

    2016-12-01

    As the aging of the world's population is becoming increasingly serious, dementia-related diseases have become a hot topic in public health research. In recent years, human epidemiological studies have focused on lipid metabolism disorders and dementia. The efficacy of phytosterol intake as a cholesterol-lowering agent has been demonstrated. Phytosterols directly serve as ligands of the nuclear receptors, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), activating Sirtuin 1 (SIRT-1), which are involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism and the pathogenesis of dementia. Moreover, phytosterols mediate cell and membrane cholesterol efflux or beta amyloid (Aβ) metabolism, which have preventative and therapeutic effects on dementia. Additionally, incorporation of plant sterols in lipid rafts can effectively reduce dietary fat and alter the dietary composition of fiber, fat and cholesterol to regulate appetite and calories. Overall, the objectives of this review are to explore whether phytosterols are a potentially effective target for the prevention of dementia and to discuss a possible molecular mechanism by which phytosterols play a role in the pathogenesis of dementia via the PPARs-SIRT-1 pathway.

  8. Caregiver Burden for Patients with Dementia with or Without Hiring Foreign Health Aides: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Northern Taiwan Memory Clinic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nian-Sheng Tzeng

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence, profile, and severity of dementia and the relative impact of these factors on caregiver burden in a selected population of persons with dementia and their caregivers. Methods: A convenience sample of 100 outpatients and their family caregivers dyads who presented to a memory clinic in one medical center during one consecutive year were recruited. The diagnosis and severity of dementia were determined according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Version IV, Text Revision. The clinical dementia rating scale, mini-mental status examination, and Clinical Global Impression of severity were also administered. The caregiver strain index was used to assess caregiver burden. Results: Caregiver burden is related to the severity of dementia, impairment of cognitive function, and severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms. The caregivers who were younger, nonspousal family members, had a poor relationship with the dementia patient, and psychosomatic symptoms after caring for the patient, or provided longer hours of care-giving, experienced greater strains. Hiring foreign helpers was not associated with a lower caregiver burden. Conclusions: Greater caregiver burden is associated with several factors related to persons with dementia and their caregivers. A possible over-burden on caregivers should be of concern in Taiwan. Hiring foreign helpers was not associated with a lower caregiver burden.

  9. Health Policy and Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powell, Tia

    2018-02-01

    The anticipated number of persons with dementia continues to grow, and the US has insufficiently planned to provide and pay for care for this large population. A number of significant clinical trials aiming to prevent or cure dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, have not demonstrated success. Because of the lack of efficacious treatments, and the fact that brain changes associated with dementia may begin decades before symptoms, we can predict that efforts to cure or prevent dementia will not succeed in time for millions of people in the baby boomer generation. Because of the anticipated increase in people suffering with dementia in the coming years, US health policy must address major gaps in how to provide and pay for dementia care. Reliance on Medicaid and Medicare as currently structured will not sustain the necessary care, nor can families alone provide all necessary dementia care. Innovative forms of providing long-term care and paying for it are crucially needed.

  10. System Development Guidelines From a Review of Motion-Based Technology for People With Dementia or MCI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arlene J. Astell

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available As the population ages and the number of people living with dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI continues to increase, it is critical to identify creative and innovative ways to support and improve their quality of life. Motion-based technology has shown significant potential for people living with dementia or MCI by providing opportunities for cognitive stimulation, physical activity and participation in meaningful leisure activities, while simultaneously functioning as a useful tool for research and development of interventions. However, many of the current systems created using motion-based technology have not been designed specifically for people with dementia or MCI. Additionally, the usability and accessibility of these systems for these populations has not been thoroughly considered. This paper presents a set of system development guidelines derived from a review of the state of the art of motion-based technologies for people with dementia or MCI. These guidelines highlight three overarching domains of consideration for systems targeting people with dementia or MCI: (i cognitive, (ii physical, and (iii social. We present the guidelines in terms of relevant design and use considerations within these domains and the emergent design themes within each domain. Our hope is that these guidelines will aid in designing motion-based software to meet the needs of people with dementia or MCI such that the potential of these technologies can be realized.

  11. Assistive technology for memory support in dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van der Roest, Henriëtte G; Wenborn, Jennifer; Pastink, Channah; Dröes, Rose-Marie; Orrell, Martin

    2017-06-11

    The sustained interest in electronic assistive technology in dementia care has been fuelled by the urgent need to develop useful approaches to help support people with dementia at home. Also the low costs and wide availability of electronic devices make it more feasible to use electronic devices for the benefit of disabled persons. Information Communication Technology (ICT) devices designed to support people with dementia are usually referred to as Assistive Technology (AT) or Electronic Assistive Technology (EAT). By using AT in this review we refer to electronic assistive devices. A range of AT devices has been developed to support people with dementia and their carers to manage their daily activities and to enhance safety, for example electronic pill boxes, picture phones, or mobile tracking devices. Many are commercially available. However, the usefulness and user-friendliness of these devices are often poorly evaluated. Although reviews of (electronic) memory aids do exist, a systematic review of studies focusing on the efficacy of AT for memory support in people with dementia is lacking. Such a review would guide people with dementia and their informal and professional carers in selecting appropriate AT devices. Primary objectiveTo assess the efficacy of AT for memory support in people with dementia in terms of daily performance of personal and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL), level of dependency, and admission to long-term care. Secondary objectiveTo assess the impact of AT on: users (autonomy, usefulness and user-friendliness, adoption of AT); cognitive function and neuropsychiatric symptoms; need for informal and formal care; perceived quality of life; informal carer burden, self-esteem and feelings of competence; formal carer work satisfaction, workload and feelings of competence; and adverse events. We searched ALOIS, the Specialised Register of the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group (CDCIG), on 10 November 2016. ALOIS is

  12. Achieving Prudent Dementia Care (Palliare: An International Policy and Practice Imperative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Debbie Tolson

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper examines the provision of integrated advanced dementia care within seven European countries and critically reviews the potential contribution of the Prudent Healthcare perspective as a starting point for reform. Progressive efforts to innovate, promote quality and integrate care are tempered with the reality of resource constraints. Some policy makers in Europe and North America have turned their attention to the principles of Prudent Healthcare as a potential mechanism to maximise benefits for patients within available resources. As dementia progresses, living well requires increasing levels of support and care, people living with advanced dementia have complex health and social care needs, are highly dependent on others but are not yet at the terminal end stage of the condition. People with advanced dementia can benefit from a dementia specific palliative approach to care ('Palliare', that helps them to live the best life possible for the months and often years they live with advanced dementia. It is also highly desirable to align policy innovations with integrated palliative care practice models and the education of the dementia workforce to accelerate informed improvements in advanced dementia care. There may be some coherence, at least superficially between Prudent Healthcare and integrated palliative care models such as Palliare. It is argued that for successful implementation, both require practitioners to be equipped with knowledge and skills and be empowered to deliver high quality care often within impoverished care environments. Adoption of the prudent perspective will however require development of a repertoire of approaches to hear the voice or proxy voice of people living with advanced dementia and to commit to the development and implementation of new evidence for advanced dementia practice. Evidence informing this policy debate draws upon contemporary literature and policy and the findings from research activities

  13. Montessori-based dementia care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cline, Janet

    2006-10-01

    Montessori-based Dementia Care is an approach used in Alzheimer's care that does not involve chemical or physical restraints. This program works by giving the elder with Alzheimer/Dementia a purpose by getting them involved. When staff/families care for a confused Alzheimer/Dementia patient, who is having behaviors, the Montessori program teaches them to look at what is causing the behavior. When assessing the elder to determine what is causing the behavior, the goal is to find the answer, but the answer cannot be dementia. The goal of the program is to bring meaning to the life of an Alzheimer/Dementia elder.

  14. Lewy Body Dementia Diagnosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... provide an experienced diagnostic team skilled in Lewy body dementia. A thorough dementia diagnostic evaluation includes physical ... a good way to benefit others with Lewy body dementia. Medications Medications are one of the most ...

  15. An integrative review: understanding driving retirement decisions for individuals living with a dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrew, Catherine; Traynor, Victoria; Iverson, Don

    2015-12-01

    To synthesise primary research exploring decision making practices used to determine the time to retire from driving for individuals living with a dementia. Driving requires complex cognitive and physical skills potentially compromised due to the progressive nature of dementia. Whilst on-road assessments are considered reliable indicators of driving capacity by clinicians, drivers with dementia disagree. Integrative literature review informed by Whittemore & Knafl (2005). Electronic database search of Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, Google Scholar 1997-2012; and incremental hand search. Primary studies published in peer reviewed journals were appraised against quality assessment criteria using CASP methodological assessment tools. A total of 43 studies were retained for synthesis. Key findings were abstracted and a themes matrix was generated to identify patterns of meaning. Six themes emerged: (i) dementia may compromise the complex task of driving; (ii) defining onset and severity of dementia is problematic; (iii) symptom progression impacts on driving skills; (iv) assessment of fitness to drive remains subjective; (v) some drivers are reluctant to accept negative assessment outcomes; and (vi) the search for effective strategies to enhance acceptance of driver retirement continues. This integrative literature review identified a large body of knowledge exploring the issues of driving cessation for drivers with dementia. However a challenge remains for practitioners, drivers and their family carers regarding how best to address this highly emotive issue. Findings could inform a structured approach to address this sensitive topic in a timely manner. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joaquim eCerejeira

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD, also known as neuropsychiatric symptoms, represent a heterogeneous group of non-cognitive symptoms and behaviors occurring in subjects with dementia. BPSD constitute a major component of the dementia syndrome irrespective of its subtype. They are as clinically relevant as cognitive symptoms as they strongly correlate with the degree of functional and cognitive impairment. BPSD include agitation, aberrant motor behavior, anxiety, elation, irritability, depression, apathy, disinhibition, delusions, hallucinations, and sleep or appetite changes. It is estimated that BPSD affect up to 90% of all dementia subjects over the course of their illness, and is independently associated with poor outcomes, including distress among patients and caregivers, long term hospitalization, misuse of medication and increased health care costs. Although these symptoms can be present individually it is more common that various psychopathological features co-occur simultaneously in the same patient. Thus, categorization of BPSD in clusters taking into account their natural course, prognosis and treatment response may be useful in the clinical practice. The pathogenesis of BPSD has not been clearly delineated but it is probably the result of a complex interplay of psychological, social and biological factors. Recent studies have emphasized the role of neurochemical, neuropathological and genetic factors underlying the clinical manifestations of BPSD. A high degree of clinical expertise is crucial to appropriately recognize and manage the neuropsychiatric symptoms in a patient with dementia. Combination of non-pharmacological and careful use of pharmacological interventions is the recommended therapeutic for managing BPSD. Given the modest efficacy of current strategies, there is an urgent need to identify novel pharmacological targets and develop new non-pharmacological approaches to improve the adverse outcomes

  17. Caregivers' perspectives on the pre-diagnostic period in early onset dementia: a long and winding road

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Vliet, D.; de Vugt, M.E.; Bakker, C.; Koopmans, R.T.C.M.; Pijnenburg, Y.A.L.; Vernooij-Dassen, M.; Verhey, F.R.J.

    2011-01-01

    Background: Recognizing and diagnosing early onset dementia (EOD) can be complex and often takes longer than for late onset dementia. The objectives of this study are to investigate the barriers to diagnosis and to develop a typology of the diagnosis pathway for EOD caregivers. Methods:

  18. Neurodegenerative Dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allard, Michelle

    2006-01-01

    Full text: With increasing life expectancy across the world, the number of elderly people at risk of developing dementia is growing rapidly. Thus, progressive neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia represent a growing public health concern. These diseases are characterized by a progressive loss in most of the cognitive functions. The promise, possibly in a near future, of disease-modifying therapies has made the characterization of the early stages of dementia a topic of major interest. The assessment of these early stages is a challenge for neuroimaging studies. In order to conceive prevention trials; it is of major outcome to fully understand the mechanisms of the cognitive system impairment and its evolution, with a particular reference to the symptomatic pre-dementia stage, when subjects just begin to depart from normality. In this article we review recent progress in neuroimaging, and their potentiality for increasing a diagnostic accuracy. (author)

  19. Decision Factors Nurses Use to Assess Pain in Nursing Home Residents With Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monroe, Todd B; Parish, Abby; Mion, Lorraine C

    2015-10-01

    Nurses caring for older people with various psychiatric illnesses face many obstacles when treating pain. One setting with a high percentage of psychiatric conditions is long-term care where more than half of residents have some form of dementia, and behavioral symptoms of dementia (BSDs) may mimic behavioral displays of pain. Furthermore, two-thirds of nursing home residents have pain. Thus, many nursing home residents with dementia have pain that may be confounded by BSDs. Since many people with dementia are at risk for poor pain management, determining current methods in which nurses assess and manage pain in nursing home residents will aid in recognizing potential barriers to using current pain management guidelines and help develop strategies to enhance nurses' assessment and management of pain in this vulnerable population. The aim of this study was to explore nursing home nurses' cues and practices to identify and alleviate pain in nursing home residents with dementia. Nurses use the constructs of 'comfort' and 'quality of life' as key components in their overall pain assessment strategy in people with dementia. Indeed, the extensive process they use involving frequent reassessment and application of interventions is geared towards "appearance of comfort." Nurses reported difficulty in ascertaining whether a person with dementia was in pain, and they expressed further difficulty determining the intensity associated with resident pain. Nurses further reported that residents with dementia who are not well know by the staff were are greater risk of poor pain management. It was not unusual for nurses to discuss the importance of conflict resolution among family members as well as allowing for open expression of family's concerns. Nurses had to focus not only on the resident's comfort, but also the families' level of comfort with pain management, especially at the end-of-life. Findings support further use and development of discomfort behavior scales to help

  20. The Cost of Dementia in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kronborg Andersen, C; Søgaard, Jes; Hansen, E

    1999-01-01

    In a population-based study of dementia, the cost of care for 245 demented elderly and 490 controls matched by age and gender was estimated. Dementia of Alzheimer's type was diagnosed according to the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria, and vascular dementia and other types of dementia were diagnosed accordin...... with dementia and the matched controls and amounts on average to DKK 77,000 per person per year. However, priority setting cannot be based on the cost of dementia per se, but only on the cost of a specific dementia intervention compared to its health benefit.......In a population-based study of dementia, the cost of care for 245 demented elderly and 490 controls matched by age and gender was estimated. Dementia of Alzheimer's type was diagnosed according to the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria, and vascular dementia and other types of dementia were diagnosed according...... to the DSM-IIIR criteria. Severity of dementia was determined by the Clinical Dementia Rating scale. The annual cost of medical care, domestic care, home help, nursing home and special equipment for nondemented patients was DKK 22,000 per person while the cost for very mildly, mildly, moderately and severely...

  1. Collaborative project to co-ordinate care for patients with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kennerley, Dorothy; Bolas, Robert; Bourne, Jennifer; Branson, Kathy; Cavenagh, Penny; Chappell, Pam; Collins, Gwen; Coveney, Nick; Day, Nicole; Hardman, Mary; Hayter, Sue; Fenner, Pam; Jones, Jennifer; Jordan, Siobhan; Noble, Brendon; Osbourne, Sarah; Smith, Carol; Wigens, Lynn

    2011-05-01

    Health leaders from across Suffolk joined together in a collaborative action-learning project to identify ways of offering more productive and personalised care for patients with dementia and their carers. The project revealed a range of factors necessary for success, notably professional collaboration and effective facilitation. The outcome was a range of evidenced-based recommendations to improve care and efficiency, as well as ensuring that the quality, innovation, productivity and prevention (QIPP) agenda was met. The lessons can be applied not just in dementia care, but to other long-term and complex care situations.

  2. Depression, Dementia, and Social Supports.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esser, Sally R.; Vitaliano, Peter P.

    1988-01-01

    Reviews recent literature on the relationships among dementia, depression, and social support, emphasizing the diagnostic differentiation of dementia and depression, and the role of these three entities in elderly with cognitive impairment. Discusses dementia-like symptoms arising in depression and the coexistence of dementia and depression.…

  3. Forecasting the Incidence of Dementia and Dementia-Related Outpatient Visits With Google Trends: Evidence From Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ho-Wei; Chen, Duan-Rung; Yu, Hsiao-Wei; Chen, Ya-Mei

    2015-11-19

    Google Trends has demonstrated the capability to both monitor and predict epidemic outbreaks. The connection between Internet searches for dementia information and dementia incidence and dementia-related outpatient visits remains unknown. This study aimed to determine whether Google Trends could provide insight into trends in dementia incidence and related outpatient visits in Taiwan. We investigated and validated the local search terms that would be the best predictors of new dementia cases and outpatient visits. We further evaluated the nowcasting (ie, forecasting the present) and forecasting effects of Google Trends search trends for new dementia cases and outpatient visits. The long-term goal is to develop a surveillance system to help early detection and interventions for dementia in Taiwan. This study collected (1) dementia data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database and (2) local Internet search data from Google Trends, both from January 2009 to December 2011. We investigated and validated search terms that would be the best predictors of new dementia cases and outpatient visits. We then evaluated both the nowcasting and the forecasting effects of Google Trends search trends through cross-correlation analysis of the dementia incidence and outpatient visit data with the Google Trends data. The search term "dementia + Alzheimer's disease" demonstrated a 3-month lead effect for new dementia cases and a 6-month lead effect for outpatient visits (r=.503, P=.002; r=.431, P=.009, respectively). When gender was included in the analysis, the search term "dementia" showed 6-month predictive power for new female dementia cases (r=.520, P=.001), but only a nowcasting effect for male cases (r=.430, P=.009). The search term "neurology" demonstrated a 3-month leading effect for new dementia cases (r=.433, P=.008), for new male dementia cases (r=.434, P=.008), and for outpatient visits (r=.613, Pdata may allow the health care system in Taiwan to prepare

  4. Functional MRI of music emotion processing in frontotemporal dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agustus, Jennifer L; Mahoney, Colin J; Downey, Laura E; Omar, Rohani; Cohen, Miriam; White, Mark J; Scott, Sophie K; Mancini, Laura; Warren, Jason D

    2015-03-01

    Frontotemporal dementia is an important neurodegenerative disorder of younger life led by profound emotional and social dysfunction. Here we used fMRI to assess brain mechanisms of music emotion processing in a cohort of patients with frontotemporal dementia (n = 15) in relation to healthy age-matched individuals (n = 11). In a passive-listening paradigm, we manipulated levels of emotion processing in simple arpeggio chords (mode versus dissonance) and emotion modality (music versus human emotional vocalizations). A complex profile of disease-associated functional alterations was identified with separable signatures of musical mode, emotion level, and emotion modality within a common, distributed brain network, including posterior and anterior superior temporal and inferior frontal cortices and dorsal brainstem effector nuclei. Separable functional signatures were identified post-hoc in patients with and without abnormal craving for music (musicophilia): a model for specific abnormal emotional behaviors in frontotemporal dementia. Our findings indicate the potential of music to delineate neural mechanisms of altered emotion processing in dementias, with implications for future disease tracking and therapeutic strategies. © 2014 The Authors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of The New York Academy of Sciences.

  5. Attitudes to diagnosis and management in dementia care: views of future general practitioners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Eugene Yee Hing; Birdi, Ratika; Robinson, Louise

    2018-03-01

    ABSTRACTConsiderable international governmental support is focused on the timely diagnosis of dementia and post-diagnostic care of people with dementia. Identifying those at high risk of dementia is one approach to timely diagnosis. General practitioners (GPs) are well-placed clinicians in the community to provide both pre- and post-diagnostic dementia care. However, GPs have in the past consistently demonstrated low confidence in both diagnosing dementia and providing care for these complex patients particularly for patients in the post-diagnostic phase. It is currently unclear how future GPs view dementia care. We aimed to evaluate the current attitudes and experiences of future GPs in dementia care and their views on targeting high risk groups. All (n = 513) GP trainees were approached by email to participate in a cross-sectional web and paper-based survey in the North of England. A further reminder was sent out two months after the initial invitation. We received 153 responses (29.8% response rate, 66.7% female, average age 31 (range 25-55 years old). The main difficulties encountered included coordinating supporting services for carers and the person with dementia and responding to co-existing behavioral and psychiatric symptoms. Further education in dementia management was considered to be important by respondents. GP trainees were generally very positive about their future role in caring for people with dementia, particularly in the area of earlier diagnosis via identification of high-risk individuals. Future GPs in one area of England are very positive about their key role in dementia care. In order to facilitate the delivery of high quality, community-based care, work is required to establish core post-diagnostic dementia support services. Further research is needed to identify effective systems to enable accurate assessment and to ensure earlier diagnosis in high-risk groups.

  6. Early Dementia Screening

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter K. Panegyres

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available As the population of the world increases, there will be larger numbers of people with dementia and an emerging need for prompt diagnosis and treatment. Early dementia screening is the process by which a patient who might be in the prodromal phases of a dementing illness is determined as having, or not having, the hallmarks of a neurodegenerative condition. The concepts of mild cognitive impairment, or mild neurocognitive disorder, are useful in analyzing the patient in the prodromal phase of a dementing disease; however, the transformation to dementia may be as low as 10% per annum. The search for early dementia requires a comprehensive clinical evaluation, cognitive assessment, determination of functional status, corroborative history and imaging (including MRI, FDG-PET and maybe amyloid PET, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF examination assaying Aβ1–42, T-τ and P-τ might also be helpful. Primary care physicians are fundamental in the screening process and are vital in initiating specialist investigation and treatment. Early dementia screening is especially important in an age where there is a search for disease modifying therapies, where there is mounting evidence that treatment, if given early, might influence the natural history—hence the need for cost-effective screening measures for early dementia.

  7. The full spectrum of ethical issues in dementia care: systematic qualitative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strech, Daniel; Mertz, Marcel; Knüppel, Hannes; Neitzke, Gerald; Schmidhuber, Martina

    2013-06-01

    Integrating ethical issues in dementia-specific training material, clinical guidelines and national strategy plans requires an unbiased awareness of all the relevant ethical issues. To determine systematically and transparently the full spectrum of ethical issues in clinical dementia care. We conducted a systematic review in Medline (restricted to English and German literature published between 2000 and 2011) and Google books (with no restrictions). We applied qualitative text analysis and normative analysis to categorise the spectrum of ethical issues in clinical dementia care. The literature review retrieved 92 references that together mentioned a spectrum of 56 ethical issues in clinical dementia care. The spectrum was structured into seven major categories that consist of first- and second-order categories for ethical issues. The systematically derived spectrum of ethical issues in clinical dementia care presented in this paper can be used as training material for healthcare professionals, students and the public for raising awareness and understanding of the complexity of ethical issues in dementia care. It can also be used to identify ethical issues that should be addressed in dementia-specific training programmes, national strategy plans and clinical practice guidelines. Further research should evaluate whether this new genre of systematic reviews can be applied to the identification of ethical issues in other cognitive and somatic diseases. Also, the practical challenges in addressing ethical issues in training material, guidelines and policies need to be evaluated.

  8. Stereotypic behaviors in degenerative dementias.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prioni, S; Fetoni, V; Barocco, F; Redaelli, V; Falcone, C; Soliveri, P; Tagliavini, F; Scaglioni, A; Caffarra, P; Concari, L; Gardini, S; Girotti, F

    2012-11-01

    Stereotypies are simple or complex involuntary/unvoluntary behaviors, common in fronto-temporal dementia (FTD), but not studied in other types of degenerative dementias. The aim was to investigate stereotypy frequency and type in patients with FTD, Alzheimer's disease (AD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and Parkinson's disease with dementia (PDD) in a multicenter observational study; and to investigate the relation of stereotypies to cognitive, behavioral and motor impairment. One hundred fifty-five consecutive outpatients (45 AD, 40 FTD, 35 PSP and 35 PDD) were studied in four hospitals in northern Italy. Stereotypies were examined by the five-domain Stereotypy Rating Inventory. Cognition was examined by the Mini Mental State and Frontal Assessment Battery, neuropsychiatric symptoms by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, and motor impairment and invalidity by the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part III, and activities of daily living. Stereotypies were present in all groups. FTD and PDD had the greatest frequency of one-domain stereotypies; FTD also had the greatest frequency of two-or-more domain stereotypies; movement stereotypies were the most common stereotypies in all groups. AD patients had fewer stereotypies than the other groups. Stereotypies are not exclusive to FTD, but are also fairly common in PSP and PDD, though less so in AD. Stereotypies may be underpinned by dysfunctional striato-frontal circuits, known to be damaged in PSP and PDD, as well as FTD.

  9. Etiologies and risk factors for dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandeep Grover

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Dementia is understood as a clinical syndrome characterized by impairment in memory impairment along with cognitive deficits in other domains. Over the years, understanding about the causes of dementias has improved. Broadly, dementias can be classified as irreversible degenerative dementias and reversible dementias. Alzheimer′s disease is the prototype of degenerative dementias and is characterized by the accumulation of beta-amyloid protein (called as amyloid plaques outside the neurons and accumulation of tau protein (called tau tangles inside the neurons. Vascular dementias are characterized by cerebrovascular insults which lead to pathological brain changes that impair cognition. The pathological hallmark of Lewy body dementia is the presence of α-synuclein neuronal inclusions, also known as Lewy bodies, accompanied by neuronal loss. Frontotemporal dementias are characterized by abnormal deposits of the microtubule-associated protein tau, the trans-activation response TAR DNA-binding protein with molecular weight 43 kDa (TDP-43, and the fused in sarcoma protein. Reversible dementias are characterized by the primary illness and may not present with characteristic brain deposits as seen with many degenerative dementias.

  10. Making decisions at the end of life when caring for a person with dementia: a literature review to explore the potential use of heuristics in difficult decision-making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathew, R; Davies, N; Manthorpe, J; Iliffe, S

    2016-07-19

    Decision-making, when providing care and treatment for a person with dementia at the end of life, can be complex and challenging. There is a lack of guidance available to support practitioners and family carers, and even those experienced in end of life dementia care report a lack of confidence in decision-making. It is thought that the use of heuristics (rules of thumb) may aid decision-making. The aim of this study is to identify whether heuristics are used in end of life dementia care, and if so, to identify the context in which they are being used. A narrative literature review was conducted taking a systematic approach to the search strategy, using the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination guidelines. Rapid appraisal methodology was used in order to source specific and relevant literature regarding the use of heuristics in end of life dementia care. A search using terms related to dementia, palliative care and decision-making was conducted across 4 English language electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and CINAHL) in 2015. The search identified 12 papers that contained an algorithm, guideline, decision tool or set of principles that we considered compatible with heuristic decision-making. The papers addressed swallowing and feeding difficulties, the treatment of pneumonia, management of pain and agitation, rationalising medication, ending life-sustaining treatment, and ensuring a good death. The use of heuristics in palliative or end of life dementia care is not described in the research literature. However, this review identified important decision-making principles, which are largely a reflection of expert opinion. These principles may have the potential to be developed into simple heuristics that could be used in practice. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  11. Operational criteria for senile dementia of Lewy body type (SDLT).

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKeith, I G; Perry, R H; Fairbairn, A F; Jabeen, S; Perry, E K

    1992-11-01

    Recent reports have suggested that brain stem and cortical Lewy body formation may identify a neurodegenerative disorder in elderly demented individuals which accounts for up to 20% of cases of senile dementia coming to autopsy. Retrospective analysis of case notes of 21 autopsy patients with neuropathologically proven senile dementia of Lewy body type (SDLT) and 37 cases with neuropathologically proven Alzheimer's disease (AD) identified a characteristic clinical syndrome in SDLT. Fluctuating cognitive impairment; psychotic features including visual and auditory hallucinations, and paranoid delusions; depressive symptoms; falling and unexplained losses of consciousness were all seen significantly more often than in AD. Over half of the SDLT patients in this series who were given neuroleptics in standard dose showed acute and often irreversible adverse reactions indicative of a neuroleptic sensitivity syndrome. The survival time of drug treated patients was reduced by 50%. Operational criteria to aid in the clinical distinction between SDLT and AD patients are proposed and hypotheses regarding possible aetiology and treatment discussed.

  12. A qualitative study of older and middle-aged adults' perception and attitudes towards dementia and dementia risk reduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sarang; Sargent-Cox, Kerry A; Anstey, Kaarin J

    2015-07-01

    To investigate perceptions of dementia and dementia risk reduction held by people without dementia. Dementia does not only affect individuals with dementia, but also has an impact on family and friends, society and healthcare professionals. Recent research has identified modifiable risk and protective factors for dementia. However, it is unclear what knowledge people without dementia have about these risk factors and their attitudes towards addressing these risk factors to achieve dementia risk reduction are not known. Qualitative descriptive study using focus group methodology. A focus group study was conducted in February 2011 with 34 older adults aged between 52-90 years. The long-table approach was used to identify themes and categorize data on dementia knowledge, risk and attitudes. Participants correctly identified dementia risk factors as a group. Participants' responses about their perceived likelihood of developing dementia could be classified into three distinctive themes; fear, rational and cynical perceptions. Both fear of developing dementia and the need to improve dementia knowledge were considered major motivators towards adopting healthier lifestyle and health behaviours. Lack of knowledge on risk factors for dementia was identified as a major barrier for behavioural and lifestyle change. These findings can be used to develop effective and personalized interventions that increase motivators and reduce barriers by tailoring interventions to individual's dementia risk reduction literacy and motivations to change behaviours. Greater public-health promotion and education about risk and protective factors for dementia are also necessary to increase dementia health literacy and to reduce overall dementia prevalence. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Depression associated with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutzmann, H; Qazi, A

    2015-06-01

    Depression and cognitive disorders, including dementia and mild cognitive impairment, are common disorders in old age. Depression is frequent in dementia, causing distress, reducing the quality of life, exacerbating cognitive and functional impairment and increasing caregiver stress. Even mild levels of depression can significantly add to the functional impairment of dementia patients and the severity of psychopathological and neurological impairments increases with increasing severity of depression. Depressive symptoms may be both a risk factor for, as well as a prodrome of dementia. Major depressive syndrome of Alzheimer's disease may be among the most common mood disorders of older adults. Treating depression is therefore a key clinical priority to improve the quality of life both of people with dementia as well as their carergivers. Nonpharmacological approaches and watchful waiting should be attempted first in patients who present with mild to moderate depression and dementia. In cases of severe depression or depression not able to be managed through nonpharmacological means, antidepressant therapy should be considered.

  14. Brain perfusion SPECT in dementia syndromes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Libus, P.; Stupalova, J.; Kuzelka, I.; Konrad, J.

    2002-01-01

    Aim: Brain perfusion SPECT is used in differential diagnostics of dementia syndromes. First of all the aim is to distinguish vascular dementia from degenerative dementia and to differentiate dementia from delirium, psychiatric syndromes, depression and secondary dementia, which is important in relation to therapy. The purpose of our study was to detect significance of BP SPECT and include it into the diagnostic process in dementia syndromes. Materials and methods: 51 women and 63 men aged 55 - 88 were evaluated in the study. The patients correspond to the general criteria of dementia diagnosis. They were sent to the examination by neurological, internal and psychiatric departments and out-patient departments. All patients were examined by 99mTc ECD SPECT using a double head camera PRISM 200 VP with LEHR collimator. The scintigraphic data were evaluated by the visual and semiquantitative analysis. Results: It was established that most patients in our group had vascular dementia, while Alzheimer's disease was second. In other groups we found out dementia at strategic infarct location, e.g. in gyrus angularis in the dominant hemisphere, frontal temporal lobe dementia and alcoholic dementia. Twenty-four patients had a normal diagnosis. Fifteen of them had a somatic reason of the delirious state and were re-classified into pseudodementia. Nine patients were not diagnostically included and the examination will repeated in four months time. Conclusion: We have found out a good applicability of brain perfusion SPECT in dementia syndromes diagnosis in our work. The best diagnosticable and most specific were the findings in multi-infarct dementia, Alzheimer's disease and frontal temporal lobe dementia. When vascular dementia is concerned we can even distinguish dementia at strategic infarction location, e.g. in thalamus, basal frontal telencefalon, in gyrus angularis of the dominant hemisphere, etc

  15. Impaired imitation of gestures in mild dementia: comparison of dementia with Lewy bodies, Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagahama, Yasuhiro; Okina, Tomoko; Suzuki, Norio

    2015-11-01

    To examine whether imitation of gestures provided useful information to diagnose early dementia in elderly patients. Imitation of finger and hand gestures was evaluated in patients with mild dementia; 74 patients had dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), 100 with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 52 with subcortical vascular dementia (SVaD). Significantly, more patients with DLB (32.4%) compared with patients with AD (5%) or SVaD (11.5%) had an impaired ability to imitate finger gestures bilaterally. Also, significantly, more patients with DLB (36.5%) compared with patients with AD (5%) or SVaD (15.4%) had lower mean scores of both hands. In contrast, impairment of the imitation of bimanual gestures was comparable among the three patient groups (DLB 50%, AD 42%, SVaD 42.3%). Our study revealed that imitation of bimanual gestures was impaired non-specifically in about half of the patients with mild dementia, whereas imitation of finger gestures was significantly more impaired in patients with early DLB than in those with AD or SVaD. Although the sensitivity was not high, the imitation tasks may provide additional information for diagnosis of mild dementia, especially for DLB. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  16. Difference in MRI findings and risk factors between multiple infarction without dementia and multi-infarct dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yanagisawa, Masashi; Kaieda, Makoto; Nagatsumi, Atsushi; Terashi, Akiro

    1995-01-01

    MRI findings and risk factors for vascular dementia were evaluated with multi-variate analysis in 96 multi-infarct patients without dementia and 40 multi-infarct patients with dementia (MID). Only subjects with small infarcts in the territory of the perforator artery or deep white matter were studied. The diagnosis of MID was diagnosed according to DMS-III criteria and Hachinski's ischemia score. Location and area of patchy high-intensity areas including small infarcts, the degree of periventricular high intensity (PVH), and the degree of brain atrophy were examined with MR images. Independent variables were: history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, other complications; systolic and diastolic blood pressure, atherosclerotic index, hematocrit, history of smoking, level of education, and activities of daily life (ADL). Hayashi's quantification method II was used to analyze the data. The most significant correlation was found between history of hypertension and dementia (partial correlation coefficient: 0.39). Significant correlations were also found between ADL and dementia (0.32), between thalamic infarction and dementia (0.31), and between PVH and dementia (0.27). Age, brain atrophy index, and history of diabetes mellitus contributed little to dementia. The contribution to dementia did not differ significantly between right and left patchy high-intensity areas on MR images. Location of infarcts, except for bilateral thalamic infarcts and large PVH, contributed little to dementia. Thus it would be difficult to base a prediction of the prevalence of vascular dementia on MRI findings. However, both hypertention and ADL contribute to vascular dementia and both are treatable, which may be significant for the prevention of dementia. (author)

  17. Development of a Curriculum for Long-Term Care Nurses to Improve Recognition of Depression in Dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Christine L.; Molinari, Victor; Bond, Jennifer; Smith, Michael; Hyer, Kathryn; Malphurs, Julie

    2006-01-01

    There is increasing recognition of the severe consequences of depression in long-term care residents with dementia. Most health care providers are unprepared to recognize and to manage the complexity of depression in dementia. Targeted educational initiatives in nursing homes are needed to address this growing problem. This paper describes the…

  18. The Diagnosis of Delirium Superimposed on Dementia: An Emerging Challenge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morandi, Alessandro; Davis, Daniel; Bellelli, Giuseppe; Arora, Rakesh C.; Caplan, Gideon A.; Kamholz, Barbara; Kolanowski, Ann; Fick, Donna Marie; Kreisel, Stefan; MacLullich, Alasdair; (UK), MRCP; Meagher, David; Neufeld, Karen; Pandharipande, Pratik P.; Richardson, Sarah; Slooter, Arjen J.C.; Taylor, John P.; Thomas, Christine; Tieges, Zoë; Teodorczuk, Andrew; Voyer, Philippe; Rudolph, James L.

    2017-01-01

    Delirium occurring in patients with dementia is referred to as delirium superimposed on dementia (DSD). People who are older with dementia and who are institutionalized are at increased risk of developing delirium when hospitalized. In addition, their prior cognitive impairment makes detecting their delirium a challenge. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision are considered the standard reference for the diagnosis of delirium and include criteria of impairments in cognitive processes such as attention, additional cognitive disturbances, or altered level of arousal. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision does not provide guidance regarding specific tests for assessment of the cognitive process impaired in delirium. Importantly, the assessment or inclusion of preexisting cognitive impairment is also not addressed by these standards. The challenge of DSD gets more complex as types of dementia, particularly dementia with Lewy bodies, which has features of both delirium and dementia, are considered. The objective of this article is to critically review key elements for the diagnosis of DSD, including the challenge of neuropsychological assessment in patients with dementia and the influence of particular tests used to diagnose DSD. To address the challenges of DSD diagnosis, we present a framework for guiding the focus of future research efforts to develop a reliable reference standard to diagnose DSD. A key feature of a reliable reference standard will improve the ability to clinically diagnose DSD in facility-based patients and research studies. PMID:27650668

  19. HIV-1 infection and cognitive impairment in the cART era: a review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schouten, Judith; Cinque, Paola; Gisslen, Magnus; Reiss, Peter; Portegies, Peter

    2011-01-01

    With the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy AIDS dementia complex or HIV-associated dementia, as it was termed later, largely disappeared in clinical practice. However, in the past few years, patients, long-term infected and treated, including those with systemically well controlled

  20. A co-design process developing heuristics for practitioners providing end of life care for people with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, Nathan; Mathew, Rammya; Wilcock, Jane; Manthorpe, Jill; Sampson, Elizabeth L; Lamahewa, Kethakie; Iliffe, Steve

    2016-08-02

    The end of life for someone with dementia can present many challenges for practitioners; such as, providing care if there are swallowing difficulties. This study aimed to develop a toolkit of heuristics (rules-of-thumb) to aid practitioners making end-of-life care decisions for people with dementia. An iterative co-design approach was adopted using a literature review and qualitative methods, including; 1) qualitative interviews and focus groups with family carers and 2) focus groups with health and care professionals. Family carers were recruited from a national charity, purposively sampling those with experience of end-of-life care for a person with dementia. Health and care professionals were purposively sampled to include a broad range of expertise including; general practitioners, palliative care specialists, and geriatricians. A co-design group was established consisting of health and social care experts and family carers, to synthesise the findings from the qualitative work and produce a toolkit of heuristics to be tested in practice. Four broad areas were identified as requiring complex decisions at the end of life; 1) eating/swallowing difficulties, 2) agitation/restlessness, 3) ending life-sustaining treatment, and 4) providing "routine care" at the end of life. Each topic became a heuristic consisting of rules arranged into flowcharts. Eating/swallowing difficulties have three rules; ensuring eating/swallowing difficulties do not come as a surprise, considering if the situation is an emergency, and considering 'comfort feeding' only versus time-trialled artificial feeding. Agitation/restlessness encourages a holistic approach, considering the environment, physical causes, and the carer's wellbeing. Ending life-sustaining treatment supports practitioners through a process of considering the benefits of treatment versus quality-of-life and comfort. Finally, a heuristic on providing routine care such as bathing, prompts practitioners to consider adapting

  1. Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of a family booklet on comfort care in dementia: sensitive topics revised before implementation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Steen, J.T.; Hertogh, C.M.P.M.; de Graas, T.; Nakanishi, M.; Toscani, F.; Arcand, M.

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: Families of patients with dementia may need support in difficult end-of-life decision making. Such guidance may be culturally sensitive. Methods: To support families in Canada, a booklet was developed to aid decision making on palliative care issues. For reasons of cost effectiveness

  2. Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nardone, Raffaele; Golaszewski, Stefan; Trinka, Eugen

    2013-01-01

    Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been used extensively to characterize motor system pathophysiology in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other forms of dementia, as well to monitor the effects of certain pharmacological agents. Among the studies focusing on motor cortical excitability measures, the most consistent finding is a significant reduction of short-latency afferent inhibition (SAI) in AD and other forms of dementia in which the cholinergic system is affected, such as dementia with Lewy bodies. SAI evaluation may thus provide a reliable biomarker of cortical cholinergic dysfunction in dementias. Moreover, most TMS studies have demonstrated cortical hyperexcitability and asymptomatic motor cortex functional reorganization in the early stages of the disease. Integrated approaches utilizing TMS together with high-density EEG have indicated impaired cortical plasticity and functional connectivity across different neural networks in AD. Paired associative stimulation-induced plasticity has also been found to be abnormal in patients with AD. The development of novel noninvasive methods of brain stimulation, in particular repetitive TMS (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), has increased the interest in neuromodulatory techniques as potential therapeutic tools for cognitive rehabilitation in AD. Preliminary studies have revealed that rTMS and tDCS can induce beneficial effects on specific cognitive functions in AD. Future studies are warranted to replicate and extend the initial findings. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Awareness of dementia by family carers of nursing home residents dying with dementia: a post-death study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Penders, Yolanda W H; Albers, Gwenda; Deliens, Luc; Vander Stichele, Robert; Van den Block, Lieve

    2015-01-01

    High-quality palliative care for people with dementia should be patient-centered, family-focused, and include well-informed and shared decision-making, as affirmed in a recent white paper on dementia from the European Association for Palliative Care. To describe how often family carers of nursing home residents who died with dementia are aware that their relative has dementia, and study resident, family carer, and care characteristics associated with awareness. Post-death study using random cluster sampling. Structured questionnaires were completed by family carers, nursing staff, and general practitioners of deceased nursing home residents with dementia in Flanders, Belgium (2010). Of 190 residents who died with dementia, 53.2% of family carers responded. In 28% of cases, family carers indicated they were unaware their relative had dementia. Awareness by family carers was related to more advanced stages of dementia 1 month before death (odds ratio = 5.4), with 48% of family carers being unaware when dementia was mild and 20% unaware when dementia was advanced. The longer the onset of dementia after admission to a nursing home, the less likely family carers were aware (odds ratio = 0.94). Family carers are often unaware that their relative has dementia, that is, in one-fourth of cases of dementia and one-fifth of advanced dementia, posing considerable challenges for optimal care provision and end-of-life decision-making. Considering that family carers of residents who develop dementia later after admission to a nursing home are less likely to be aware, there is room for improving communication strategies toward family carers of nursing home residents. © The Author(s) 2014.

  4. Artistic creativity and dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Zachary A; Miller, Bruce L

    2013-01-01

    Artistic ability and creativity are defining characteristics of human behavior. Behavioral neurology, as a specialty, believes that even the most complex behaviors can be modeled and understood as the summation of smaller cognitive functions. Literature from individuals with specific brain lesions has helped to map out these smaller regions of cognitive abilities. More recently, models based on neurodegenerative conditions, especially from the frontotemporal dementias, have allowed for greater nuanced investigations into the various functional anatomies necessary for artistic behavior and possibly the underlying networks that promote creativity. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Cardiovascular risk factors and dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fillit, Howard; Nash, David T; Rundek, Tatjana; Zuckerman, Andrea

    2008-06-01

    Dementias, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia, are disorders of aging populations and represent a significant economic burden. Evidence is accumulating to suggest that cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors may be instrumental in the development of dementia. The goal of this review was to discuss the relationship between specific CVD risk factors and dementia and how current treatment strategies for dementia should focus on reducing CVD risks. We conducted a review of the literature for the simultaneous presence of 2 major topics, cardiovascular risk factors and dementia (eg, AD). Special emphasis was placed on clinical outcome studies examining the effects of treatments of pharmacologically modifiable CVD risk factors on dementia and cognitive impairment. Lifestyle risk factors for CVD, such as obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, and certain psychosocial factors, have been associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Some evidence suggests that effectively managing these factors may prevent cognitive decline/dementia. Randomized, placebo-controlled trials of antihypertensive medications have found that such therapy may reduce the risk of cognitive decline, and limited data suggest a benefit for patients with AD. Some small open-label and randomized clinical trials of statins have observed positive effects on cognitive function; larger studies of statins in patients with AD are ongoing. Although more research is needed, current evidence indicates an association between CVD risk factors--such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus--and cognitive decline/dementia. From a clinical perspective, these data further support the rationale for physicians to provide effective management of CVD risk factors and for patients to be compliant with such recommendations to possibly prevent cognitive decline/dementia.

  6. Ethical principles and pitfalls of genetic testing for dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hedera, P

    2001-01-01

    Progress in the genetics of dementing disorders and the availability of clinical tests for practicing physicians increase the need for a better understanding of multifaceted issues associated with genetic testing. The genetics of dementia is complex, and genetic testing is fraught with many ethical concerns. Genetic testing can be considered for patients with a family history suggestive of a single gene disorder as a cause of dementia. Testing of affected patients should be accompanied by competent genetic counseling that focuses on probabilistic implications for at-risk first-degree relatives. Predictive testing of at-risk asymptomatic patients should be modeled after presymptomatic testing for Huntington's disease. Testing using susceptibility genes has only a limited diagnostic value at present because potential improvement in diagnostic accuracy does not justify potentially negative consequences for first-degree relatives. Predictive testing of unaffected subjects using susceptibility genes is currently not recommended because individual risk cannot be quantified and there are no therapeutic interventions for dementia in presymptomatic patients.

  7. Association between recognizing dementia as a mental illness and dementia knowledge among elderly Chinese Americans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Xin; Woo, Benjamin K P

    2016-06-22

    To investigate whether older Chinese Americans perceive dementia as a mental illness and the relationship between such perception and their general understanding of dementia remains unclear. Our study aims to understand this relationship and its future implication on improving dementia literacy among ethnic minorities. Elderly Chinese American participants from the Greater Los Angeles were asked to complete an 11-item dementia questionnaire, following a community health seminar. Cross-sectional survey data was analyzed using standard statistical methods. The questionnaire received an 88.3% response rate. Among 316 responders, only 28.8% (n = 91) of elderly Chinese Americans identified dementia as a mental illness, and 71.2% (n = 225) did not recognize its mental disease origin. Furthermore, in comparison between these two groups, the first group demonstrated significantly higher level of baseline knowledge of the disease. This study reveals that only approximately 1 out of 4 older Chinese Americans recognized dementia as a mental illness, consistent with previous studies on Asian Americans. Our study however showed that when dementia was being perceived as a mental illness, such perception was associated with a higher level of baseline dementia understanding. The current study suggested the potential of improving older Chinese Americans dementia literacy by increasing awareness of its mental illness origin.

  8. Adaptation and validation of a Spanish-language version of the Frontotemporal Dementia Rating Scale (FTD-FRS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turró-Garriga, O; Hermoso Contreras, C; Olives Cladera, J; Mioshi, E; Pelegrín Valero, C; Olivera Pueyo, J; Garre-Olmo, J; Sánchez-Valle, R

    2017-06-01

    The Frontotemporal Dementia Rating Scale (FTD-FRS) is a tool designed to aid with clinical staging and assessment of the progression of frontotemporal dementia (FTD-FRS). Present a multicentre adaptation and validation study of a Spanish version of the FRS. The adapted version was created using 2 translation-back translation processes (English to Spanish, Spanish to English) and verified by the scale's original authors. We validated the adapted version in a sample of consecutive patients diagnosed with FTD. The procedure included evaluating internal consistency, testing unidimensionality with the Rasch model, analysing construct validity and discriminant validity, and calculating the degree of agreement between the Clinical Dementia Rating scale (CDR) and FTD-FRS for FTD cases. The study included 60 patients with DFT. The mean score on the FRS was 12.1 points (SD=6.5; range, 2-25) with inter-group differences (F=120.3; df=3; Pde Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  9. Dementia and driving

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000028.htm Dementia and driving To use the sharing features on ... please enable JavaScript. If your loved one has dementia , deciding when they can no longer drive may ...

  10. Depression and the risk for dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kessing, Lars Vedel

    2012-11-01

    Depression is associated with increased risk of subsequent development of dementia; however, the nature of the association is still poorly understood. The purpose of the review was based on recent studies to discuss whether depression is a prodromal state of dementia or an independent risk factor for dementia, as well as to discuss how the type of depression, the type of dementia, and antidepressant treatment influence the association. Findings from recent studies suggest that some forms of depressive illness, for example early-onset depression before age 65 years and recurrent depression, may constitute long-term risk factors for development of dementia, whereas the onset of more recent depressive symptoms may reflect a prodromal phase of dementia. It is not clear whether specific subtypes of depression correspond to specific types of dementia. Recent studies suggest that long-term treatment with antidepressants may decrease the risk of developing some types of dementia, depending on the type of depressive disorder. This review has shown that the type of depression and dementia, as well as the effect of drug treatment, has to be considered to improve knowledge on the association between depression and dementia.

  11. Occult CSF flow disturbance of patients with Alzheimer type dementia and vascular dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kono, Kazuhiko; Sugita, Yasuko; Funaki, Chiaki

    1994-01-01

    We report results of Iotrolan CT-cisternography on 41 demented patients (13 males and 28 females) to find 'occult normal pressure hydrocephalus'. These patients were suspected to have CSF flow disturbance from clinical symptoms and simple brain CT scan findings. Their average age, duration of dementia, and score of Hasegawa's dementia scale (HDS) were 76.2 years, 5.9 years, 9.5/32.5,respectively. Before performing CT-cisternography, clinical diagnosis for their dementia were vascular dementia in 18 patients. Alzheimer type dementia in 12, suspect of NPH in 5, and other diagnoses in 6. From the results of cisternography, we found 13 patients with CSF flow disturbance (contrast material remained in the ventricle more than 48 hours after injection), and 17 patients with normal CSF flow. The former showed lower scores of HDS, higher urinary incontinence scores and smaller areas of the interhemispheric fissure on CT scan than the latter. But the former showed no significant difference from the latter in the average age, duration of dementia and width of the ventricles. (author)

  12. What do children need to know about dementia? The perspectives of children and people with personal experience of dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Jess R; Jeon, Yun-Hee; Goodenough, Belinda; Low, Lee-Fay; Bryden, Christine; Hutchinson, Karen; Richards, Laura

    2017-10-02

    The vision for dementia-friendly communities is challenged by limited public awareness and stigma about dementia. The study aim was to elicit stakeholder priorities for the message content of an education program to improve dementia awareness among youth; specifically, what do children need to know about dementia? A qualitative inquiry using interviews and focus groups was used. Purposive sampling achieved maximum variation in dementia experience and participant characteristics. Focus groups with Scouts in the community aged 9-12 years old (n = 22) used innovative techniques to explore children's attitudes towards people with dementia. Participants with personal experience of dementia were five people with early-stage dementia; 12 adult primary carers; four non-primary carers; and six grandchildren of a person with dementia. They were asked what is important for children to understand about dementia and what attitudes they may like an education program to confer. Content analysis was performed using NVivo10. Strong themes to emerge were that children need to know the whole truth about dementia; that individuals with dementia are "still people," that it is "not the fault" of the person with dementia; and that dementia is different and typically unpredictable for everyone. Discussions also indicated a need to educate children about ways to relate to a person with dementia, and to appreciate "positives" within a relationship. Children are our future citizens. Developing an education program for children with this message content may be fundamental to de-stigmatizing dementia and laying the foundation to dementia-friendly communities.

  13. Data Mining and Machine Learning Methods for Dementia Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Rui

    2018-01-01

    Patient data in clinical research often includes large amounts of structured information, such as neuroimaging data, neuropsychological test results, and demographic variables. Given the various sources of information, we can develop computerized methods that can be a great help to clinicians to discover hidden patterns in the data. The computerized methods often employ data mining and machine learning algorithms, lending themselves as the computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) tool that assists clinicians in making diagnostic decisions. In this chapter, we review state-of-the-art methods used in dementia research, and briefly introduce some recently proposed algorithms subsequently.

  14. Prevalence of Pain in Nursing Home Residents: The Role of Dementia Stage and Dementia Subtypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Kooten, Janine; Smalbrugge, Martin; van der Wouden, Johannes C; Stek, Max L; Hertogh, Cees M P M

    2017-06-01

    To study pain prevalence, pain type, and its pharmacological treatment in Dutch nursing home residents in relation to dementia subtype and dementia severity. Data were collected as part of the PAINdemiA study, an observational cross-sectional study conducted between May 2014 and December 2015. Ten nursing homes in the Netherlands. A total of 199 nursing home residents in various stages of dementia. We collected data on pain (by observation: MOBID-2 Pain Scale and by self-report scales), pain type, pain medication, dementia subtype, dementia severity (GDS), and demographic features. In the whole sample, the prevalence of pain was 43% (95% confidence interval 36%-50%) using the MOBID-2 Pain Scale. Regardless of regularly scheduled analgesics, approximately one-third of the residents with pain suffered from moderate to severe pain. Pain assessment with the MOBID-2 Pain Scale showed no difference in pain between dementia subtypes, but residents with more severe dementia experienced pain more often than those with less severe dementia (27% vs 15%). The prevalence of self-reported pain was significantly higher in residents with vascular dementia (VaD) (54%) compared with those with Alzheimer disease (18%) and other dementia subtypes (14%). Nociceptive pain was the predominant type of pain (72%) followed by mixed pain (25%). Acetaminophen was the most prescribed analgesic (80%). Most of the participating nursing home residents had no pain; however, pain was observed more often in residents with severe dementia, whereas residents in the early stages of VaD self-reported pain more often that those with other dementia subtypes. As one-third of the residents with clinically relevant pain had moderate to severe pain regardless of using pain medication, more focus should be on how pain management could use more tailored approaches and be regularly adjusted to individual needs. Copyright © 2017 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by

  15. The role of the bilingual/bicultural worker in dementia education, support and care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boughtwood, Desiree; Shanley, Christopher; Adams, Jon; Santalucia, Yvonne; Kyriazopoulos, Helena; Rowland, Jeffrey; Pond, Dimity

    2013-01-01

    Members of minority populations often have difficulty knowing about and accessing dementia services. One of the strategies used to promote access is the employment of bilingual/bicultural workers (sometimes referred to as multicultural, link or outreach workers). This study involved interviews with 24 bilingual/bicultural workers in south western Sydney, Australia to gain a better understanding of their role within the dementia field. Seven themes emerged: importance of working with family; process of building trust when moving between two cultures; importance of understanding the culture; self-care and culture; flexibility of their role; linking community members; and linking communities to mainstream services. Bilingual/bicultural workers play a significant and complex role in supporting individuals and families within their community who are affected by dementia. The significance of their role needs to be more clearly acknowledged in the development of policy, further research and service provision within the dementia field.

  16. Computertomographic studies of dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kohlmeyer, K.

    1983-01-01

    It seems to be very complicated even for the experienced neurologist and psychiatrist to correlate the clinical syndrome of dementia to different causing cerebral processes such as a primarily degenerative brain atrophy, a chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency, or other rarer occurring brain diseases unless neurological signs and symptoms do indicate a focal brain lesion. Since computed tomography is able to show both focal and general changes of the brain tissue each patient presenting with a dementia clinically should be undergone such a neuroradiological investigation at least once, and if being negative even repeatedly. Computed tomography is able not only to detect unexpected treatable brain lesions as a cause of dementia for instance tumors, subdural hematomas, and communicating hydrocephalus to expect in about 6% of cases with the clinical diagnosis of dementia, but also it is able to help to make the differentialdiagnosis of the dementia of Alzheimer's and the multi-infarct-type in a high percentage. Nevertheless despite the use of computed tomography the pathogenesis of dementia even though being undoubtful clinically remains obscure in 15% of our material of 367 demented patients studied by computed tomography but presenting with a normal finding. (orig.) [de

  17. Frontotemporal dementia and its subtypes: A genome-wide association study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    R. Ferrari (Roberto); D.G. Hernandez (Dena); M.A. Nalls (Michael); J.D. Rohrer (Jonathan Daniel); A. Ramasamy (Adaikalavan); J.B.J. Kwok (John); C. Dobson-Stone (Carol); Brooks Brooks William S. (W.S.); C.J. Schofield (Christopher); G.M. Halliday (Glenda Margaret); J. Hodges (John); O. Piguet (Olivier); L. Bartley (Lauren); E. Thompson (Elizabeth); E. Haan (Eric); I. Hernández (Isabel); A. Ruiz (Agustin); M. Boada (Mercè); B. Borroni (Barbara); A. Padovani (Alessandro); C. Cruchaga (Carlos); N.J. Cairns (Nigel); L. Benussi (Luisa); G. Binetti (Giuliano); R. Ghidoni (Roberta); G. Forloni (Gianluigi); D. Galimberti (Daniela); C. Fenoglio (Chiara); M. Serpente (Maria); E. Scarpini (Elio); J. Clarimon (Jordi); A. Lleo (Alberto); R. Blesa (Rafael); M.L. Waldö (Maria Landqvist); K. Nilsson (Karin); C. Nilsson (Christer); I.R.A. Mackenzie (Ian); G.Y.R. Hsiung (Ging-Yuek); D.M.A. Mann (David); J. Grafman (Jordan); C.M. Morris (Chris); J. Attems (Johannes); T.D. Griffiths (Timothy); I.G. McKeith (Ian); A.W. Thomas (Alan); P. Pietrini (P.); E.D. Huey (Edward); E.M. Wassermann (Eric); A. Baborie (Atik); J.A.J. Jaros (Julian); M.C. Tierney (Michael); P. Pastor (Pau); C. Razquin (Cristina); S. Ortega-Cubero (Sara); E. Alonso (Elena); R. Perneczky (Robert); J. Diehl-Schmid (Janine); E.C. Alexopoulos (Evangelos); A. Kurz; I. Rainero (Innocenzo); M. Rubino (Maurizio); L. Pinessi (Lorenzo); E. Rogaeva (Ekaterina); P.H. St George-Hyslop (Peter); G. de Rossi (Giulio); F. Tagliavini (Fabrizio); G. Giaccone (Giuseppe); J.B. Rowe (James); J.C.M. Schlachetzki (Johannes C.); J. Uphill (James); J. Collinge (John); S. Mead (Simon); A. Danek (Adrian); V.M. Deerlin (Vivianna); M. Grossman (Murray); J.Q. Trojanowski (John); J. van der Zee (Jill); J. Deschamps (Jacqueline); T. van Langenhove (Tim); M. Cruts (Marc); C. van Broeckhoven (Christine); S.F. Cappa (Stefano); I. Le Ber (Isabelle); D. Hannequin (Didier); V. Golfier (Véronique); M. Vercelletto (Martine); A. Brice; B. Nacmias (Benedetta); S. Sorbi (Sandro); S. Bagnoli (Silvia); I. Piaceri (Irene); J.E. Nielsen (Jorgen); L.E. Hjermind (Lena); M. Riemenschneider (Matthias); M. Mayhaus (Manuel); B. Ibach (Bernd); G. Gasparoni (Gilles); I. Pichler (Irene); W. Gu (Wei); M. Rossor (Martin); N.C. Fox (Nick); J.D. Warren (Jason); M.G. Spillantini; H. Morris (Huw); P. Rizzu (Patrizia); P. Heutink (Peter); J. Snowden (Julie); S. Rollinson (Sara); A. Richardson (Anna); A. Gerhard (Alex); A.C. Bruni (Amalia); R. Maletta (Raffaele); F. Frangipane (Francesca); C. Cupidi (Chiara); L. Bernardi (Livia); M. Anfossi (Maria); V. Gallo (Valentina); A. Conidi (Andrea); N. Smirne (Nicoletta); S. Rademakers (Suzanne); M.C. Baker (Matthew); D.W. Dickson (Dennis); N.R. Graff-Radford (Neill); R.C. Petersen (Ronald); D.S. Knopman (David); K.A. Josephs (Keith); B.F. Boeve (Bradley); J.E. Parisi (Joseph); W. Seeley (William); B.L. Miller (Bruce Lars); A. Karydas (Anna); H. Rosen (Howard); J.C. van Swieten (John); E.G.P. Dopper (Elise); H. Seelaar (Harro); Y. Pijnenburg (Yolande); P. Scheltens (Philip); G. Logroscino (Giancarlo); R. Capozzo (Rosa); V. Novelli (Valeria); A.A. Puca (Annibale); C. Franceschi (Claudio); A. Postiglione (Alfredo); D.J. Milan (David); D. Sorrentino (Dario); M. Kristiansen (Mark); Y.T. Chiang; M.J. Graff (Maud J.L.); F. Pasquier (Florence); P.E. Rollin (Pierre); V. Deramecourt (Vincent); F. Lebert (Florence); D. Kapogiannis (Dimitrios); L. Ferrucci (Luigi); S. Pickering-Brown (Stuart); A. Singleton (Andrew); J. Hardy (John); M. Momeni (Mona)

    2014-01-01

    textabstractBackground: Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a complex disorder characterised by a broad range of clinical manifestations, differential pathological signatures, and genetic variability. Mutations in three genes-MAPT, GRN, and C9orf72-have been associated with FTD. We sought to identify

  18. Can an EASYcare based dementia training programme improve diagnostic assessment and management of dementia by general practitioners and primary care nurses? The design of a randomised controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucassen PL

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Early diagnosis of dementia benefits both patient and caregiver. Nevertheless, dementia in primary care is currently under-diagnosed. Some educational interventions developed to improve dementia diagnosis and management were successful in increasing the number of dementia diagnoses and in changing attitudes and knowledge of health care staff. However, none of these interventions focussed on collaboration between GPs and nurses in dementia care. We developed an EASYcare-based Dementia Training Program (DTP aimed at stimulating collaboration in dementia primary care. We expect this program to increase the number of cognitive assessments and dementia diagnoses and to improve attitudes and knowledge of GPs and nurses. Methods The DTP is a complex educational intervention that consists of two workshops, a coaching program, access to an internet forum, and a Computerized Clinical Decision Support System on dementia diagnostics. One hundred duos of GPs and nurses will be recruited, from which 2/3 will be allocated to the intervention group and 1/3 to the control group. The effects of implementation of the DTP will be studied in a cluster-randomised controlled trial. Primary outcomes will be the number of cognitive assessments and dementia diagnoses in a period of 9 months following workshop participation. Secondary outcomes are measured on GP and nurse level: adherence to national guidelines for dementia, attitude, confidence and knowledge regarding dementia diagnosis and management; on patient level: number of emergency calls, visits and consultations and patient satisfaction; and on caregiver level: informal caregiver burden and satisfaction. Data will be collected from GPs' electronic medical records, self-registration forms and questionnaires. Statistical analysis will be performed using the MANOVA-method. Also, exploratory analyses will be performed, in order to gain insight into barriers and facilitators for implementation and

  19. Cerebral imaging and dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rascol, A.; Celsis, P.; Berry, I.

    1989-01-01

    Modern imaging techniques undoubtedly are of value when applied to the study of dementia. This value, however, varies with the technique utilized, and one must distinguish between acquired and potential knowledge. Morphological imaging with computerized tomography or magnetic resonance detects or confirms certain causes of dementia (tumours, lacunae, hydrocephalus with normal CSF pressure), but it is still not sensitive and specific enough to be very useful in primary dementias. Functional imaging (essentially with emission tomography) has already provided interesting data in the study of degenerative dementia (correlations with neuropsychology, subtyping), but what is most promising is its possibilities in the physiopathological approach of the disease [fr

  20. Cerebral imaging and dementia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rascol, A.; Celsis, P.; Berry, I.

    1989-02-01

    Modern imaging techniques undoubtedly are of value when applied to the study of dementia. This value, however, varies with the technique utilized, and one must distinguish between acquired and potential knowledge. Morphological imaging with computerized tomography or magnetic resonance detects or confirms certain causes of dementia (tumours, lacunae, hydrocephalus with normal CSF pressure), but it is still not sensitive and specific enough to be very useful in primary dementias. Functional imaging (essentially with emission tomography) has already provided interesting data in the study of degenerative dementia (correlations with neuropsychology, subtyping), but what is most promising is its possibilities in the physiopathological approach of the disease.

  1. Energy expenditure in frontotemporal dementia: a behavioural and imaging study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Rebekah M; Landin-Romero, Ramon; Collet, Tinh-Hai; van der Klaauw, Agatha A; Devenney, Emma; Henning, Elana; Kiernan, Matthew C; Piguet, Olivier; Farooqi, I Sadaf; Hodges, John R

    2017-01-01

    , regions previously suggested to be involved exclusively in social and emotion processing in frontotemporal dementia. These neural correlates overlap the network involved in eating behaviour in frontotemporal dementia, suggesting a complex interaction between eating behaviour, autonomic function and energy homeostasis. As such the present study suggests that increased heart rate and autonomic changes are prevalent in behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia, and are associated with changes in energy expenditure. An understanding of these changes and neural correlates may have potential relevance to disease progression and prognosis. PMID:27789521

  2. Causes of Death According to Death Certificates in Individuals with Dementia: A Cohort from the Swedish Dementia Registry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia-Ptacek, Sara; Kåreholt, Ingemar; Cermakova, Pavla; Rizzuto, Debora; Religa, Dorota; Eriksdotter, Maria

    2016-11-01

    The causes of death in dementia are not established, particularly in rarer dementias. The aim of this study is to calculate risk of death from specific causes for a broader spectrum of dementia diagnoses. Cohort study. Swedish Dementia Registry (SveDem), 2007-2012. Individuals with incident dementia registered in SveDem (N = 28,609); median follow-up 741 days. Observed deaths were 5,368 (19%). Information on number of deaths and causes of mortality was obtained from death certificates. Odds ratios for the presence of dementia on death certificates were calculated. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Cox hazards regression for cause-specific mortality, using Alzheimer's dementia (AD) as reference. Hazard ratios for death for each specific cause of death were compared with hazard ratios of death from all causes (P-values from t-tests). The most frequent underlying cause of death in this cohort was cardiovascular (37%), followed by dementia (30%). Dementia and cardiovascular causes appeared as main or contributory causes on 63% of certificates, followed by respiratory (26%). Dementia was mentioned less in vascular dementia (VaD; 57%). Compared to AD, cardiovascular mortality was higher in individuals with VaD than in those with AD (HR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.64-2.02). Respiratory death was higher in individuals with Lewy body dementia (LBD, including Parkinson's disease dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies, HR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.71-2.71), and the risk of respiratory death was higher than expected from the risk for all-cause mortality. Participants with frontotemporal dementia were more likely to die from external causes of death than those with AD (HR = 2.86, 95% CI = 1.53-5.32). Dementia is underreported on death certificates as main and contributory causes. Individuals with LBD had a higher risk of respiratory death than those with AD. © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society published by Wiley

  3. Development of a decision-making tool for reporting drivers with mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment to transportation administrators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cameron, Duncan H; Zucchero Sarracini, Carla; Rozmovits, Linda; Naglie, Gary; Herrmann, Nathan; Molnar, Frank; Jordan, John; Byszewski, Anna; Tang-Wai, David; Dow, Jamie; Frank, Christopher; Henry, Blair; Pimlott, Nicholas; Seitz, Dallas; Vrkljan, Brenda; Taylor, Rebecca; Masellis, Mario; Rapoport, Mark J

    2017-09-01

    Driving in persons with dementia poses risks that must be counterbalanced with the importance of the care for autonomy and mobility. Physicians often find substantial challenges in the assessment and reporting of driving safety for persons with dementia. This paper describes a driving in dementia decision tool (DD-DT) developed to aid physicians in deciding when to report older drivers with either mild dementia or mild cognitive impairment to local transportation administrators. A multi-faceted, computerized decision support tool was developed, using a systematic literature and guideline review, expert opinion from an earlier Delphi study, as well as qualitative interviews and focus groups with physicians, caregivers of former drivers with dementia, and transportation administrators. The tool integrates inputs from the physician-user about the patient's clinical and driving history as well as cognitive findings, and it produces a recommendation for reporting to transportation administrators. This recommendation is translated into a customized reporting form for the transportation authority, if applicable, and additional resources are provided for the patient and caregiver. An innovative approach was needed to develop the DD-DT. The literature and guideline review confirmed the algorithm derived from the earlier Delphi study, and barriers identified in the qualitative research were incorporated into the design of the tool.

  4. Influence of dementia on pain

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scherder, E

    2006-01-01

    In the next decades the number of older persons with dementia and with a painful condition will increase. This is an important conclusion since at this moment older persons with dementia and a painful condition receive less analgesic medication than older persons without dementia. One explanation

  5. Diagnostic criteria for vascular dementia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scheltens, P.; Hijdra, A. H.

    1998-01-01

    The term vascular dementia implies the presence of a clinical syndrome (dementia) caused by, or at least assumed to be caused by, a specific disorder (cerebrovascular disease). In this review, the various sets of criteria used to define vascular dementia are outlined. The various sets of criteria

  6. Current Role for Biomarkers in Clinical Diagnosis of Alzheimer Disease and Frontotemporal Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheikh-Bahaei, Nasim; Sajjadi, Seyed Ahmad; Pierce, Aimee L

    2017-11-14

    Purpose of review Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia can often be diagnosed accurately with careful clinical history, cognitive testing, neurological examination, and structural brain MRI. However, there are certain circumstances wherein detection of specific biomarkers of neurodegeneration or underlying AD pathology will impact the clinical diagnosis or treatment plan. We will review the currently available biomarkers for AD and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and discuss their clinical importance. Recent findings With the advent of 18 F-labeled tracers that bind amyloid plaques, amyloid PET is now clinically available for the detection of amyloid pathology and to aid in a biomarker-supported diagnosis of AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to AD. It is not yet possible to test for the specific FTD pathologies (tau or TDP-43); however, a diagnosis of FTD may be "imaging supported" based upon specific MRI or FDG-PET findings. Cerebrospinal fluid measures of amyloid-beta, total-tau, and phospho-tau are clinically available and allow detection of both of the cardinal pathologies of AD: amyloid and tau pathology. Summary It is appropriate to pursue biomarker testing in cases of MCI and dementia when there remains diagnostic uncertainty and the result will impact diagnosis or treatment. Practically speaking, due to the rising prevalence of amyloid positivity with advancing age, measurement of biomarkers in cases of MCI and dementia is most helpful in early-onset patients, patients with atypical clinical presentations, or when considering referral for AD clinical trials.

  7. Dementia: sociological and philosophical constructions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Daniel H J

    2004-01-01

    This analysis presents a challenge to the biomedical view of dementia as a disease. This view is critiqued from two perspectives: those of sociology and philosophy. Because these domains inform the creation of the medical discourse, their analysis provides an important refinement to the apprehension of the phenomenon of dementia. From the work of Foucault, and in particular his analysis of the historical origins of modern medicine, the sociological construction of dementia is considered. Following this, the philosophical question of Being is discussed, considering particularly the positions of Heidegger and Merleau-Ponty. Lastly aspects of dementia nursing that are damaging to those relatives forced to take on the role of primary carer are isolated, in the context of Kitwood's view that it is possible to maintain personhood at the extremes of this condition. It is suggested that this critique of sociological and philosophical foundations of dementia might offer a way of approaching the dismantling of the self and revise current conceptions of dementia care for the better.

  8. Living better with dementia: strengths-based social work practice and dementia care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGovern, Justine

    2015-01-01

    This article first argues that quality of life is possible despite the onset of dementia in late life. It also demonstrates how core concepts of social work practice, such as family systems theory, the strengths perspective, and use of self, can be applied to practice with dementia-affected persons. In addition, it provides practical suggestions for supporting care partners in nurturing "we-ness", focusing on what remains rather than was is lost, and remaining authentic. When strengths-based social work practice is integrated into dementia care protocols, wellbeing can increase. As a result, the more than 40 million persons worldwide who are affected by dementia do not have to resign themselves to the despair, devastation and inevitable demise of quality of life that dominate perception of the illness.

  9. The accuracy of family physicians' dementia diagnoses at different stages of dementia: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van den Dungen, Pim; van Marwijk, Harm W. M.; van der Horst, Henriëtte E.; Moll van Charante, Eric P.; Macneil Vroomen, Janet; van de Ven, Peter M.; van Hout, Hein P. J.

    2012-01-01

    Objective: Optimising care for dementia patients and their informal carers is imperative in light of the impending dementia epidemic. An important aspect of care is accurate recognition and diagnosis of dementia. The aim of this review was to estimate family physicians' diagnostic accuracy at the

  10. The accuracy of family physicians' dementia diagnoses at different stages of dementia: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van den Dungen, P.; van Marwijk, H.W.J.; van der Horst, H.E.; van Charante, E.P.M.; Vroomen, J.M.; van de Ven, P.M.; van Hout, H.P.J.

    2012-01-01

    Objective Optimising care for dementia patients and their informal carers is imperative in light of the impending dementia epidemic. An important aspect of care is accurate recognition and diagnosis of dementia. The aim of this review was to estimate family physicians' diagnostic accuracy at the

  11. Depression and dementia of cerebrovascular origin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marmorato Paulo Germano

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available We report the case of a patient who presented various psychiatric syndromes at the time of evaluation - partial complex epileptic seizures, personality change, and severe depression, which eventually progressed to dementia - resulting from multiple cerebral infarctions of probable neuro-angiopathic origin, of unknown etiology. Aspects related to depression following cerebrovascular accidents, as well as how cerebrovascular accidents can result in different disorders depending on the variables, are discussed based on the data from current literature.

  12. Smart Homes Design for People with Dementia

    OpenAIRE

    Amiribesheli, Mohsen; Bouchachia, Abdelhamid

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, we present a user-centred approach for designing and developing smart homes for people with dementia. In contrast to most of the existing literature related to dementia, the present approach aims at tailoring the system to the specific needs of dementia using a scenario-based methodology. Scenarios are based on typical dementia symptoms which are collected from research literatures and validated by dementia caregivers. They portray the common behaviour of people with dementia. ...

  13. Prognosis of dementia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van de Vorst, IE

    2016-01-01

    Background: In this thesis, we focused on the prognosis of patients with dementia who visited a hospital (inpatient or day clinic care) in the Netherlands. So far, absolute mortality risks for dementia were lacking in the Netherlands, whereas these risks have been available for years for cancer or

  14. Aromatherapy for dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forrester, Lene Thorgrimsen; Maayan, Nicola; Orrell, Martin; Spector, Aimee E; Buchan, Louise D; Soares-Weiser, Karla

    2014-02-25

    Complementary therapy has received great interest within the field of dementia treatment and the use of aromatherapy and essential oils is increasing. In a growing population where the majority of patients are treated by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs, the efficacy of treatment is short term and accompanied by negative side effects. Utilisation of complimentary therapies in dementia care settings presents as one of few options that are attractive to practitioners and families as patients often have reduced insight and ability to verbally communicate adverse reactions. Amongst the most distressing features of dementia are the behavioural and psychological symptoms. Addressing this facet has received particular interest in aromatherapy trials, with a shift in focus from reducing cognitive dysfunction to the reduction of behavioural and psychological symptoms in dementia. To assess the efficacy of aromatherapy as an intervention for people with dementia. ALOIS, the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group Specialized Register, was searched on 26 November 2012 and 20 January 2013 using the terms: aromatherapy, lemon, lavender, rose, aroma, alternative therapies, complementary therapies, essential oils. All relevant randomised controlled trials were considered. A minimum length of a trial and requirements for follow-up were not included, and participants in included studies had a diagnosis of dementia of any type and severity. The review considered all trials using fragrance from plants defined as aromatherapy as an intervention with people with dementia and all relevant outcomes were considered. Titles and abstracts extracted by the searches were screened for their eligibility for potential inclusion in the review. For Burns 2011, continuous outcomes were estimated as the mean difference between groups and its 95% confidence interval using a fixed-effect model. For Ballard 2002, analysis of co-variance was used for all outcomes, with the

  15. The 10/66 Dementia Research Group's fully operationalised DSM-IV dementia computerized diagnostic algorithm, compared with the 10/66 dementia algorithm and a clinician diagnosis: a population validation study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krishnamoorthy ES

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The criterion for dementia implicit in DSM-IV is widely used in research but not fully operationalised. The 10/66 Dementia Research Group sought to do this using assessments from their one phase dementia diagnostic research interview, and to validate the resulting algorithm in a population-based study in Cuba. Methods The criterion was operationalised as a computerised algorithm, applying clinical principles, based upon the 10/66 cognitive tests, clinical interview and informant reports; the Community Screening Instrument for Dementia, the CERAD 10 word list learning and animal naming tests, the Geriatric Mental State, and the History and Aetiology Schedule – Dementia Diagnosis and Subtype. This was validated in Cuba against a local clinician DSM-IV diagnosis and the 10/66 dementia diagnosis (originally calibrated probabilistically against clinician DSM-IV diagnoses in the 10/66 pilot study. Results The DSM-IV sub-criteria were plausibly distributed among clinically diagnosed dementia cases and controls. The clinician diagnoses agreed better with 10/66 dementia diagnosis than with the more conservative computerized DSM-IV algorithm. The DSM-IV algorithm was particularly likely to miss less severe dementia cases. Those with a 10/66 dementia diagnosis who did not meet the DSM-IV criterion were less cognitively and functionally impaired compared with the DSMIV confirmed cases, but still grossly impaired compared with those free of dementia. Conclusion The DSM-IV criterion, strictly applied, defines a narrow category of unambiguous dementia characterized by marked impairment. It may be specific but incompletely sensitive to clinically relevant cases. The 10/66 dementia diagnosis defines a broader category that may be more sensitive, identifying genuine cases beyond those defined by our DSM-IV algorithm, with relevance to the estimation of the population burden of this disorder.

  16. Profile of clinically-diagnosed dementias in a neuropsychiatric ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Vascular dementia (VaD) were the predominant phenotypes seen in 62 (57.4%) and 18 (16.7%) subjects respectively. Others include mixed dementia (4 cases), frontotemporal dementia (4 cases), Lewy body dementia (3 cases), alcohol-related dementia (3 cases), PD dementia (1 case) and ...

  17. [Visual art, creativity and dementia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serrano, C; Allegri, R F; Martelli, M; Taragano, F; Rinalli, P

    2005-01-01

    Visual art is an expression of neurological function and how it organizes and interprets perception. The art is predominantly in the right hemisphere, in contrast, the left side, have inhibitory effects on artistic expression. In normal subjects, inhibitory and excitatory mechanisms could interact in a complex harmony, reflecting a paradoxical functional facilitation. Brain diseases such as dementia could change this harmony and then, alter the artistic abilities. Evaluate the art expression in the degenerative diseases. Artistic abilities of 3 painters with degenerative diseases were assessment. Patient 1: A 83 - year old right handed female, diagnosis: Alzheimer's disease. Artistic description: low productivity, simplified versions of earlier and alteration of the visuospatial organization. Patient 2: A 78-year-old right handed female, diagnosis: Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA); Artistic description: oversimplified drawings which maintaining overall spatial organization, without impair artistic skills. Patient 3: A 68 year-old right handed woman, diagnosis: Fronto-Temporal Dementia (FTD). Artistic description: Increased artistic activity, originality, freedom, utilization of intense colours with perseverative and repetitive copying of similar paintings of her own work. Visual art in Alzheimer's disease is a consequence of visuospatial and constructive disabilities. In contrast, the conservation of this cognitive functions and left asymmetrical involved, in FTD and PPA respectively, suggest artistic preservation, independently of the language injury. The disproportionate functional prevalence of the right over the left could lead to a release of novelty - seeking in art and can contribute to emergent creativity. These observations suggest an organization for art in the brain and proposed bases for further investigations in dementias.

  18. Vascular dementia: Facts and controversies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pavlović Aleksandra

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Vascular dementia (VaD is the second most frequent dementia after Alzheimer’s disease, and is diagnosed during lifetime in 20% of demented patients. Five­year survival rate in VaD is 39%, while it is estimated to be 75% in healthy persons of the same age. It is therefore important to make correct diagnosis of VaD early in the course of the disease. Risk factors for VaD are identical to stroke risk factors, and there are significant possibilities for the prevention of vascular cognitive decline. Cognitive decline develops acutely or step­by­step within three months after stroke, but more gradual progression of intellectual decline is also possible. Neurological examination can reveal pyramidal and extrapyramidal signs, pseudobulbar palsy, gait disturbance and urinary incontinence. Neuropsychological profile comprises the loss of cognitive set shifting, decline in word fluency, verbal learning difficulties, perseverations, difficulties in complex figure copying, and in patients with cortically located lesions also problems with speech and praxia. The basis of the diagnosis is, besides history, neurological examination and neuropsychological assessment, computed tomography and/ or magnetic resonance brain imaging. Vascular risk factors control is the most important measure in VaD prevention. Modern guidelines for the treatment of cognitive decline in VaD emphasize that donepezil can be useful in the improvement of cognitive status at the level of Class IIa recommendation at the level of evidence A, while memantine may be useful in patients with mixed VaD and Alzheimer’s disease dementia. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 175022 i br. 175033

  19. Does the Order of Item Difficulty of the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination Add Anything to Subdomain Scores in the Clinical Assessment of Dementia?

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGrory, Sarah; Starr, John M; Shenkin, Susan D; Austin, Elizabeth J; Hodges, John R

    2015-01-01

    The Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE) is used to measure cognition across a range of domains in dementia. Identifying the order in which cognitive decline occurs across items, and whether this varies between dementia aetiologies could add more information to subdomain scores. ACE-Revised data from 350 patients were split into three groups: Alzheimer's type (n = 131), predominantly frontal (n = 119) and other frontotemporal lobe degenerative disorders (n = 100). Results of factor analysis and Mokken scaling analysis were compared. Principal component analysis revealed one factor for each group. Confirmatory factor analysis found that the one-factor model fit two samples poorly. Mokken analyses revealed different item ordering in terms of difficulty for each group. The different patterns for each diagnostic group could aid in the separation of these different types of dementia.

  20. Examining trust in health professionals among family caregivers of nursing home residents with advanced dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boogaard, Jannie A; Werner, Perla; Zisberg, Anna; van der Steen, Jenny T

    2017-12-01

    In a context of increasing emphasis on shared decision-making and palliative care in dementia, research on family caregivers' trust in health professionals in advanced dementia is surprisingly scant. The aim of the present study was to assess trust in nursing home health professionals of family caregivers of nursing home residents with advanced dementia, and possible correlates, such as family caregivers' satisfaction, involvement in care, care burden and patients' symptom burden. A cross-sectional study was carried out using structured questionnaires administered through the telephone. Generalized estimating equation analyses with adjustment for nursing home clustering were applied to assess the most important associations with family caregivers' trust. A total of 214 family caregivers of persons with dementia residing in 25 nursing homes participated in the study. The majority of the participants (67%) were women and adult children (75%). The majority of the family caregivers trusted physicians, nurses and nurses' aides at a moderate-to-high level. Approximately half to one-third reported moderate-to-low levels of trust. Higher levels of trust were associated with more positive care outcomes, such as higher family satisfaction with care and more positive evaluations of physician-family communication. The present study showed the importance of family caregivers trusting nursing home health professionals for their experiences as caregivers. Although causation cannot be established, increased family caregivers' trust in nursing home health professionals by improving communication and exchange of information might provide a good basis for providing optimal palliative care in advanced dementia. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2466-2471. © 2017 Japan Geriatrics Society.

  1. Senile dementia of the Binswanger type: a vascular form of dementia in the elderly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roman, G.C.

    1987-01-01

    Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in the elderly have demonstrated the common occurrence of deep white-matter lesions in the aging brain. These radiologic lesions (leukoaraiosis) may represent an early marker of dementia. At autopsy, an ischemic periventricular leukoencephalopathy (Binswanger's disease) has been found in most cases. The clinical spectrum of Binswanger's disease appears to range from asymptomatic radiologic lesions to dementia with focal deficits, frontal signs, pseudobulbar palsy, gait difficulties, and urinary incontinence. The name senile dementia of the Binswanger type (SDBT) is proposed for this poorly recognized, vascular form of subcortical dementia. The SDBT probably results from cortical disconnections most likely caused by hypoperfusion. In contrast, multi-infarct dementia is correlated with multiple large and small strokes that cause a loss of over 50 to 100 mL of brain volume. The periventricular white matter is a watershed area irrigated by long, penetrating medullary arteries. Risk factors for SDBT are small-artery diseases, such as hypertension and amyloid angiopathy, impaired autoregulation of cerebral blood flow in the elderly, and periventricular hypoperfusion due to cardiac failure, arrhythmias, and hypotension. The SDBT may be a potentially preventable and treatable form of dementia

  2. The Determinants of Quality of Life of Nursing Home Residents with Young-Onset Dementia and the Differences between Dementia Subtypes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Appelhof, Britt; Bakker, C.; Van Duinen-van den Ijssel, Jeannette C L; Zwijsen, Sandra A; Smalbrugge, Martin; Verhey, Frans R. J.; de Vugt, Marjolein E; Zuidema, Sytse U.; Koopnnans, Raymond T. C. M.

    Aims: The aims of this study are to (1) explore the determinants of quality of life (QoL) in nursing home residents with young-onset dementia (YOD), (2) investigate whether there are differences between dementia subtypes (Alzheimer dementia, vascular/mixed dementia, frontotemporal dementia, other)

  3. Comparison of cognitive and neuropsychiatric profiles in hospitalised elderly medical patients with delirium, dementia and comorbid delirium–dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leonard, Maeve; McInerney, Shane; McFarland, John; Condon, Candice; Awan, Fahad; O'Connor, Margaret; Reynolds, Paul; Meaney, Anna Maria; Adamis, Dimitrios; Dunne, Colum; Cullen, Walter; Trzepacz, Paula T; Meagher, David J

    2016-01-01

    Objectives Differentiation of delirium and dementia is a key diagnostic challenge but there has been limited study of features that distinguish these conditions. We examined neuropsychiatric and neuropsychological symptoms in elderly medical inpatients to identify features that distinguish major neurocognitive disorders. Setting University teaching hospital in Ireland. Participants and measures 176 consecutive elderly medical inpatients (mean age 80.6±7.0 years (range 60–96); 85 males (48%)) referred to a psychiatry for later life consultation-liaison service with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) IV delirium, dementia, comorbid delirium–dementia and cognitively intact controls. Participants were assessed cross-sectionally with comparison of scores (including individual items) for the Revised Delirium Rating Scale (DRS-R98), Cognitive Test for Delirium (CTD) and Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-Q). Results The frequency of neurocognitive diagnoses was delirium (n=50), dementia (n=32), comorbid delirium–dementia (n=62) and cognitively intact patients (n=32). Both delirium and comorbid delirium–dementia groups scored higher than the dementia group for DRS-R98 and CTD total scores, but all three neurocognitively impaired groups scored similarly in respect of total NPI-Q scores. For individual DRS-R98 items, delirium groups were distinguished from dementia groups by a range of non-cognitive symptoms, but only for impaired attention of the cognitive items. For the CTD, attention (p=0.002) and vigilance (p=0.01) distinguished between delirium and dementia. No individual CTD item distinguished between comorbid delirium–dementia and delirium. For the NPI-Q, there were no differences between the three neurocognitively impaired groups for any individual item severity. Conclusions The neurocognitive profile of delirium is similar with or without comorbid dementia and differs from dementia without delirium. Simple tests of attention and

  4. Internet-based screening for dementia risk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brandt, Jason; Sullivan, Campbell; Burrell, Larry E; Rogerson, Mark; Anderson, Allan

    2013-01-01

    The Dementia Risk Assessment (DRA) is an online tool consisting of questions about known risk factors for dementia, a novel verbal memory test, and an informant report of cognitive decline. Its primary goal is to educate the public about dementia risk factors and encourage clinical evaluation where appropriate. In Study 1, more than 3,000 anonymous persons over age 50 completed the DRA about themselves; 1,000 people also completed proxy reports about another person. Advanced age, lower education, male sex, complaints of severe memory impairment, and histories of cerebrovascular disease, Parkinson's disease, and brain tumor all contributed significantly to poor memory performance. A high correlation was obtained between proxy-reported decline and actual memory test performance. In Study 2, 52 persons seeking first-time evaluation at dementia clinics completed the DRA prior to their visits. Their responses (and those of their proxy informants) were compared to the results of independent evaluation by geriatric neuropsychiatrists. The 30 patients found to meet criteria for probable Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, or frontotemporal dementia differed on the DRA from the 22 patients without dementia (most other neuropsychiatric conditions). Scoring below criterion on the DRA's memory test had moderately high predictive validity for clinically diagnosed dementia. Although additional studies of larger clinical samples are needed, the DRA holds promise for wide-scale screening for dementia risk.

  5. Complement activation in chromosome 13 dementias

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rostagno, A.; Revesz, T.; Lashley, T.

    2002-01-01

    Chromosome 13 dementias, familial British dementia (FBD) and familial Danish dementia (FDD), are associated with neurodegeneration and cerebrovascular amyloidosis, with striking neuropathological similarities to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Despite the structural differences among the amyloid subunits...

  6. Dementia: Diagnosis and Tests

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... our e-newsletter! Aging & Health A to Z Dementia Diagnosis & Tests If you or someone you care ... To determine whether an older adult might have dementia, a healthcare professional will: Ask about the person’s ...

  7. Association between Frailty and Dementia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kulmala, J; Nykänen, I; Mänty, Minna Regina

    2014-01-01

    dementia with Lewy bodies and 8 persons (1%) had some other type of dementia. Multivariate logistic regression models showed that frail persons were almost 8 times more likely to have cognitive impairment (OR 7.8, 95% CI 4.0-15.0), 8 times more likely to have some kind of dementia (OR 8.0, 95% CI 4.0...... of the participants was assessed using the Cardiovascular Health Study criteria. Cognitive function was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Clinically diagnosed dementia was assessed by specialists using diagnostic criteria. The associations between frailty and cognition were investigated using...

  8. Language and Dementia: Neuropsychological Aspects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kempler, Daniel; Goral, Mira

    2008-01-01

    This article reviews recent evidence for the relationship between extralinguistic cognitive and language abilities in dementia. A survey of data from investigations of three dementia syndromes (Alzheimer's disease, semantic dementia and progressive nonfluent aphasia) reveals that, more often than not, deterioration of conceptual organization appears associated with lexical impairments, whereas impairments in executive function are associated with sentence- and discourse-level deficits. These connections between extralinguistic functions and language ability also emerge from the literature on cognitive reserve and bilingualism that investigates factors that delay the onset and possibly the progression of neuropsychological manifestation of dementia.

  9. Features of the Japanese national dementia strategy in comparison with international dementia policies: How should a national dementia policy interact with the public health- and social-care systems?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakanishi, Miharu; Nakashima, Taeko

    2014-07-01

    The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of the Japanese national government announced a "Five-Year Plan for Promotion of Measures Against Dementia (Orange Plan)" in September 2012. This article described features of the Japanese dementia strategy in comparison with international dementia policies. An international comparative study was implemented on national dementia policies to seek suggestions for Japanese national strategy. The study consisted of a bibliographical survey, a field survey, and an online case vignette survey in several countries. The Japanese health- and social-care system had multiple access points in the dementia care pathway, as did Australia, France, South Korea, and the Netherlands. Contrary to Japan, a simplified access point was observed in Denmark, England, and Sweden. The Orange Plan aimed to establish specific health-care services, social-care services, and the coordination of agencies for persons with dementia. However, fragmentation remains in the dementia care pathway. The national government should examine fundamental revisions in health, social-care services, and advocacy in joint initiatives with Alzheimer's Association Japan to improve the national dementia strategy. Copyright © 2014 The Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Depression and the risk for dementia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kessing, Lars Vedel

    2012-01-01

    Depression is associated with increased risk of subsequent development of dementia; however, the nature of the association is still poorly understood. The purpose of the review was based on recent studies to discuss whether depression is a prodromal state of dementia or an independent risk factor...... for dementia, as well as to discuss how the type of depression, the type of dementia, and antidepressant treatment influence the association....

  11. Two books on dementia care: Risk Assessment and management for living well with dementia, and Key issues in evolving dementia care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gillian Manthorpe

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Risk Assessment and Management for Living Well with Dementia. Charlotte L. Clarke, Heather Wilkinson, John Keady and Catherine E. Gibb. Foreword by Murna Downs. Part of the Bradford Dementia Group Good Practice Guides series. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2011, pp. 128, ISBN: 978-1-84905-005-0Key Issues in Evolving Dementia Care. International Theory-based Policy and Practice. Edited by Anthea Innes, Fiona Kelly and Louise McCabe. Foreword by Professor June Andrews. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2012, pp. 264, ISBN: 978-1-84905-242-9

  12. Effective public involvement in the HoST-D Programme for dementia home care support: From proposal and design to methods of data collection (innovative practice).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giebel, Clarissa; Roe, Brenda; Hodgson, Anthony; Britt, David; Clarkson, Paul

    2017-01-01

    Public involvement is an important element in health and social care research. However, it is little evaluated in research. This paper discusses the utility and impact of public involvement of carers and people with dementia in a five-year programme on effective home support in dementia, from proposal and design to methods of data collection, and provides a useful guide for future research on how to effectively involve the public. The Home SupporT in Dementia (HoST-D) Programme comprises two elements of public involvement, a small reference group and a virtual lay advisory group. Involving carers and people with dementia is based on the six key values of involvement - respect, support, transparency, responsiveness, fairness of opportunity, and accountability. Carers and people with dementia gave opinions on study information, methods of data collection, an economic model, case vignettes, and a memory aid booklet, which were all taken into account. Public involvement has provided benefits to the programme whilst being considerate of the time constraints and geographical locations of members.

  13. Teaching Mands to Older Adults with Dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oleson, Chelsey R.; Baker, Jonathan C.

    2014-01-01

    Millions of Americans are diagnosed with dementia, and that number is only expected to rise. The diagnosis of dementia comes with impairments, especially in language. Furthermore, dementia-related functional declines appear to be moderated by environmental variables (Alzheimer's Association, "Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the…

  14. Beyond competence: advance directives in dementia research

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    K.R. Jongsma (Karin); S. van de Vathorst (Suzanne)

    2015-01-01

    textabstractDementia is highly prevalent and incurable. The participation of dementia patients in clinical research is indispensable if we want to find an effective treatment for dementia. However, one of the primary challenges in dementia research is the patients’ gradual loss of the capacity to

  15. Dementia RED (Respect Empathy Dignity): Collaborating to build dementia supportive communities in North Wales--reporting on a pilot project (innovative practice).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chalk, Annabel; Page, Sean

    2016-03-01

    There is increasing interest in developing dementia supportive communities world wide. Dementia RED (Respect Empathy Dignity) is a unique example from North Wales which is based on the twin concepts of people living with dementia as citizens in their community and developing 'bottom up' rather than 'top down' approaches to dementia supportive communities. Most people with dementia prefer to live at home thus making community connectivity key to maintaining healthy relationships and wellbeing. For those living with dementia, the community plays a pivotal role in providing value, meaning, purpose and acceptance. Building dementia supportive communities helps to raise awareness about dementia in the community through engagement and from identifying champions in the locality to voice issues. Dementia RED is an initiative and service which helps to develop such a philosophy in creating a dementia supportive community. © The Author(s) 2014.

  16. Dementia in middle-aged patients with schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicolas, Gaël; Beherec, Laurène; Hannequin, Didier; Opolczynski, Gaëlle; Rothärmel, Maud; Wallon, David; Véra, Pierre; Martinaud, Olivier; Guillin, Olivier; Campion, Dominique

    2014-01-01

    Although numerous studies have assessed cognitive dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia, very few have focused on the diagnosis of dementia. Our objectives were to accurately diagnose dementia in a cohort of middle-aged patients with schizophrenia and to assess the type of dementia. 96 patients with schizophrenia (46 inpatients and 50 outpatients), aged 50 to 70 years, underwent a psychiatric, neurological, and neuropsychological evaluation at baseline and after a 20-month follow-up. We established a 3-step procedure: 1) diagnose dementia according to the DSM-IV criteria, using the Mattis Dementia Rating and Activities of Daily Living scales; 2) characterize dementia using brain imaging, perfusion by 99mTc-ECD-SPECT and laboratory tests including Alzheimer's disease cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers; and 3) search for genetic determinants. Fourteen patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of dementia. Four were diagnosed with possible or probable behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), two with probable Alzheimer's disease, two with probable vascular dementia (including one due to CADASIL), one with CNS inflammatory disease, and six could not be fully characterized. The diagnosis of dementia in middle-aged patients with schizophrenia is challenging but possible, using a multistep procedure. The most frequent condition, bvFTD, could reflect the presence of an evolutive neurodegenerative process in some patients.

  17. Longitudinal Association of Dementia and Depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snowden, Mark B; Atkins, David C; Steinman, Lesley E; Bell, Janice F; Bryant, Lucinda L; Copeland, Catherine; Fitzpatrick, Annette L

    2015-09-01

    Depression is an important precursor to dementia, but less is known about the role dementia plays in altering the course of depression. We examined whether depression prevalence, incidence, and severity are higher in those with dementia versus those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or normal cognition. Prospective cohort study using the longitudinal Uniform Data Set of the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (2005-2013). 34 Alzheimer Disease research centers. 27,776 subjects with dementia, MCI, or normal cognition. Depression status was determined by a clinical diagnosis of depression within the prior 2 years and by a Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form score >5. Rates of depression were significantly higher in subjects with MCI and dementia compared with those with normal cognition at index visit. Controlling for demographics and common chronic conditions, logistic regression analysis revealed elevated depression in those with MCI (OR: 2.40 [95% CI: 2.25, 2.56]) or dementia (OR: 2.64 [95% CI: 2.43, 2.86]) relative to those with normal cognition. In the subjects without depression at the index visit (N = 18,842), those with MCI and dementia had higher probabilities of depression diagnosis 2 years post index visit than those with normal cognition: MCI = 21.7%, dementia = 24.7%, normal cognition = 10.5%. MCI and dementia were associated with significantly higher rates of depression in concurrent as well as prospective analyses. These findings suggest that efforts to effectively engage and treat older adults with dementia will need also to address co-occurring depression. Copyright © 2015 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Language and Dementia: Neuropsychological Aspects

    OpenAIRE

    Kempler, Daniel; Goral, Mira

    2008-01-01

    This article reviews recent evidence for the relationship between extralinguistic cognitive and language abilities in dementia. A survey of data from investigations of three dementia syndromes (Alzheimer's disease, semantic dementia and progressive nonfluent aphasia) reveals that, more often than not, deterioration of conceptual organization appears associated with lexical impairments, whereas impairments in executive function are associated with sentence- and discourse-level deficits. These ...

  19. Neuronal changes after chronic high blood pressure in animal models and its implication for vascular dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flores, Gonzalo; Flores-Gómez, Gabriel D; de Jesús Gomez-Villalobos, Ma

    2016-05-01

    Vascular dementia is a devastating disorder not only for the patient, but also for the family because this neurocognitive disorder breaks the patient's independence, and leads to family care of the patient with a high cost for the family. This complex disorder alters memory, learning, judgment, emotional control and social behavior and affects 4% of the elderly world population. The high blood pressure or arterial hypertension is a major risk factor for cerebrovascular disease, which in most cases leads to vascular dementia. Interestingly, this neurocognitive disorder starts after long lasting hypertension, which is associated with reduced cerebral blood flow or hypoperfusion, and complete or incomplete ischemia with cortical thickness. Animal models have been generated to elucidate the pathophysiology of this disorder. It is known that dendritic complexity determines the receptive synaptic contacts, and the loss of dendritic spine and arbor stability are strongly associated with dementia in humans. This review evaluates relevant data of human and animal models that have investigated the link between long-lasting arterial hypertension and neural morphological changes in the context of vascular dementia. We examined the effect of chronic arterial hypertension and aged in vascular dementia. Neural dendritic morphology in the prefrontal cortex and the dorsal hippocampus and nucleus accumbens after chronic hypertension was diskussed in the animal models of hypertension. Chronic hypertension reduced the dendritic length and spine density in aged rats. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Dementia quality of life instrument--construct and concurrent validity in patients with mild to moderate dementia.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Voigt-Radloff, S.; Leonhart, R.; Schutzwohl, M.; Jurjanz, L.; Reuster, T.; Gerner, A.; Marschner, K.; Nes, F. van; Graff, M.J.; Vernooij-Dassen, M.J.F.J.; Olde Rikkert, M.G.; Holthoff, V.; Hull, M.

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To translate the Dementia quality of life instrument (DQoL) into German and assess its construct and concurrent validity in community-dwelling people with mild to moderate dementia. METHODS: Dementia quality of life instrument data of two pooled samples (n=287) were analysed

  1. Dementia quality of life instrument - construct and concurrent validity in patients with mild to moderate dementia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Voigt-Radloff, S.; Leonhart, R.; Schutzwohl, M.; Jurjanz, L.; Reuster, T.; Gerner, A.; Marschner, K.; van Nes, F.A.; Graff, M.; Vernooij-Dassen, M.; Olde Rikkert, M.G.M.; Holthoff, V.; Hull, M.

    2012-01-01

    Background and purpose: To translate the Dementia quality of life instrument (DQoL) into German and assess its construct and concurrent validity in community-dwelling people with mild to moderate dementia. Methods: Dementia quality of life instrument data of two pooled samples (n=287) were analysed

  2. Factors Concerning Veterans With Dementia, Their Caregivers, and Coordination of Care: A Systematic Literature Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mileski, Michael; Scott Kruse, Clemens; Brooks, Matthew; Haynes, Christine; Collingwood, Ying; Rodriguez, Rachel

    2017-11-01

    Military veterans diagnosed with dementia compose a large portion of our population. Often ignored are their caregivers and their plight as well as the availability, quality, and accessibility of health care for this demographic. The purpose of this systematic literature review is three fold: to identify opportunities available to increase public awareness on the subject; to identify areas of improvement in the level of care and quality of life for our nation's veterans; and to identify if adequate resources are available to veterans with dementia and their caregivers. The authors conducted systematic searches of three databases: PubMed via The National Center for Biotechnology Information, the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) Complete via Ebson B. Stephens Company (EBSCO Host), and Google. Data were collected regarding providing care to veterans who are suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers between 2008 and June 2016. Search results were filtered by date range, full text, English language, Boolean operators, and academic journals (n = 14). The review confirmed there are many facilitators and barriers in the coordination of care offered to veterans with dementia. Facilitators of quality care include veteran's expectations, family support, program development, and the availability of services. These positive aspects are aided by several community-based support services, new technology, and preventative care. Barriers are caregiver expectations, coordination of care, providers, and informal and formal costs. These negative facets are due to lack of educational resources, an increased veteran population diagnosed with dementia, limited knowledge of resources, and limited medical service in rural areas. Overall, there are a number of community programs that want to, and can, help veterans with dementia. There are also a number of ways to help veterans with dementia cope with their issues, which include

  3. Clinical features and multidisciplinary approaches to dementia care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gr

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Jacob HG Grand¹, Sienna Caspar², Stuart WS MacDonald11Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; 2Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaAbstract: Dementia is a clinical syndrome of widespread progressive deterioration of cognitive abilities and normal daily functioning. These cognitive and behavioral impairments pose considerable challenges to individuals with dementia, along with their family members and caregivers. Four primary dementia classifications have been defined according to clinical and research criteria: 1 Alzheimer’s disease; 2 vascular dementias; 3 frontotemporal dementias; and 4 dementia with Lewy bodies/Parkinson’s disease dementia. The cumulative efforts of multidisciplinary healthcare teams have advanced our understanding of dementia beyond basic descriptions, towards a more complete elucidation of risk factors, clinical symptoms, and neuropathological correlates. The characterization of disease subtypes has facilitated targeted management strategies, advanced treatments, and symptomatic care for individuals affected by dementia. This review briefly summarizes the current state of knowledge and directions of dementia research and clinical practice. We provide a description of the risk factors, clinical presentation, and differential diagnosis of dementia. A summary of multidisciplinary team approaches to dementia care is outlined, including management strategies for the treatment of cognitive impairments, functional deficits, and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. The needs of individuals with dementia are extensive, often requiring care beyond traditional bounds of medical practice, including pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic management interventions. Finally, advanced research on the early prodromal phase of dementia is reviewed, with a focus on change-point models, trajectories of cognitive change, and threshold models of

  4. The Lived Environment Life Quality Model for institutionalized people with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, Wendy; Lampe, Jenna L; Logan, Christina A; Metcalfe, Amy R; Hoesly, Beth E

    2017-02-01

    There is a need for a conceptual practice model that explicates ecological complexities involved in using occupation to optimize the quality of life of institutionalized people with dementia. This study aimed to prepare the Lived Environment Life Quality Model, a dementia-specific conceptual practice model of occupational therapy in institutional facilities, for publication and application to practice. Interviews and focus groups with six expert occupational therapists were subjected to qualitative content analysis to confirm, disconfirm, and further develop the model. The model's lived-environment domain as the focus of assessment and intervention was extensively confirmed, and its quality-of-life domain as the focus of intervention goals and outcomes was both confirmed and further developed. As confirmed in this study, the Lived Environment Life Quality Model is a client-centred, ecologically valid, and occupation-focused guide to optimizing quality of life of institutionalized adults with dementia in present moments and progressively over time.

  5. Communication skills training in a nursing home: effects of a brief intervention on residents and nursing aides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sprangers, Suzan; Dijkstra, Katinka; Romijn-Luijten, Anna

    2015-01-01

    Effective communication by nursing home staff is related to a higher quality of life and a decrease in verbal and physical aggression and depression in nursing home residents. Several communication intervention studies have been conducted to improve communication between nursing home staff and nursing home residents with dementia. These studies have shown that communication skills training can improve nursing aides’ communication with nursing home residents. However, these studies tended to be time-consuming and fairly difficult to implement. Moreover, these studies focused on the communicative benefits for the nursing home residents and their well-being, while benefits and well-being for the nursing aides were neglected. The current study focused on implementing a brief communication skills training program to improve nursing aides’ (N=24) communication with residents with dementia (N=26) in a nursing home. The effects of the training on nursing aides’ communication, caregiver distress, and job satisfaction and residents’ psychopathology and agitation were assessed relative to a control group condition. Nursing aides in the intervention group were individually trained to communicate effectively with residents during morning care by using short instructions, positive speech, and biographical statements. Mixed ANOVAs showed that, after training, nursing aides in the intervention group experienced less caregiver distress. Additionally, the number of short instructions and instances of positive speech increased. Providing nursing aides with helpful feedback during care aids communication and reduces caregiver burden, even with a brief intervention that requires limited time investments for nursing home staff. PMID:25653513

  6. Sexuality, aging, and dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benbow, Susan Mary; Beeston, Derek

    2012-07-01

    Sexuality in later life and its relationship to dementia is a neglected topic: greater understanding of the area has the potential to contribute to the quality of life of people with dementia, their family members, and formal carers. We review current knowledge about sexuality, aging, and dementia. We undertook a review of the recent literature to examine of the following areas: what is known about sexuality and aging, and about attitudes to sexuality and aging; what is known about the relevance of sexuality and aging to people living with dementia and their care; and the management of sexual behaviors causing concern to others. Sexual activity decreases in frequency with increasing age but many older people remain sexually active; there is no age limit to sexual responsiveness; and sexuality is becoming more important to successive cohorts of older people, including people living with dementia and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered elderly people. Attitudes and beliefs toward sexuality and aging are strongly influenced by stereotypes and myths, not only among the general public but also among those working in health and social care. Professional bodies should include sexuality, aging, and dementia in their training curricula. More work is needed on the impact of environmental issues, particularly in group living situations, on older adults' sexuality, and on consent issues. Ethical decision-making frameworks can be useful in practice. Organizations should investigate how to support staff in avoiding a problem-orientated approach and focus on providing holistic person-centered care.

  7. Comparison of cognitive and neuropsychiatric profiles in hospitalised elderly medical patients with delirium, dementia and comorbid delirium-dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leonard, Maeve; McInerney, Shane; McFarland, John; Condon, Candice; Awan, Fahad; O'Connor, Margaret; Reynolds, Paul; Meaney, Anna Maria; Adamis, Dimitrios; Dunne, Colum; Cullen, Walter; Trzepacz, Paula T; Meagher, David J

    2016-03-08

    Differentiation of delirium and dementia is a key diagnostic challenge but there has been limited study of features that distinguish these conditions. We examined neuropsychiatric and neuropsychological symptoms in elderly medical inpatients to identify features that distinguish major neurocognitive disorders. University teaching hospital in Ireland. 176 consecutive elderly medical inpatients (mean age 80.6 ± 7.0 years (range 60-96); 85 males (48%)) referred to a psychiatry for later life consultation-liaison service with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) IV delirium, dementia, comorbid delirium-dementia and cognitively intact controls. Participants were assessed cross-sectionally with comparison of scores (including individual items) for the Revised Delirium Rating Scale (DRS-R98), Cognitive Test for Delirium (CTD) and Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-Q). The frequency of neurocognitive diagnoses was delirium (n=50), dementia (n=32), comorbid delirium-dementia (n=62) and cognitively intact patients (n=32). Both delirium and comorbid delirium-dementia groups scored higher than the dementia group for DRS-R98 and CTD total scores, but all three neurocognitively impaired groups scored similarly in respect of total NPI-Q scores. For individual DRS-R98 items, delirium groups were distinguished from dementia groups by a range of non-cognitive symptoms, but only for impaired attention of the cognitive items. For the CTD, attention (p=0.002) and vigilance (p=0.01) distinguished between delirium and dementia. No individual CTD item distinguished between comorbid delirium-dementia and delirium. For the NPI-Q, there were no differences between the three neurocognitively impaired groups for any individual item severity. The neurocognitive profile of delirium is similar with or without comorbid dementia and differs from dementia without delirium. Simple tests of attention and vigilance can help to distinguish between delirium and other presentations

  8. Cerebral microbleeds: different prevalence, topography, and risk factors depending on dementia diagnosis—the Karolinska Imaging Dementia Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shams, S; Martola, J; Granberg, T; Li, X; Shams, M; Fereshtehnejad, S M; Cavallin, L; Aspelin, P; Kristoffersen-Wiberg, M; Wahlund, L O

    2015-04-01

    Cerebral microbleeds are thought to represent cerebral amyloid angiopathy when in lobar regions of the brain and hypertensive arteriopathy when in deep and infratentorial locations. By studying cerebral microbleeds, their topography, and risk factors, we aimed to gain an insight into the vascular and amyloid pathology of dementia diagnoses and increase the understanding of cerebral microbleeds in dementia. We analyzed 1504 patients (53% women; mean age, 63 ± 10 years; 10 different dementia diagnoses) in this study. All patients underwent MR imaging as part of the dementia investigation, and all their clinical parameters were recorded. Among the 1504 patients with dementia, 22% had cerebral microbleeds. Cerebral microbleed topography was predominantly lobar (P = .01) and occipital (P = .007) in Alzheimer disease. Patients with cerebral microbleeds were significantly older (P < .001), were more frequently male (P < .001), had lower cognitive scores (P = .006), and more often had hypertension (P < .001). Risk factors for cerebral microbleeds varied depending on the dementia diagnosis. Odds ratios for having cerebral microbleeds increased with the number of risk factors (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, male sex, and age 65 and older) in the whole patient group and increased differently in the separate dementia diagnoses. Prevalence, topography, and risk factors of cerebral microbleeds vary depending on the dementia diagnosis and reflect the inherent pathology of different dementia diagnoses. Because cerebral microbleeds are seen as possible predictors of intracerebral hemorrhage, their increasing prevalence with an increasing number of risk factors, as shown in our study, may require taking the number of risk factors into account when deciding on anticoagulant therapy in dementia. © 2015 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

  9. Cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and senile dementia of Lewy body type.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ballard, C; Patel, A; Oyebode, F; Wilcock, G

    1996-05-01

    One hundred and twenty-four patients with DSM-III-R dementia were assessed with a standardized battery which included the Geriatric Mental State Schedule, the History and Aetiology Schedule, the Secondary Dementia Schedule and the CAMCOG. Patients with Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and senile dementia of Lewy body type (SDLT) all had a similar degree of cognitive impairment at the time of the baseline interview. Patients with Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia each experienced a mean decline of 27 points in patients with SDLT. Patients with SDLT had a significantly greater decline of verbal fluency than both the other groups. Women were significantly more impaired than men at the time of the baseline assessment but experienced a similar decline during the year of follow-up.

  10. [Dementia due to Endocrine Diseases].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsunaga, Akiko; Yoneda, Makoto

    2016-04-01

    Endocrine diseases affecting various organs, such as the pituitary gland, the thyroid, the parathyroid, the adrenal glands and the pancreas, occasionally cause dementia. While Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the main cause of dementia in the elderly and is untreatable, dementia caused by endocrine diseases is treatable in most cases. However, patients with dementia associated with endocrine diseases show memory impairments similar to those found in AD, often leading to misdiagnoses. Patients with endocrine diseases often present with other characteristic systemic and neuropsychiatric symptoms caused by altered hormone levels. Such neuropsychiatric symptoms include involuntary movements, depression, seizures, and muscle weakness. In these cases, abnormalities in imaging and blood or urine tests are helpful in making a differential diagnosis. As delays in the diagnosis and treatment of these patients may cause irreversible brain damage, it is imperative for clinicians to carefully exclude the possibility of latent endocrine diseases when treating patients with dementia.

  11. Dementia communication using empathic curiosity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McEvoy, Phil; Eden, John; Plant, Rachel

    Communication skills training materials in dementia care usually focus on reminiscence. This is important because talking about past events can help people with dementia to retain their sense of self. This article examines the use of an alternative set of communication skills known as empathic curiosity, which may help to promote meaningful communication in the here and now with people who are living with dementia.

  12. Relation between premorbid personality and patterns of emotion expression in mid- to late-stage dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magai, C; Cohen, C I; Culver, C; Gomberg, D; Malatesta, C

    1997-11-01

    Twenty-seven nursing home patients with mid- to late-stage dementia participated in a study of the relation between preillness personality, as indexed by attachment and emotion regulation style, and current emotional behavior. Preillness measures were completed by family members and current assessments of emotion were supplied by nursing home aides and family members; in addition, emotion was coded during a family visit using an objective coding system for facial emotion expressions. Attachment style was found to be related to the expression of positive affect, with securely attached individuals displaying more positive affect than avoidantly attached individuals. In addition, high ratings on premorbid hostility were associated with higher rates of negative affect and lower rates of positive affect. These findings indicate that premorbid aspects of personality show continuity over time, even in mid- to late-stage dementia.

  13. Does the Order of Item Difficulty of the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination Add Anything to Subdomain Scores in the Clinical Assessment of Dementia

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    Sarah McGrory

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: The Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE is used to measure cognition across a range of domains in dementia. Identifying the order in which cognitive decline occurs across items, and whether this varies between dementia aetiologies could add more information to subdomain scores. Method: ACE-Revised data from 350 patients were split into three groups: Alzheimer's type (n = 131, predominantly frontal (n = 119 and other frontotemporal lobe degenerative disorders (n = 100. Results of factor analysis and Mokken scaling analysis were compared. Results: Principal component analysis revealed one factor for each group. Confirmatory factor analysis found that the one-factor model fit two samples poorly. Mokken analyses revealed different item ordering in terms of difficulty for each group. Conclusion: The different patterns for each diagnostic group could aid in the separation of these different types of dementia.

  14. Family members' experience of the pre-diagnostic phase of dementia: a synthesis of qualitative evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, Kirrily; Coleman, Honor; Brodtmann, Amy; Darby, David; Anderson, Vicki

    2017-09-01

    Most research on family members' experience of dementia has focused on the time after diagnosis. Yet, once people reach clinical attention, families have already been living with the changes for some time. These pre-diagnosis experiences can influence later caregiving. We aimed to synthesize qualitative research exploring family members' experiences of the pre-diagnostic phase of dementia to inform clinical practice. We conducted a thematic synthesis of 11 studies that met our inclusion criteria following a comprehensive literature search. An overarching theme, sense-making, captured the primary process that family members engage in throughout the pre-diagnostic period. Within this, four major analytic themes were extracted as central concepts in understanding family members' experiences of the pre-diagnostic phase of dementia: the nature of change; appraisals of change; reactions to change; and the influence of others. Relevant features of the family experience of dementia onset can be characterized within several major themes. These findings highlight the complex process of recognizing early symptoms of dementia for people living with this condition and their families. Our findings also provide the foundation for developing theoretical frameworks that will ultimately assist with improving recognition of dementia onset, clinical communication with family members, and interventions to reduce family burden.

  15. [Concordance in the registry of dementia among the main sources of clinical information].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marta-Moreno, Javier; Obón-Azuara, Blanca; Gimeno-Felíu, Luis; Achkar-Tuglaman, Nesib Nicolás; Poblador-Plou, Beatriz; Calderón-Larrañaga, Amaia; Prados-Torres, Alexandra

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this work was to analyse the concordance in the registry of dementia among the main sources of clinical information, with the aim of determining their usefulness for epidemiological and clinical research. Descriptive study of patients assigned to the Aragon Health Service in 2010 (n=1,344,891). (i)the pharmacy billing database (n=9,392); (ii)Primary Care electronic health records (EHR) (n=9,471), and (iii)the hospital minimum basic data set (n=3,289). When studying the concordance of the databases, the group of patients with a specific treatment for dementia (i.e., acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and/or memantine) was taken as the reference. The diagnosis in Primary Care was missing for 47.3% of patients taking anti-dementia drugs. The same occurred with 38.3% of dementia patients admitted to hospital during the study year. Among patients with a diagnosis of dementia in the EHR, only half (52.3%) was under treatment for this condition. This percentage decreased to 34.4% in patients with the diagnosis registered in the hospital database. The weak concordance in the registry of the dementia diagnosis between the main health information systems makes their use and analysis more complex, and supports the need to include all available health data sources in order to gain a global picture of the epidemiological and clinical reality of this health condition. Copyright © 2015 SEGG. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  16. The Effects of Anti-Dementia and Nootropic Treatments on the Mortality of Patients with Dementia: A Population-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan.

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    Chen-Yi Wu

    Full Text Available Few studies have examined the contribution of treatment on the mortality of dementia based on a population-based study.To investigate the effects of anti-dementia and nootropic treatments on the mortality of dementia using a population-based cohort study.12,193 incident dementia patients were found from 2000 to 2010. Their data were compared with 12,193 age- and sex-matched non-dementia controls that were randomly selected from the same database. Dementia was classified into vascular (VaD and degenerative dementia. Mortality incidence and hazard ratios (HRs were calculated.The median survival time was 3.39 years (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.88-3.79 for VaD without medication, 6.62 years (95% CI: 6.24-7.21 for VaD with nootropics, 3.01 years (95% CI: 2.85-3.21 for degenerative dementia without medication, 8.11 years (95% CI: 6.30-8.55 for degenerative dementia with anti-dementia medication, 6.00 years (95% CI: 5.73-6.17 for degenerative dementia with nootropics, and 9.03 years (95% CI: 8.02-9.87 for degenerative dementia with both anti-dementia and nootropic medications. Compared to the non-dementia group, the HRs among individuals with degenerative dementia were 2.69 (95% CI: 2.55-2.83 without medication, 1.46 (95% CI: 1.39-1.54 with nootropics, 1.05 (95% CI: 0.82-1.34 with anti-dementia medication, and 0.92 (95% CI: 0.80-1.05 with both nootropic and anti-dementia medications. VaD with nootropics had a lower mortality (HR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.15-1.37 than VaD without medication (HR: 2.46, 95% CI: 2.22-2.72.Pharmacological treatments have beneficial effects for patients with dementia in prolonging their survival.

  17. The Effects of Anti-Dementia and Nootropic Treatments on the Mortality of Patients with Dementia: A Population-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Chen-Yi; Hu, Hsiao-Yun; Chow, Lok-Hi; Chou, Yiing-Jenq; Huang, Nicole; Wang, Pei-Ning; Li, Chung-Pin

    2015-01-01

    Few studies have examined the contribution of treatment on the mortality of dementia based on a population-based study. To investigate the effects of anti-dementia and nootropic treatments on the mortality of dementia using a population-based cohort study. 12,193 incident dementia patients were found from 2000 to 2010. Their data were compared with 12,193 age- and sex-matched non-dementia controls that were randomly selected from the same database. Dementia was classified into vascular (VaD) and degenerative dementia. Mortality incidence and hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated. The median survival time was 3.39 years (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.88-3.79) for VaD without medication, 6.62 years (95% CI: 6.24-7.21) for VaD with nootropics, 3.01 years (95% CI: 2.85-3.21) for degenerative dementia without medication, 8.11 years (95% CI: 6.30-8.55) for degenerative dementia with anti-dementia medication, 6.00 years (95% CI: 5.73-6.17) for degenerative dementia with nootropics, and 9.03 years (95% CI: 8.02-9.87) for degenerative dementia with both anti-dementia and nootropic medications. Compared to the non-dementia group, the HRs among individuals with degenerative dementia were 2.69 (95% CI: 2.55-2.83) without medication, 1.46 (95% CI: 1.39-1.54) with nootropics, 1.05 (95% CI: 0.82-1.34) with anti-dementia medication, and 0.92 (95% CI: 0.80-1.05) with both nootropic and anti-dementia medications. VaD with nootropics had a lower mortality (HR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.15-1.37) than VaD without medication (HR: 2.46, 95% CI: 2.22-2.72). Pharmacological treatments have beneficial effects for patients with dementia in prolonging their survival.

  18. Comparison of Hippocampal Volume in Dementia Subtypes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vijayakumar, Avinash; Vijayakumar, Abhishek

    2012-01-01

    Aims. To examine the relationship between different types of dementia and hippocampal volume. Methods. Hippocampal volume was measured using FL3D sequence magnetic resonance imaging in 26 Alzheimer's, vascular dementia, mixed dementia, and normal pressure hydrocephalus patients and 15 healthy controls and also hippocampal ratio, analyzed. Minimental scale was used to stratify patients on cognitive function impairments. Results. Hippocampal volume and ratio was reduced by 25% in Alzheimer's disease, 21% in mixed dementia, 11% in vascular dementia and 5% in normal pressure hydrocephalus in comparison to control. Also an asymmetrical decrease in volume of left hippocampus was noted. The severity of dementia increased in accordance to decreasing hippocampal volume. Conclusion. Measurement in hippocampal volume may facilitate in differentiating different types of dementia and in disease progression. There was a correlation between hippocampal volume and severity of cognitive impairment

  19. Depression and Risk of Developing Dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byers, Amy L.; Yaffe, Kristine

    2012-01-01

    Depression is highly common throughout the life course and dementia is common in late life. The literature suggests an association between depression and dementia, and growing evidence implies that timing of depression may be important to defining the nature of the association. In particular, earlier-life depression or depressive symptoms consistently have been shown to be associated with a 2-fold or greater increase in risk of dementia. In contrast, studies of late-life depression have been more conflicting but the majority support an association; yet, the nature of this association is unclear (e.g., if depression is a prodrome or consequence or risk factor for dementia). The likely biological mechanisms linking depression to dementia include vascular disease, alterations in glucocorticoid steroids and hippocampal atrophy, increased deposition of β-amyloid plaques, inflammatory changes, and deficits of nerve growth factors. Treatment strategies for depression might intervene on these pathways and in turn may alter risk for dementia. Given the projected increase of dementia in the coming decades, it is critically important that we understand whether treatment for depression alone or combined with other regimens improves cognition. In this review, we summarize and analyze current evidence for late-life and earlier-life depression and their relationship to dementia, discuss the primary underlying mechanisms and implications for treatment. PMID:21537355

  20. Cancer-related information needs and treatment decision-making experiences of people with dementia in England: a multiple perspective qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McWilliams, Lorna; Farrell, Carole; Keady, John; Swarbrick, Caroline; Burgess, Lorraine; Grande, Gunn; Bellhouse, Sarah; Yorke, Janelle

    2018-04-12

    Little is known about the cancer experience and support needs of people with dementia. In particular, no evidence currently exists to demonstrate the likely complex decision-making processes for this patient group and the oncology healthcare professionals (HCP) involved in their care. The aim of this study was to explore the cancer-related information needs and decision-making experiences of patients with cancer and comorbid dementia, their informal caregivers and oncology HCPs. Cross-sectional qualitative study. Semistructured interviews were conducted face to face with participants. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed prior to thematic analysis. Patients with a diagnosis of cancer and dementia, their informal caregivers and oncology HCPs involved in their care, all recruited from a regional treatment cancer centre. Purposeful sample of 10 patients with a diagnosis of cancer-dementia, informal caregivers (n=9) and oncology HCPs (n=12). Four themes were identified: (1) leading to the initial consultation-HCPs require more detailed information on the functional impact of dementia and how it may influence cancer treatment options prior to meeting the patient; (2) communicating clinically relevant information-informal caregivers are relied on to provide patient information, advocate for the patient and support decision-making; (3) adjustments to cancer care-patients with dementia get through treatment with the help of their family and (4) following completion of cancer treatment-there are continuing information needs. Oncology HCPs discussed their need to consult specialists in dementia care to support treatment decision-making. Although patients with cancer-dementia are involved in their treatment decision-making, informal caregivers are generally crucial in supporting this process. Individual patient needs and circumstances related to their cancer must be considered in the context of dementia prognosis highlighting complexities of decision-making in this

  1. Dementia and driving.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Neill, D; Neubauer, K; Boyle, M; Gerrard, J; Surmon, D; Wilcock, G K

    1992-04-01

    Many European countries test cars, but not their drivers, as they age. There is evidence to suggest that human factors are more important than vehicular factors as causes of motor crashes. The elderly also are involved in more accidents per distance travelled than middle-aged drivers. As the UK relies on self-certification of health by drivers over the age of 70 years, we examined the driving practices of patients with dementia attending a Memory Clinic. Nearly one-fifth of 329 patients with documented dementia continued to drive after the onset of dementia, and impaired driving ability was noted in two-thirds of these. Their families experienced great difficulty in persuading patients to stop driving, and had to invoke outside help in many cases. Neuropsychological tests did not help to identify those who drove badly while activity of daily living scores were related to driving ability. These findings suggest that many patients with dementia drive in an unsafe fashion after the onset of the illness. The present system of self-certification of health by the elderly for driver-licensing purposes needs to be reassessed.

  2. Progression to dementia in memory clinic patients without dementia: a latent profile analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kohler, S.; Hamel, R.; Sistermans, N.; Koene, T.; Pijnenburg, Y.A.L.; van der Flier, W.M.; Scheltens, P.; Visser, P.J.; Aalten, P.; Verhey, F. R. J.; Ramakers, I.

    2013-01-01

    Objective: To identify the existence of discrete cognitive subtypes among memory clinic patients without dementia and test their prognostic values. Methods: In a retrospective cohort study of 635 patients without dementia visiting the Alzheimer centers in Maastricht or Amsterdam, latent profile

  3. Origins of Montessori Programming for Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camp, Cameron J

    2010-01-01

    The focus of this article is on the evolution of the use of Montessori educational methods as the basis for creating interventions for persons with dementia. The account of this evolution is autobiographical, as the development of Montessori Programming for Dementia (MPD) initially was through the efforts of myself and my research associates. My initial exposure to Maria Montessori's work came as a result of my involvement with my own children's education. This exposure influenced ongoing research on development of cognitive interventions for persons with dementia. A brief description of Montessori's work with children and the educational methods she developed is followed by a description of how this approach can be translated into development of activities for persons with dementia. Assessment tools to document effects of MPD were created, focusing on observational tools to measure engagement and affect during individual and group activities programming for persons with dementia. Examples of the use of MPD by researchers, staff members, and family members are given, as well as examples of how persons with dementia can provide MPD to other persons with dementia or to children. Finally, examples of MPD's dissemination internationally and future directions for research are presented.

  4. Common gene-network signature of different neurological disorders and their potential implications to neuroAIDS.

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    Vidya Sagar

    Full Text Available The neurological complications of AIDS (neuroAIDS during the infection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV are symptomized by non-specific, multifaceted neurological conditions and therefore, defining a specific diagnosis/treatment mechanism(s for this neuro-complexity at the molecular level remains elusive. Using an in silico based integrated gene network analysis we discovered that HIV infection shares convergent gene networks with each of twelve neurological disorders selected in this study. Importantly, a common gene network was identified among HIV infection, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and age macular degeneration. An mRNA microarray analysis in HIV-infected monocytes showed significant changes in the expression of several genes of this in silico derived common pathway which suggests the possible physiological relevance of this gene-circuit in driving neuroAIDS condition. Further, this unique gene network was compared with another in silico derived novel, convergent gene network which is shared by seven major neurological disorders (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Age Macular Degeneration, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Vascular Dementia, and Restless Leg Syndrome. These networks differed in their gene circuits; however, in large, they involved innate immunity signaling pathways, which suggests commonalities in the immunological basis of different neuropathogenesis. The common gene circuits reported here can provide a prospective platform to understand how gene-circuits belonging to other neuro-disorders may be convoluted during real-time neuroAIDS condition and it may elucidate the underlying-and so far unknown-genetic overlap between HIV infection and neuroAIDS risk. Also, it may lead to a new paradigm in understanding disease progression, identifying biomarkers, and developing therapies.

  5. Diabetes and dementia links

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    Paula Jankowska

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction The number of patients suffering from diabetes mellitus is growing globally. It is expected to observe 253.4 million sufferers in geriatric population in 2045. In this time, also 131.5 million of people is going to have dementia and other cognitive problems. In people aged over 65 these two diseases are concomitant quite often. What are the connections in the area of etiology and treatment? Aim The purpose of this study is to present links between dementia and diabetes are depicted in professional literature. Results Diabetes and dementia are associated on many levels. These conditions have common risk factors. Diabetes may contribute to cognitive impairment in many ways, promoting development of atherosclerosis, brain vessel damage and vascular dementia. Alzheimer disease may be promoted by hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia. On contrary also hypoglycaemia, often met in elderly diabetic patients has negative impact on cognitive function. Dementia seriously affects treatment of diabetes. The main problems are not satisfying adherence and diabetes self-management. Conclusions Prevention of diabetes and dementia risk factors can be performed simultaneously as the are common for both diseases. Enhancing physical activity, reducing saturated fats consumption, levels of cholesterol and body mass are considered to be beneficial in the context of described conditions. Furthermore, treatment of diabetes is strongly affected by cognitive dysfunction. Management of dementive diabetics requires individualization and using long-acting drugs. It is crucial to reduce risk of life-threatening hypoglycaemias and to create wide team to take care of these patients.

  6. Neuroimaging and functional assessment in dementia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Terashi, Akiro; Kitamura, Shin; Ujike, Takashi [Nippon Medical School, Tokyo (Japan)

    1990-05-01

    Recent progress in diagnostic imaging techniques has greatly contributed to the elucidation of pathophysiology, as well as differential diagnosis in dementia. In particular, X-ray computed tomography (CT) offers the ability to detect morphological changes of the brain, whereby making it possible to differentiate between cerebrovascular and degenerative dementias. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows three-dimensional visualization of gyrus atrophy, providing the ability to depict subcortical minor infarcts and white matter lesions. The advent of positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) has led to a dramatic progression in the search for pathophysiology of dementia. The purpose of this paper is to outline the recent findings of diagnostic imaging modalities, such as X-ray CT, MRI, PET and SPECT, focusing on those in commonly observed cerebrovascular dementia and in degenerative dementias that are projected to increase. Degenerative dementias cover Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease, Huntington's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, Parkinson's disease, and normal pressure hydrocephalus. (N.K.) 90 refs.

  7. Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and applicability of the Brazilian version of the Frontotemporal Dementia Rating Scale (FTD-FRS

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    Thais Bento Lima-Silva

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Background: Staging scales for dementia have been devised for grading Alzheimer's disease (AD but do not include the specific symptoms of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD. Objective: To translate and adapt the Frontotemporal Dementia Rating Scale (FTD-FRS to Brazilian Portuguese. Methods: The cross-cultural adaptation process consisted of the following steps: translation, back-translation (prepared by independent translators, discussion with specialists, and development of a final version after minor adjustments. A pilot application was carried out with 12 patients diagnosed with bvFTD and 11 with AD, matched for disease severity (CDR=1.0. The evaluation protocol included: Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE, Executive Interview (EXIT-25, Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI, Frontotemporal Dementia Rating Scale (FTD-FRS and Clinical Dementia Rating scale (CDR. Results: The Brazilian version of the FTD-FRS seemed appropriate for use in this country. Preliminary results revealed greater levels of disability in bvFTD than in AD patients (bvFTD: 25% mild, 50% moderate and 25% severe; AD: 36.36% mild, 63.64% moderate. It appears that the CDR underrates disease severity in bvFTD since a relevant proportion of patients rated as having mild dementia (CDR=1.0 in fact had moderate or severe levels of disability according to the FTD-FRS. Conclusion: The Brazilian version of the FTD-FRS seems suitable to aid staging and determining disease progression.

  8. Caregiver burden in atypical dementias: comparing frontotemporal dementia, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and Alzheimer's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uflacker, Alice; Edmondson, Mary C; Onyike, Chiadi U; Appleby, Brian S

    2016-02-01

    Caregiver burden is a significant issue in the treatment of dementia and a known contributor to institutionalization of patients with dementia. Published data have documented increased caregiver burden in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) compared to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Another atypical dementia with high-perceived caregiver burden is sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), but no formal studies have assessed this perception. The aim of this study was to compare caregiver burden across atypical dementia etiologies. 76 adults with atypical dementia (young-onset AD [YOAD], bvFTD, language variant FTD [lvFTD], and sCJD) were administered an abbreviated version of the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-Q), and other assessment instruments during a five-year time period at Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH). A Cox regression model examined differences between disease categories that impact mean ZBI scores. Mean ZBI scores were significantly different between dementia etiologies, with bvFTD and sCJD having the highest caregiver burden (p = 0.026). Mean NPI-Q caregiver distress scores were highest in bvFTD and sCJD (p = 0.002), with sCJD and bvFTD also having the highest number of endorsed symptom domains (p = 0.012). On regression analyses, an interactive variable combining final diagnosis category and NPI-Q total severity score demonstrated statistically significant differences in mean ZBI scores for sCJD and bvFTD. This study demonstrates that bvFTD and sCJD have increased levels of caregiver burden, NPI-Q caregiver distress, total severity scores, and number of endorsed symptom domains. These results suggest that higher caregiver burden in bvFTD and sCJD are disease specific and possibly related to neuropsychiatric symptoms.

  9. Prevalence and etiology of dementia in a Japanese community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ueda, K; Kawano, H; Hasuo, Y; Fujishima, M

    1992-06-01

    We sought to determine the type-specific prevalence of dementia and its risk factors in elderly persons from the Japanese community of Hisayama. We studied the prevalence of dementia in 887 Hisayama residents (353 men and 534 women) aged 65 years or older (screening rate, 94.6%) using various items of clinical information, neurological examination, and dementia scales. We also studied brain morphology in 50 of 59 determined to have dementia by computed tomography or autopsy during the subsequent 54-month period. Factors relevant to dementia were compared between 27 patients with vascular dementia and 789 control subjects without dementia in a retrospective fashion. The prevalence rate of dementia among Hisayama residents aged 65 or older was estimated at 6.7%, with a females to males ratio of 1:2. Among 50 cases of dementia in which brain morphology was examined, the frequency of vascular dementia was 56%; this rate was 2.2 times higher than that for senile dementia of the Alzheimer type. Aging, hypertension, electrocardiographic abnormalities, and high hematocrit were significantly (p less than 0.05) and independently associated with the occurrence of vascular dementia. Prevalence of dementia among the Hisayama residents was relatively identical to that previously reported, but vascular dementia was more predominant. Risk factors for vascular dementia were similar to those for lacunar infarcts. Control of hypertension may be a key to reducing dementia among the Japanese population.

  10. Cumulative Effect of Depression on Dementia Risk

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    J. Olazarán

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To analyze a potential cumulative effect of life-time depression on dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD, with control of vascular factors (VFs. Methods. This study was a subanalysis of the Neurological Disorders in Central Spain (NEDICES study. Past and present depression, VFs, dementia status, and dementia due to AD were documented at study inception. Dementia status was also documented after three years. Four groups were created according to baseline data: never depression (nD, past depression (pD, present depression (prD, and present and past depression (prpD. Logistic regression was used. Results. Data of 1,807 subjects were investigated at baseline (mean age 74.3, 59.3% women, and 1,376 (81.6% subjects were evaluated after three years. The prevalence of dementia at baseline was 6.7%, and dementia incidence was 6.3%. An effect of depression was observed on dementia prevalence (OR [CI 95%] 1.84 [1.01–3.35] for prD and 2.73 [1.08–6.87] for prpD, and on dementia due to AD (OR 1.98 [0.98–3.99] for prD and OR 3.98 [1.48–10.71] for prpD (fully adjusted models, nD as reference. Depression did not influence dementia incidence. Conclusions. Present depression and, particularly, present and past depression are associated with dementia at old age. Multiple mechanisms, including toxic effect of depression on hippocampal neurons, plausibly explain these associations.

  11. Intracranial stenosis in cognitive impairment and dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hilal, Saima; Xu, Xin; Ikram, M Kamran; Vrooman, Henri; Venketasubramanian, Narayanaswamy; Chen, Christopher

    2017-06-01

    Intracranial stenosis is a common vascular lesion observed in Asian and other non-Caucasian stroke populations. However, its role in cognitive impairment and dementia has been under-studied. We, therefore, examined the association of intracranial stenosis with cognitive impairment, dementia and their subtypes in a memory clinic case-control study, where all subjects underwent detailed neuropsychological assessment and 3 T neuroimaging including three-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography. Intracranial stenosis was defined as ≥50% narrowing in any of the intracranial arteries. A total of 424 subjects were recruited of whom 97 were classified as no cognitive impairment, 107 as cognitive impairment no dementia, 70 vascular cognitive impairment no dementia, 121 Alzheimer's Disease, and 30 vascular dementia. Intracranial stenosis was associated with dementia (age/gender/education - adjusted odds ratios (OR): 4.73, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.93-11.60) and vascular cognitive impairment no dementia (OR: 3.98, 95% CI: 1.59-9.93). These associations were independent of cardiovascular risk factors and MRI markers. However, the association with Alzheimer's Disease and vascular dementia became attenuated in the presence of white matter hyperintensities. Intracranial stenosis is associated with vascular cognitive impairment no dementia independent of MRI markers. In Alzheimer's Disease and vascular dementia, this association is mediated by cerebrovascular disease. Future studies focusing on perfusion and functional markers are needed to determine the pathophysiological mechanism(s) linking intracranial stenosis and cognition so as to identify treatment strategies.

  12. Dancing as an Intervention Tool for People with Dementia: A Mini-Review Dancing and Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klimova, Blanka; Valis, Martin; Kuca, Kamil

    2017-01-01

    Research studies show a positive impact of physical activities such as dancing on the improvement of cognitive reserves of people with dementia. The purpose of this study is to explore dancing efficacy on people with dementia and list the key benefits and limitations of dancing therapy for these people. The methods used in this study include a method of literature review of available Englishwritten sources with respect to the dancing therapy and dementia in the acknowledged databases Pub- Med, Web of Science, Springer, and Scopus, and a method of comparison and evaluation of their findings. The findings of this mini review confirm positive efficacy of dancing therapy on cognitive, physical, emotional and social performance of people with dementia. More randomized controlled clinical trials should be conducted in this field, as well as other non-pharmacological therapies should be employed in order to holistically contribute to the prevention and treatment of dementia. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  13. Recognition of dementia in ancient China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jia; Wang, Lu-Ning; Tian, Jin-Zhou

    2012-12-01

    A search of previous records in the literatures was done to summarize the opinions for dementia in ancient China. The earliest description of dementia was traced in the Yellow emperor's internal classic, a book written 2000 years ago. Hua Tuo (AD 140-208) in Han Dynasty first denominated "dementia" in the book, Hua Tuo Shen Yi Mi Zhuan. The pathogenesis of dementia could be generalized as the insufficiency of Qi, a flowing energy; the stagnation of phlegm, a harmful liquid substance in the body; and the blood stasis, which were also regarded as therapeutic targets. Therefore, we can conclude that dementia has been recognized and investigated in traditional Chinese medicine, which is definitely before the industrial civilization era. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Functional analysis-based interventions for challenging behaviour in dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moniz Cook, Esme D; Swift, Katie; James, Ian; Malouf, Reem; De Vugt, Marjolein; Verhey, Frans

    2012-02-15

    Functional analysis (FA) for the management of challenging behaviour is a promising behavioural intervention that involves exploring the meaning or purpose of an individual's behaviour. It extends the 'ABC' approach of behavioural analysis, to overcome the restriction of having to derive a single explanatory hypothesis for the person's behaviour. It is seen as a first line alternative to traditional pharmacological management for agitation and aggression. FA typically requires the therapist to develop and evaluate hypotheses-driven strategies that aid family and staff caregivers to reduce or resolve a person's distress and its associated behavioural manifestations. To assess the effects of functional analysis-based interventions for people with dementia (and their caregivers) living in their own home or in other settings. We searched ALOIS: the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group's Specialized Register on 3 March 2011 using the terms: FA, behaviour (intervention, management, modification), BPSD, psychosocial and Dementia. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with reported behavioural outcomes that could be associated with functional analysis for the management of challenging behaviour in dementia. Four reviewers selected trials for inclusion. Two reviewers worked independently to extract data and assess trial quality, including bias. Meta-analyses for reported incidence, frequency, severity of care recipient challenging behaviour and mood (primary outcomes) and caregiver reaction, burden and mood were performed. Details of adverse effects were noted. Eighteen trials are included in the review. The majority were in family care settings. For fourteen studies, FA was just one aspect of a broad multi-component programme of care. Assessing the effect of FA was compromised by ill-defined protocols for the duration of component parts of these programmes (i.e. frequency of the intervention or actual time spent). Therefore, establishing the real effect of the

  15. Dietary Patterns, Cognitive Decline, and Dementia: A Systematic Review12

    Science.gov (United States)

    van de Rest, Ondine; Berendsen, Agnes AM; Haveman-Nies, Annemien; de Groot, Lisette CPGM

    2015-01-01

    Nutrition is an important modifiable risk factor that plays a role in the strategy to prevent or delay the onset of dementia. Research on nutritional effects has until now mainly focused on the role of individual nutrients and bioactive components. However, the evidence for combined effects, such as multinutrient approaches, or a healthy dietary pattern, such as the Mediterranean diet, is growing. These approaches incorporate the complexity of the diet and possible interaction and synergy between nutrients. Over the past few years, dietary patterns have increasingly been investigated to better understand the link between diet, cognitive decline, and dementia. In this systematic review we provide an overview of the literature on human studies up to May 2014 that examined the role of dietary patterns (derived both a priori as well as a posteriori) in relation to cognitive decline or dementia. The results suggest that better adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with less cognitive decline, dementia, or Alzheimer disease, as shown by 4 of 6 cross-sectional studies, 6 of 12 longitudinal studies, 1 trial, and 3 meta-analyses. Other healthy dietary patterns, derived both a priori (e.g., Healthy Diet Indicator, Healthy Eating Index, and Program National Nutrition Santé guideline score) and a posteriori (e.g., factor analysis, cluster analysis, and reduced rank regression), were shown to be associated with reduced cognitive decline and/or a reduced risk of dementia as shown by all 6 cross-sectional studies and 6 of 8 longitudinal studies. More conclusive evidence is needed to reach more targeted and detailed guidelines to prevent or postpone cognitive decline. PMID:25770254

  16. Frontal and temporal lobe contributions to emotional enhancement of memory in behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease

    OpenAIRE

    Kumfor, Fiona; Irish, Muireann; Hodges, John R.; Piguet, Olivier

    2014-01-01

    Emotional events gain special priority in how they are remembered, with emotionally arousing events typically recalled more vividly and with greater confidence than non-emotional events. In dementia, memory and emotion processing are affected to varying degrees, however, whether emotional enhancement of memory for complex ecologically-valid events is differentially affected across dementia syndromes remains unclear, with previous studies examining effects of emotion on simple visual recogniti...

  17. Bilingualism, dementia, cognitive and neural reserve.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perani, Daniela; Abutalebi, Jubin

    2015-12-01

    We discuss the role of bilingualism as a source of cognitive reserve and we propose the putative neural mechanisms through which lifelong bilingualism leads to a neural reserve that delays the onset of dementia. Recent findings highlight that the use of more than one language affects the human brain in terms of anatomo-structural changes. It is noteworthy that recent evidence from different places and cultures throughout the world points to a significant delay of dementia onset in bilingual/multilingual individuals. This delay has been reported not only for Alzheimer's dementia and its prodromal mild cognitive impairment phase, but also for other dementias such as vascular and fronto-temporal dementia, and was found to be independent of literacy, education and immigrant status. Lifelong bilingualism represents a powerful cognitive reserve delaying the onset of dementia by approximately 4 years. As to the causal mechanism, because speaking more than one language heavily relies upon executive control and attention, brain systems handling these functions are more developed in bilinguals resulting in increases of gray and white matter densities that may help protect from dementia onset. These neurocognitive benefits are even more prominent when second language proficiency and exposure are kept high throughout life.

  18. Vascular risk factors, cognitve decline, and dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E Duron

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available E Duron, Olivier HanonBroca Hospital, Paris, FranceAbstract: Dementia is one of the most important neurological disorders in the elderly. Aging is associated with a large increase in the prevalence and incidence of degenerative (Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, leading to a devastating loss of autonomy. In view of the increasing longevity of populations worldwide, prevention of dementia has turned into a major public health challenge. In the past decade, several vascular risk factors have been found to be associated with vascular dementia but also Alzheimer’s disease. Some longitudinal studies, have found significant associations between hypertension, diabetus mellitus, and metabolic syndrome, assessed at middle age, and dementia. Studies assessing the link between hypercholesterolemia, atrial fibrillation, smoking, and dementia have given more conflicting results. Furthermore, some studies have highlighted the possible protective effect of antihypertensive therapy on cognition and some trials are evaluating the effects of statins and treatments for insulin resistance. Vascular risk factors and their treatments are a promising avenue of research for prevention of dementia, and further long-term, placebo-controlled, randomized studies, need to be performed.Keywords: dementia, hypertension, diabetus mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, metabolic syndrome

  19. Frontotemporal dementia: An updated overview

    OpenAIRE

    Mohandas, E.; Rajmohan, V.

    2009-01-01

    Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a progressive neurodegenerative syndrome occurring between 45 and 65 years. The syndrome is also called frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). However, FTLD refers to a larger group of disorders FTD being one of its subgroups. The other subgroups of FTLD are progressive nonfluent aphasia (PFNA), and semantic dementia (SD). FTLD is characterized by atrophy of prefrontal and anterior temporal cortices. FTD occurs in 5-15% of patients with dementia and it is t...

  20. Spouse with schizophrenia and risk of dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rohde, Christopher; Agerbo, Esben; Nielsen, Philip Rising

    2016-12-01

    Increased prevalence of lifestyle risk factors or shared etiology may underlie the association between schizophrenia and the subsequent risk of dementia. We explored the association between having a spouse with schizophrenia and the risk of dementia. We found a positive relationship between having a spouse with schizophrenia and vascular dementia in individuals without a mental disorder themselves but no association between having a spouse with schizophrenia and Alzheimer's dementia. As spouses share environmental risk factors and lifestyle, this might suggest that the excess risk of dementia in probands with schizophrenia could be ascribed to the unhealthy living environment among individuals with schizophrenia.

  1. Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butler, Rob; Radhakrishnan, Raghavakurup

    2012-09-10

    Dementia is characterised by chronic, global, non-reversible deterioration in memory, executive function, and personality. Speech and motor function may also be impaired. We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of treatments on cognitive symptoms of dementia (Alzheimer's, Lewy body, or vascular)? What are the effects of treatments on behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (Alzheimer's, Lewy body, or vascular)? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to July 2011 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). We found 49 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions. In this systematic review, we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine), antidepressants (clomipramine, fluoxetine, imipramine, sertraline), antipsychotics (haloperidol, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone), aromatherapy, benzodiazepines (diazepam, lorazepam), cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), cognitive stimulation, exercise, ginkgo biloba, memantine, mood stabilisers (carbamazepine, sodium valproate/valproic acid), music therapy, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), omega 3 (fish oil), reminiscence therapy, and statins.

  2. Dementia literacy in older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loi, Samantha M; Lautenschlager, Nicola T

    2015-09-01

    With the increasing aging population, it is predicted that there will also be a rise in the number of people with dementia. Although there is no definitive cure, early detection and access to treatment and services remains the cornerstone of management. Misinformation and poor knowledge about dementia may lead to delayed diagnosis. A study of dementia literacy was undertaken to explore current knowledge in a metropolitan city in Australia. A vignette describing an older person with symptoms of cognitive impairment was posted out to volunteers at the local hospital. The majority of participants surveyed correctly identified that the person in the vignette was suffering from symptoms of dementia or cognitive impairment. However, there was more variation with regard to types of treatment available and appropriate help-seeking behavior. Although people are able to identify symptoms of dementia when they are presented in a scenario, the reality is often not as clear. More education to improve knowledge with regard to this increasingly common disorder is required so that appropriate interventions can be made available. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  3. Body Mass Index in Different Dementia Disorders: Results from the Swedish Dementia Quality Registry (SveDem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerd Faxén-Irving

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: Most patients with dementia lose body weight over the course of the disease and have a lower body mass index (BMI than subjects with normal cognition. Aims: To examine body mass index and how it correlates with cognitive status, age and gender in patients with different dementia disorders. Materials and Methods: Data from newly diagnosed dementia patients in the Swedish Dementia Quality Registry (SveDem and recorded information about age, gender, cognitive status and BMI was analyzed using independent samples t tests and one-way analysis of variance. Results: A total of 12,015 patients, 7,121 females and 4,894 males were included in the study. The average BMI was 24. More than a quarter of the patients had a BMI of Conclusion: At the time of diagnosis, patients with various dementia disorders had a BMI within the normal range. However, a significant number had a BMI in a lower, suboptimal range for older persons stressing the need for nutritional assessment as part of the dementia work up. Further analyses with longitudinal follow-up are needed to investigate BMI changes over time.

  4. The Appropriate Use of Neuroimaging in the Diagnostic Work-Up of Dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    clinical utility in cases where there is potentially mixed dementia or ambiguity as to the type of dementia despite prolonged follow-up (e.g., 2 years or more). Both CT and MRI are useful for detecting a vascular component of dementia. Plain Language Summary Dementia is a devastating condition of memory loss and behaviour change that affects many Canadians, especially older adults. Diagnosis is complex because symptoms can be caused by different brain diseases, such as Alzheimer disease, and in some cases by other causes such a tumour or cerebrovascular disease. Although dementia rarely improves much, an accurate diagnosis is important because it determines the treatment a patient should receive and helps patients and families understand what the future holds. Brain imaging, using computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, may help in the diagnosis by allowing doctors to see changes in brain structure or function that explain the dementia. Unfortunately, it is not well understood which patients will most likely benefit from a brain scan and which type of scan works best to diagnose dementia. This study reviewed the published evidence about these questions. The study found that relying on specific symptoms to decide who should have a brain scan, rather than imaging all dementia patients, is unreliable and can miss some potentially treatable conditions. The study also found that scans have most value when doctors are uncertain as to the type of dementia despite monitoring the patient for a while (e.g., 2 years) or when the patient may have a combination of dementia types. Brain scans are often less helpful in the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease, and doctors can often use clinical assessment to rule out vascular dementia (another common type of dementia, related to cerebrovascular disease). The evidence also shows that MRI is not better than CT in detecting vascular dementia as a contributing cause. For Alzheimer disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and

  5. Neuroimaging in dementia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barkhof, Frederik [VU Univ. Medical Center, Amsterdam (NL). Dept. of Radiology and Image Analysis Center (IAC); Fox, Nick C. [UCL Institute of Neurology, London (United Kingdom). Dementia Research Centre; VU Univ. Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Bastos-Leite, Antonio J. [Porto Univ. (Portugal). Dept. of Medical Imaging; Scheltens, Philip [VU Univ. Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands). Dept. of Neurology and Alzheimer Center

    2011-07-01

    Against a background of an ever-increasing number of patients, new management options, and novel imaging modalities, neuroimaging is playing an increasingly important role in the diagnosis of dementia. This up-to-date, superbly illustrated book aims to provide a practical guide to the effective use of neuroimaging in the patient with cognitive decline. It sets out the key clinical and imaging features of the wide range of causes of dementia and directs the reader from clinical presentation to neuroimaging and on to an accurate diagnosis whenever possible. After an introductory chapter on the clinical background, the available ''toolbox'' of structural and functional neuroimaging techniques is reviewed in detail, including CT, MRI and advanced MR techniques, SPECT and PET, and image analysis methods. The imaging findings in normal ageing are then discussed, followed by a series of chapters that carefully present and analyze the key imaging findings in patients with dementias. A structured path of analysis follows the main presenting feature: disorders associated with primary gray matter loss, with white matter changes, with brain swelling, etc. Throughout, a practical approach is adopted, geared specifically to the needs of clinicians (neurologists, radiologists, psychiatrists, geriatricians) working in the field of dementia, for whom this book should prove an invaluable resource. (orig.)

  6. The importance of music for people with dementia: the perspectives of people with dementia, family carers, staff and music therapists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDermott, Orii; Orrell, Martin; Ridder, Hanne Mette

    2014-01-01

    Despite the popularity of music-based interventions in dementia care, there is a limited knowledge of how and why people with dementia find music beneficial for their well-being. A qualitative study was conducted to develop further insights into the musical experiences of people with dementia and explore the meaning of music in their lives. Separate focus groups and interviews with (1) care home residents with dementia and their families, (2) day hospital clients with dementia, (3) care home staff, and (4) music therapists, were conducted. The findings of the thematic analysis were investigated further in the light of psychosocial factors with the aim of developing a theoretical model on music in dementia. Six key themes were identified. The accessibility of music for people at all stages of dementia, close links between music, personal identity and life events, the importance of relationship-building through music making were particularly highlighted as valuable. The psychosocial model of music in dementia was developed. The model revealed the importance of music to support the personal psychology of people with dementia and the social psychology of the care home environment. The effects of music go beyond the reduction of behavioural and psychological symptoms. Individual preference of music is preserved throughout the process of dementia. Sustaining musical and interpersonal connectedness would help value who the person is and maintain the quality of their life.

  7. The cost of dementia in Denmark: the Odense Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kronborg Andersen, C; Søgaard, J; Hansen, E; Kragh-Sørensen, A; Hastrup, L; Andersen, J; Andersen, K; Lolk, A; Nielsen, H; Kragh-Sørensen, P

    1999-01-01

    In a population-based study of dementia, the cost of care for 245 demented elderly and 490 controls matched by age and gender was estimated. Dementia of Alzheimer's type was diagnosed according to the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria, and vascular dementia and other types of dementia were diagnosed according to the DSM-IIIR criteria. Severity of dementia was determined by the Clinical Dementia Rating scale. The annual cost of medical care, domestic care, home help, nursing home and special equipment for nondemented patients was DKK 22,000 per person while the cost for very mildly, mildly, moderately and severely demented patients was DKK 49,000, DKK 93,000, DKK 138,000 and DKK 206,000, respectively. Except for very mild dementia the cost did not differ between elderly who suffer from Alzheimer's disease and those with other types of dementia. The net cost of dementia is the difference in cost between those with dementia and the matched controls and amounts on average to DKK 77,000 per person per year. However, priority setting cannot be based on the cost of dementia per se, but only on the cost of a specific dementia intervention compared to its health benefit.

  8. Rights in mind: Thinking differently about dementia and disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shakespeare, Tom; Zeilig, Hannah; Mittler, Peter

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to argue for the utility of a relational model of disability, as a way of conceptualizing dementia. We explore whether dementia should be considered as a disability, and whether people with dementia might consider themselves as disabled people. We review examples of, and issues raised by, the political activism of people with dementia. We consider how language constructs dementia negatively. We discuss how the environment influences the experience of dementia. In conclusion, we show that a relational model of dementia lays the basis for a human rights approach to the condition, based on collaborative partnerships between people with dementia and people from other disability communities.

  9. Classifying Dementia Using Local Binary Patterns from Different Regions in Magnetic Resonance Images

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ketil Oppedal

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Dementia is an evolving challenge in society, and no disease-modifying treatment exists. Diagnosis can be demanding and MR imaging may aid as a noninvasive method to increase prediction accuracy. We explored the use of 2D local binary pattern (LBP extracted from FLAIR and T1 MR images of the brain combined with a Random Forest classifier in an attempt to discern patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD, Lewy body dementia (LBD, and normal controls (NC. Analysis was conducted in areas with white matter lesions (WML and all of white matter (WM. Results from 10-fold nested cross validation are reported as mean accuracy, precision, and recall with standard deviation in brackets. The best result we achieved was in the two-class problem NC versus AD + LBD with total accuracy of 0.98 (0.04. In the three-class problem AD versus LBD versus NC and the two-class problem AD versus LBD, we achieved 0.87 (0.08 and 0.74 (0.16, respectively. The performance using 3DT1 images was notably better than when using FLAIR images. The results from the WM region gave similar results as in the WML region. Our study demonstrates that LBP texture analysis in brain MR images can be successfully used for computer based dementia diagnosis.

  10. Caring for people with dementia in hospital: findings from a survey to identify barriers and facilitators to implementing best practice dementia care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tropea, Joanne; LoGiudice, Dina; Liew, Danny; Roberts, Carol; Brand, Caroline

    2017-03-01

    Best practice dementia care is not always provided in the hospital setting. Knowledge, attitudes and motivation, practitioner behavior, and external factors can influence uptake of best practice and quality care. The aim of this study was to determine hospital staff perceived barriers and enablers to implementing best practice dementia care. A 17-item survey was administered at two Australian hospitals between July and September 2014. Multidisciplinary staff working in the emergency departments and general medical wards were invited to participate in the survey. The survey collected data about the respondents' current role, work area, and years of experience, their perceived level of confidence and knowledge in dementia care and common symptoms of dementia, barriers and enablers to implementing best practice dementia care, job satisfaction in caring for people with dementia, and to rate the hospital's capacity and available resources to support best practice dementia care. A total of 112 survey responses were received. The environment, inadequate staffing levels and workload, time, and staff knowledge and skills were identified as barriers to implementing best practice dementia care. Most respondents rated their knowledge of dementia care and common symptoms of dementia, and confidence in recognizing whether a person has dementia, as moderate or high dementia. Approximately, half the respondents rated access to training and equipment as low or very low. The survey findings highlighted hospital staff perceived barriers to implementing best practice dementia care that can be used to inform locally tailored improvement interventions.

  11. First TV ad for dementia care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-12-10

    Last month, viewers saw the first-ever TV advertisement about providing care for people with dementia. Screened as part of Bupa's initiative, bringing the issue of dementia care 'out of the shadows,' the ad features Ernie visiting his sister June, who has dementia, in a Bupa care home and shows the personalised care being delivered by specially trained staff.

  12. The Effects of Spatial Enclosure on Social Interaction Between Older Adults With Dementia and Young Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cerruti, Minyoung S; Shepley, Mardelle M

    2016-04-01

    To examine the impact of spatial enclosures on social interaction between older adults with early stage dementia and young children. Intergenerational interaction through meaningful activities can promote positive affects and behaviors of children and older adults. The development of social interaction is closely related to the physical environment in association with personal competence of older adults with dementia and young children. However, minimal attention has been given to the role of physical environment in influencing intergenerational interaction. A quasi-experiment examined the functional relationship between the amount of spatial enclosure and the types of social behaviors of older adults with dementia and young children. Semi-structured interviews, aided by a photographic simulation, were developed to explore the participants' perceptions of and experiences with the different degrees of spatial enclosure. Findings showed that the semienclosed spatial plan impacted both prosocial and antisocial behaviors of older adults with dementia in their interactions with young children. This apparent discrepancy was associated with two conflicting perceptions: a sense of openness and the lack of control due to distraction created by the loose visual boundary. There was no correlation between the elder-child neutral behaviors and the degrees of spatial enclosure. This study suggests that spaces with moderate openness without visual and acoustic distraction are the most desirable to promote prosocial behaviors of older adults with dementia and young children. Additionally, elder-child prosocial behaviors were likely facilitated by specific design features such as adequate personal space, the perception of openness, and possible spaces that provide both prospect and refuge in relation to spatial enclosure. © The Author(s) 2016.

  13. FDG-PET and CSF biomarker accuracy in prediction of conversion to different dementias in a large multicentre MCI cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caminiti, Silvia Paola; Ballarini, Tommaso; Sala, Arianna; Cerami, Chiara; Presotto, Luca; Santangelo, Roberto; Fallanca, Federico; Vanoli, Emilia Giovanna; Gianolli, Luigi; Iannaccone, Sandro; Magnani, Giuseppe; Perani, Daniela

    2018-01-01

    In this multicentre study in clinical settings, we assessed the accuracy of optimized procedures for FDG-PET brain metabolism and CSF classifications in predicting or excluding the conversion to Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia and non-AD dementias. We included 80 MCI subjects with neurological and neuropsychological assessments, FDG-PET scan and CSF measures at entry, all with clinical follow-up. FDG-PET data were analysed with a validated voxel-based SPM method. Resulting single-subject SPM maps were classified by five imaging experts according to the disease-specific patterns, as "typical-AD", "atypical-AD" (i.e. posterior cortical atrophy, asymmetric logopenic AD variant, frontal-AD variant), "non-AD" (i.e. behavioural variant FTD, corticobasal degeneration, semantic variant FTD; dementia with Lewy bodies) or "negative" patterns. To perform the statistical analyses, the individual patterns were grouped either as "AD dementia vs. non-AD dementia (all diseases)" or as "FTD vs. non-FTD (all diseases)". Aβ42, total and phosphorylated Tau CSF-levels were classified dichotomously, and using the Erlangen Score algorithm. Multivariate logistic models tested the prognostic accuracy of FDG-PET-SPM and CSF dichotomous classifications. Accuracy of Erlangen score and Erlangen Score aided by FDG-PET SPM classification was evaluated. The multivariate logistic model identified FDG-PET "AD" SPM classification (Expβ = 19.35, 95% C.I. 4.8-77.8, p CSF Aβ42 (Expβ = 6.5, 95% C.I. 1.64-25.43, p CSF biomarkers.

  14. Prediction of dementia in primary care patients.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frank Jessen

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Current approaches for AD prediction are based on biomarkers, which are however of restricted availability in primary care. AD prediction tools for primary care are therefore needed. We present a prediction score based on information that can be obtained in the primary care setting. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We performed a longitudinal cohort study in 3.055 non-demented individuals above 75 years recruited via primary care chart registries (Study on Aging, Cognition and Dementia, AgeCoDe. After the baseline investigation we performed three follow-up investigations at 18 months intervals with incident dementia as the primary outcome. The best set of predictors was extracted from the baseline variables in one randomly selected half of the sample. This set included age, subjective memory impairment, performance on delayed verbal recall and verbal fluency, on the Mini-Mental-State-Examination, and on an instrumental activities of daily living scale. These variables were aggregated to a prediction score, which achieved a prediction accuracy of 0.84 for AD. The score was applied to the second half of the sample (test cohort. Here, the prediction accuracy was 0.79. With a cut-off of at least 80% sensitivity in the first cohort, 79.6% sensitivity, 66.4% specificity, 14.7% positive predictive value (PPV and 97.8% negative predictive value of (NPV for AD were achieved in the test cohort. At a cut-off for a high risk population (5% of individuals with the highest risk score in the first cohort the PPV for AD was 39.1% (52% for any dementia in the test cohort. CONCLUSIONS: The prediction score has useful prediction accuracy. It can define individuals (1 sensitively for low cost-low risk interventions, or (2 more specific and with increased PPV for measures of prevention with greater costs or risks. As it is independent of technical aids, it may be used within large scale prevention programs.

  15. Framing Confusion: Dementia, Society, and History.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ballenger, Jesse F

    2017-07-01

    This essay will briefly sketch historical changes in the framing of dementia since the late nineteenth century. In broad terms, this period has seen a shift from viewing dementia as a pathological variant of normal aging to viewing it as a distinct disease. Although this broad reframing of dementia was clearly positive in raising awareness and funding for research, it had some negative aspects that should be considered. Caregiving came to seem less important than research aimed at a cure, and the stigma surrounding dementia has, if anything, increased. © 2017 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

  16. The experience of providing end-of-life care to a relative with advanced dementia: an integrative literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peacock, Shelley C

    2013-04-01

    The number of people with dementia is growing at an alarming rate. An abundance of research over the past two decades has examined the complex aspects of caring for a relative with dementia. However, far less research has been conducted specific to the experiences of family caregivers providing end-of-life care, which is perplexing, as dementia is a terminal illness. This article presents what is known and highlights the gaps in the literature relevant to the experiences of family caregivers of persons with dementia at the end of life. A thorough search of the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and PubMed databases from 1960 to 2011 was conducted. Ten studies were identified that specifically addressed the experience of family caregivers providing end-of-life care to a relative with advanced dementia. Common themes of these studies included: 1) the experience of grief, 2) guilt and burden with decision making, 3) how symptoms of depression may or may not be resolved with death of the care receiver, 4) how caregivers respond to the end-stage of dementia, and 5) expressed needs of family caregivers. It is evident from this literature review that much remains to be done to conceptualize the experience of end-of-life caregiving in dementia.

  17. Does lithium protect against dementia?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kessing, Lars Vedel; Forman, Julie Lyng; Andersen, Per Kragh

    2010-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether treatment with lithium in patients with mania or bipolar disorder is associated with a decreased rate of subsequent dementia. METHODS: Linkage of register data on prescribed lithium in all patients discharged from psychiatric health care service with a diagnosis...... exposed to lithium (50.4%), 1,781 to anticonvulsants (36.7%), 4,280 to antidepressants (88.1%), and 3,901 to antipsychotics (80.3%) during the study period. A total of 216 patients received a diagnosis of dementia during follow-up (103.6/10,000 person-years). During the period following the second...... prescription of lithium, the rate of dementia was decreased compared to the period following the first prescription. In contrast, the rates of dementia during multiple prescription periods with anticonvulsants, antidepressants, or antipsychotics, respectively, were not significantly decreased compared...

  18. Dementia and sculpture-making: Exploring artistic responses of people with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chauhan, Sumita

    2018-01-01

    In its form, sculpture reveals not only the artist's self-expression but also the transformative qualities through which it influences our senses. Frequent interactions with sculpture can provide creative awareness, which in turn leads to a better understanding and appreciation of artistic expressions. This paper examines possible ways in which the creative potential of people with dementia can be explored through meaningful artistic engagement with sculpture-making processes. A study was conducted involving seven participants diagnosed with the early stages of dementia who engaged and experimented with different types of sculpture-making processes, from clay and papier mâché to virtual and digital sculptures. In the collective and collaborative environment of the group sessions, the creative responses of the participants to each process were unique. Each sculpture created by the participants enfolded their self-initiated ideas and stories reflecting the conscious expressions of their presence in a particular time and space. This paper argues that while cognitive impairment may affect the behavioural, visual and perceptual abilities of people with dementia, there is ample evidence to suggest that the viewing and making sculpture may influence the sensory involvement and consequently the imagination and creativity of people with early stage dementia.

  19. The effect of a music programme during lunchtime on the problem behaviour of the older residents with dementia at an institution in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Fang-Yu; Huang, Hui-Chi; Lin, Kuan-Chia; Lin, Li-Chan

    2010-04-01

    To study the effect of a music programme during lunchtime on problem behaviour among institutionalised older residents with dementia. Symptoms of dementia among older people include depression, problems with memory, insomnia and problem behaviours. Problem behaviour has been identified by families and nurses as the greatest challenge that needs to be addressed. Several studies have found that music therapy can reduce problem behaviours among dementia sufferers and, based on this finding, music has been recommended for incorporation as part of dementia management. This study used a quasi-experimental design with an eight-week time series follow-up. The intervention was background music when residents had their lunch meal. A purposive sampling technique was used. Forty-one participants were selected from an institution housing residents with dementia located in a city in Taiwan. The mean age of participants was 81.68 (SD 6.39) years old. The mean score for Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was 10.66 (SD 6.85). The mean of Barthel Activity of Daily Living score was 56.83 (SD 38.12). The results showed that the music programme reduced, significantly, physical and verbal aggressive behaviour among the older residents with dementia. The study identified that there was a one-week time lag between the implementation of the music programme and a significant effect on the residents. The results from this study suggested that music is able to reduce the degree of problem behaviours among the older residents with dementia and this helps to ease work-load of nurse aides and nurses during meal times. The results may serve as a reference for the future treatment of problem behaviour among the older with dementia.

  20. Predictors of dementia caregiver depressive symptoms in a population: the Cache County dementia progression study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piercy, Kathleen W; Fauth, Elizabeth B; Norton, Maria C; Pfister, Roxane; Corcoran, Chris D; Rabins, Peter V; Lyketsos, Constantine; Tschanz, JoAnn T

    2013-11-01

    Previous research has consistently reported elevated rates of depressive symptoms in dementia caregivers, but mostly with convenience samples. This study examined rates and correlates of depression at the baseline visit of a population sample of dementia caregivers (N = 256). Using a modified version of Williams (Williams, I. C. [2005]. Emotional health of black and white dementia caregivers: A contextual examination. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 60, P287-P295) ecological contextual model, we examined 5 contexts that have contributed to dementia caregiver depression. A series of linear regressions were performed to determine correlates of depression. Rates of depressive symptoms were lower than those reported in most convenience studies. We found fewer depressive symptoms in caregivers with higher levels of education and larger social support networks, fewer health problems, greater likelihood of using problem-focused coping, and less likelihood of wishful thinking and with fewer behavioral disturbances in the persons with dementia. These results suggest that depression may be less prevalent in populations of dementia caregivers than in clinic-based samples, but that the correlates of depression are similar for both population and convenience samples. Interventions targeting individuals with small support networks, emotion-focused coping styles, poorer health, low quality of life, and those caring for persons with higher numbers of behavioral problems need development and testing.

  1. A Case of Morvan Syndrome Mimicking Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis With Frontotemporal Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freund, Brin; Maddali, Manoj; Lloyd, Thomas E

    2016-06-01

    Morvan syndrome is a rare autoimmune/paraneoplastic disorder involving antibodies to the voltage-gated potassium channel complex. It is defined by subacute encephalopathy, neuromuscular hyperexcitability, dysautonomia, and sleep disturbance. It may present a diagnostic dilemma when trying to differentiate from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with frontotemporal dementia. A 76-year-old man with a history of untreated prostate adenocarcinoma was evaluated for subacute cognitive decline, diffuse muscle cramps, and hyponatremia. MRI demonstrated atrophy most prominent in the frontal and temporal regions. Electromyography (EMG) demonstrated diffuse myokymia/neuromyotonia. Polysomnography lacked REM and N3 sleep. Paraneoplastic panel detected antibodies to voltage-gated potassium channel complex (CASPR2 subtype). It is difficult to differentiate between Morvan syndrome and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with frontotemporal dementia with examination and neuroimaging alone. There may be a link between Morvan syndrome and prostate adenocarcinoma which could help with screening/diagnosis. The authors found that laboratory and neurophysiological tests are indispensable in diagnosing and treating Morvan syndrome.

  2. Characteristics of cerebral glucose utilization in dementia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matsuzawa, Taiju; Matsui, Hiroshige; Meguro, Kenichi; Ueda, Masamichi; Yamada, Kenji; Yamaguchi, Tatsuo; Itoh, Masatoshi; Hatazawa, Jun; Kinomura, Shigeo (Tohoku Univ., Sendai (Japan). Research Inst. for Tuberculosis and Cancer)

    1990-12-01

    To make clear the characteristics of cerebral glucose utilization in dementia, PET studies with 18F-FDG were carried out. Taking the pattern of 18F-FDG utilization, dementia can be subdivided into two types. One type shows a simultaneous and symmetrical reduction glucose utilization in the posterior part of neocortex covering the temporal, parietal and occipital association cortices. This is referred to as type I. Although this type constitutes only about 1/5 of all dementia patients, it is considered the fundamental type of dementia. Aside from this, there is type wherein a simultaneous and symmetrical reduction in glucose utilization of the neocortex. This is type II. It constitutes about 4/5 of all dementia patients which is far more type I. There are no essential difference in the characteristics of cerebral glucose utilization in AD and MID. However, with regards the mean, AD is lower than MID. Various organic defect in neocortex do not correlate with the global reduction in glucose utilization in dementia patients. These results suggest that the reduction in glucose utilization in dementia may be functional disorder. (author).

  3. Characteristics of cerebral glucose utilization in dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsuzawa, Taiju; Matsui, Hiroshige; Meguro, Kenichi; Ueda, Masamichi; Yamada, Kenji; Yamaguchi, Tatsuo; Itoh, Masatoshi; Hatazawa, Jun; Kinomura, Shigeo

    1990-01-01

    To make clear the characteristics of cerebral glucose utilization in dementia, PET studies with 18F-FDG were carried out. Taking the pattern of 18F-FDG utilization, dementia can be subdivided into two types. One type shows a simultaneous and symmetrical reduction glucose utilization in the posterior part of neocortex covering the temporal, parietal and occipital association cortices. This is referred to as type I. Although this type constitutes only about 1/5 of all dementia patients, it is considered the fundamental type of dementia. Aside from this, there is type wherein a simultaneous and symmetrical reduction in glucose utilization of the neocortex. This is type II. It constitutes about 4/5 of all dementia patients which is far more type I. There are no essential difference in the characteristics of cerebral glucose utilization in AD and MID. However, with regards the mean, AD is lower than MID. Various organic defect in neocortex do not correlate with the global reduction in glucose utilization in dementia patients. These results suggest that the reduction in glucose utilization in dementia may be functional disorder. (author)

  4. Functional disability in elderly with dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tainã Alves Fagundes

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Dementia represents one of the major causes of disability and dependence in old age and can affect functional capacity in all areas of occupational performance, including basic and instrumental activities of daily living (BADL and IADL, respectively, leisure, social participation and others. Objectives: To characterize the functional disability level in elderly people with dementia and verify the existence of correlation between functionality and the stage or type of dementia. Method: Quantitative, exploratory, cross-sectional study, with a sample of 25 caregivers of elderly with dementia. For the characterization of the participants were used structured questionnaires and to assess functional disability, the Disability Assessment Scale for Dementia - DAD was applied. Results: Greater incapacity was observed in the IADL sub item. This finding is compatible with the literature on the hierarchy in functional decline in the elderly: decline begins in IADL, while BADL remain unaffected for a longer period. There was no significant correlation between the type of dementia, age or gender and disability. It was verified through the Spearman coefficient (rho = 0.87, a significant correlation of high magnitude between functional disability and stage of dementia (p = 0.0001. Conclusion: Such findings reiterate the importance of giving priority to early detection and prevention of the functional decline, which is the manifestation of vulnerability among the elderly.

  5. Symptoms of Lewy Body Dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... the fight against LBD! Donate Symptoms Lewy body dementia (LBD) has variable presentations that include cognitive difficulties ... wake cycle alterations. Cognitive impairment in Lewy body dementia (LBD) is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). ...

  6. Dementia - behavior and sleep problems

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000029.htm Dementia - behavior and sleep problems To use the sharing ... on this page, please enable JavaScript. People with dementia , often have certain problems when it gets dark ...

  7. Dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Poor judgment and loss of ability to recognize danger Using the wrong word, not pronouncing words correctly, ... disease and other dementias. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine . 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: ...

  8. Dementia Population Risk Tool (DemPoRT): study protocol for a predictive algorithm assessing dementia risk in the community

    OpenAIRE

    Fisher, Stacey; Hsu, Amy; Mojaverian, Nassim; Taljaard, Monica; Huyer, Gregory; Manuel, Douglas G; Tanuseputro, Peter

    2017-01-01

    Introduction The burden of disease from dementia is a growing global concern as incidence increases dramatically with age, and average life expectancy has been increasing around the world. Planning for an ageing population requires reliable projections of dementia prevalence; however, existing population projections are simple and have poor predictive accuracy. The Dementia Population Risk Tool (DemPoRT) will predict incidence of dementia in the population setting using multivariable modellin...

  9. Developing an educational intervention on dementia diagnosis and management in primary care for the EVIDEM-ED trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iliffe Steve

    2012-08-01

    by practices in the field trial. Conclusions The educational needs assessment tool took into account practitioners’ knowledge of the local health and social care systems, reflected the complexity of the diagnostic and care processes for people with dementia, and acknowledged the complexity of the disease process itself.

  10. Locating qualitative studies in dementia on MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO: A comparison of search strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, Morwenna; Bethel, Alison; Abbott, Rebecca

    2017-10-28

    Qualitative research in dementia improves understanding of the experience of people affected by dementia. Searching databases for qualitative studies is problematic. Qualitative-specific search strategies might help with locating studies. To examine the effectiveness (sensitivity and precision) of 5 qualitative strategies on locating qualitative research studies in dementia in 4 major databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL). Qualitative dementia studies were checked for inclusion on MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL. Five qualitative search strategies (subject headings, simple free-text terms, complex free-text terms, and 2 broad-based strategies) were tested for study retrieval. Specificity, precision and number needed to read were calculated. Two hundred fourteen qualitative studies in dementia were included. PsycINFO and CINAHL held the most qualitative studies out the 4 databases studied (N = 171 and 166, respectively) and both held unique records (N = 14 and 7, respectively). The controlled vocabulary strategy in CINAHL returned 96% (N = 192) of studies held; by contrast, controlled vocabulary in PsycINFO returned 7% (N = 13) of studies held. The broad-based strategies returned more studies (93-99%) than the other free-text strategies (22-82%). Precision ranged from 0.061 to 0.004 resulting in a number needed to read to obtain 1 relevant study ranging from 16 (simple free-text search in CINAHL) to 239 (broad-based search in EMBASE). Qualitative search strategies using 3 broad terms were more sensitive than long complex searches. The controlled vocabulary for qualitative research in CINAHL was particularly effective. Furthermore, results indicate that MEDLINE and EMBASE offer little benefit for locating qualitative dementia research if CINAHL and PSYCINFO are also searched. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Teaching Mands to Older Adults with Dementia

    OpenAIRE

    Oleson, Chelsey R.; Baker, Jonathan C.

    2014-01-01

    Millions of Americans are diagnosed with dementia, and that number is only expected to rise. The diagnosis of dementia comes with impairments, especially in language. Furthermore, dementia-related functional declines appear to be moderated by environmental variables (Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association 8:131–168 2012; American Psychiatric Association, 2000; Engelman et al., Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis 32:107–110, 1999; Engelman ...

  12. Cumulative Effect of Depression on Dementia Risk

    OpenAIRE

    Olazarán, J.; Trincado, R.; Bermejo-Pareja, F.

    2013-01-01

    Objective. To analyze a potential cumulative effect of life-time depression on dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD), with control of vascular factors (VFs). Methods. This study was a subanalysis of the Neurological Disorders in Central Spain (NEDICES) study. Past and present depression, VFs, dementia status, and dementia due to AD were documented at study inception. Dementia status was also documented after three years. Four groups were created according to baseline data: never depression (n...

  13. Caring for older people with dementia: an exploratory study of staff knowledge and perception of training in three Australian dementia care facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Cindy; Moyle, Wendy; Stockwell-Smith, Gillian

    2013-03-01

    To ascertain care staff's knowledge of dementia relating to aetiology and/or pathology, symptoms and care/treatment; and explore their perceptions of the importance and adequacy of dementia education and training opportunities. Thirty-five care staff working in three secure dementia care facilities were recruited. Dementia knowledge was surveyed using the Staff Knowledge of Dementia Test (SKDT). Perceptions of dementia education and training were examined via semi-structured individual interviews. An average of 21 out of 33 SKDT questions (SD = 4.0) was correctly answered. Knowledge discrepancy was attributed to participants' cultural and ethnic origin and the length of residency in Australia of migrant care staff. Participants acknowledged the importance of dementia education and training but were critical of the content relevancy to direct care practices. There is a need to improve care staff knowledge of dementia, and dementia education and training should include direct practical competencies required for effective care delivery. © 2012 The Authors. Australasian Journal on Ageing © 2012 ACOTA.

  14. The importance of music for people with dementia: the perspectives of people with dementia, family carers, staff and music therapists

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDermot, Orii; Orrell, Martin; Ridder, Hanne Mette

    2014-01-01

    Objectives Despite the popularity of music-based interventions in dementia care, there is a limited knowledge of how and why people with dementia find music beneficial for their well-being. A qualitative study was conducted to develop further insights into the musical experiences of people with dementia and explore the meaning of music in their lives. Method Separate focus groups and interviews with (1) care home residents with dementia and their families, (2) day hospital clients with dementia, (3) care home staff, and (4) music therapists, were conducted. The findings of the thematic analysis were investigated further in the light of psychosocial factors with the aim of developing a theoretical model on music in dementia. Results Six key themes were identified. The accessibility of music for people at all stages of dementia, close links between music, personal identity and life events, the importance of relationship-building through music making were particularly highlighted as valuable. The psychosocial model of music in dementia was developed. The model revealed the importance of music to support the personal psychology of people with dementia and the social psychology of the care home environment. Conclusion The effects of music go beyond the reduction of behavioural and psychological symptoms. Individual preference of music is preserved throughout the process of dementia. Sustaining musical and interpersonal connectedness would help value who the person is and maintain the quality of their life. PMID:24410398

  15. Integrating unmet needs into dementia health-related quality of life research and care: Introduction of the Hierarchy Model of Needs in Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scholzel-Dorenbos, Carla J M; Meeuwsen, Els J; Olde Rikkert, Marcel G M

    2010-01-01

    To make an inventory of needs assessment instruments in dementia, to explore the interaction between unmet needs and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and to relate these to the conceptual model of Maslow's Hierarchy of needs in order to design a dementia-specific model. Narrative review of literature on (measures of) needs of patients and caregivers and HRQoL determinants important in dementia. Relating these needs to individual goal setting instruments and Maslow's Hierarchy of needs model. The Camberwell Assessment of Needs for the Elderly (CANE) turns out to be a valid tool to assess needs of dementia patients, suitable for research and clinical use. The Carers' Needs Assessment for Dementia (CNA-D) is a valid instrument to assess needs of caregivers. Patients identified significantly fewer needs than (in)formal caregivers. The most important needs, that also determine large part of HRQoL, are need for information; support with regard to symptoms of dementia; social contact and company; and for health monitoring and safety. Goal attainment scaling in dementia is an important but not yet valid outcome measure, with only few data on feasibility in dementia patients. There are several instruments to assess needs of dementia patients and caregivers. Domains of unmet needs and HRQoL overlap. The Hierarchy Model of Needs in Dementia (HMND) offers a new theoretical framework to address the interplay between meeting of needs and improvement of HRQoL in dementia. By identifying unmet needs in dementia-research and focussing on unmet needs in dementia-care, much can be done to improve HRQoL.

  16. Intimacy and Sexuality in Institutionalized Dementia Care: Clinical-Ethical Considerations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahieu, Lieslot; Anckaert, Luc; Gastmans, Chris

    2017-03-01

    Intimacy and sexuality expressed by nursing home residents with dementia remains an ethically sensitive issue for care facilities, nursing staff and family members. Dealing with residents' sexual longings and behaviour is extremely difficult, putting a burden on the caregivers as well as on the residents themselves and their relatives. The parties in question often do not know how to react when residents express themselves sexually. The overall aim of this article is to provide a number of clinical-ethical considerations addressing the following question: 'How can expressions of intimacy and sexuality by residents with dementia be dealt with in an ethically responsible way?' The considerations formulated are based on two cornerstones: (1) the current literature on older peoples' experiences regarding intimacy and sexuality after the onset of dementia, and (2) an anthropological-ethical framework addressing four fundamental pillars of human existence namely the decentred self, human embodiment, being-in-the-world and being-with-others. The resulting considerations are oriented toward the individual sphere, the partnership sphere, and the institutional sphere. The continuous interaction between these spheres leads to orientations that both empower the residents in question and respect the complex network of relationships that surrounds them.

  17. A randomized, double-blind, phase I/II trial of tumor necrosis factor and interferon-gamma for treatment of AIDS-related complex (Protocol 025 from the AIDS Clinical Trials Group).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agosti, J M; Coombs, R W; Collier, A C; Paradise, M A; Benedetti, J K; Jaffe, H S; Corey, L

    1992-05-01

    To determine safety and efficacy of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interferon-gamma (IFN gamma) in the treatment of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related complex, a randomized, double-blind study was conducted. Twenty-five patients with AIDS-related complex and CD4 lymphocytes less than or equal to 500 x 10(6)/L attended an AIDS Clinical Trials Unit of a tertiary referral center. Patients were administered tumor necrosis factor (TNF) (10 micrograms/m2) or IFN gamma (10 micrograms/m2), or both intramuscularly three times weekly for 16 weeks. Side effects from all three preparations included fever, constitutional symptoms, and local reactions. No significant hematologic, hepatic, renal, or coagulation abnormalities were observed. CD4 lymphocyte counts, beta 2-microglobulin, p24 antigen levels, and anti-p24 antibody did not change significantly during therapy. Similarly, no significant change was noted in rates of HIV isolation from peripheral blood mononuclear cells or plasma. TNF and IFN gamma were tolerable after premedication with acetaminophen; however, no significant change in markers of human immunodeficiency virus infection was demonstrated. These cytokines alone do not appear to be of benefit, nor do they appear to hasten the progression of HIV infection.

  18. Prevalence and characteristics of dementia in Parkinson disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aarsland, Dag; Andersen, Kjeld; Larsen, Jan P

    2003-01-01

    Few longitudinal studies of dementia in Parkinson disease (PD) have been reported, and the proportion of patients with PD who eventually develop dementia is unknown.......Few longitudinal studies of dementia in Parkinson disease (PD) have been reported, and the proportion of patients with PD who eventually develop dementia is unknown....

  19. Experience of Dementia-related Anxiety in Middle-aged Female Caregivers for Family Members with Dementia: A Phenomenological Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeong Sun Kim, RN, PhD

    2016-06-01

    Conclusions: The study provides the essential structure of the experience on dementia-related anxiety that caregivers of a family member with dementia have. The findings could help healthcare providers and researchers have better understanding of dementia-related anxiety and give more attention to the caregivers to relieve their anxiety.

  20. Cobalamin deficiency, hyperhomocysteinemia, and dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steven F Werder

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Steven F Werder1,21Kansas University School of Medicine – Wichita, Wichita, KS, USA; 2Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Pittsburg, KS, USAIntroduction: Although consensus guidelines recommend checking serum B12 in patients with dementia, clinicians are often faced with various questions: (1 Which patients should be tested? (2 What test should be ordered? (3 How are inferences made from such testing? (4 In addition to serum B12, should other tests be ordered? (5 Is B12 deficiency compatible with dementia of the Alzheimer’s type? (6 What is to be expected from treatment? (7 How is B12 deficiency treated?Methods: On January 31st, 2009, a Medline search was performed revealing 1,627 citations related to cobalamin deficiency, hyperhomocysteinemia, and dementia. After limiting the search terms, all abstracts and/or articles and other references were categorized into six major groups (general, biochemistry, manifestations, associations and risks, evaluation, and treatment and then reviewed in answering the above questions.Results: The six major groups above are described in detail. Seventy-five key studies, series, and clinical trials were identified. Evidence-based suggestions for patient management were developed.Discussion: Evidence is convincing that hyperhomocysteinemia, with or without hypovitaminosis B12, is a risk factor for dementia. In the absence of hyperhomocysteinemia, evidence is less convincing that hypovitaminosis B12 is a risk factor for dementia. B12 deficiency manifestations are variable and include abnormal psychiatric, neurological, gastrointestinal, and hematological findings. Radiological images of individuals with hyperhomocysteinemia frequently demonstrate leukoaraiosis. Assessing serum B12 and treatment of B12 deficiency is crucial for those cases in which pernicious anemia is suspected and may be useful for mild cognitive impairment and mild to moderate dementia. The serum B12 level is the standard initial test

  1. Assessment and Reporting of Driving Fitness in Patients with Dementia in Clinical Practice: Data from SveDem, the Swedish Dementia Registry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lovas, Joel; Fereshtehnejad, Seyed-Mohammad; Cermakova, Pavla; Lundberg, Catarina; Johansson, Björn; Johansson, Kurt; Winblad, Bengt; Eriksdotter, Maria; Religa, Dorota

    2016-05-05

    Driving constitutes a very important aspect of daily life and is dependent on cognitive functions such as attention, visuo-spatial skills and memory, which are often compromised in dementia. Therefore, the driving fitness of patients with dementia needs to be addressed by physicians and those that are deemed unfit should not be allowed to continue driving. We aimed at investigating to what extent physicians assess driving fitness in dementia patients and determinant factors for revoking of their licenses. This study includes 15113 patients with newly diagnosed dementia and driver's license registered in the Swedish Dementia Registry (SveDem). The main outcomes were reporting to the licensing authority and making an agreement about driving eligibility with the patients. Physicians had not taken any action in 16% of dementia patients, whereas 9% were reported to the authority to have their licenses revoked. Males (OR = 3.04), those with an MMSE score between 20-24 (OR = 1.35) and 10-19 (OR = 1.50), patients with frontotemporal (OR = 3.09) and vascular dementia (OR = 1.26) were more likely to be reported to the authority. For the majority of patients with dementia, driving fitness was assessed. Nevertheless, physicians did not address the issue in a sizeable proportion of dementia patients. Type of dementia, cognitive status, age, sex and burden of comorbidities are independent factors associated with the assessment of driving fitness in patients with dementia. Increased knowledge on how these factors relate to road safety may pave the way for more specific guidelines addressing the issue of driving in patients with dementia.

  2. Validation of the 10/66 Dementia Research Group Diagnostic Assessment for Dementia in Arabic

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Phung, Kieu T T; Chaaya, Monique; Waldemar, Gunhild

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: In the North Africa and Middle East region, the illiteracy rates among older people are high, posing a great challenge to cognitive assessment. Validated diagnostic instruments for dementia in Arabic are lacking, hampering the development of dementia research in the region. The study ...

  3. Staff personhood in dementia care settings: "Do they care about me?"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooke, Heather A

    2018-06-01

    This article aims to examine RCAs' own experiences of personhood in dementia care settings. Conceptually, person-centred care entails fostering the personhood of residents and the residential care aides (RCAs) who provide much of their hands-on care. To date, however, staff personhood has been overlooked in the empirical literature. The study was part of a larger focused ethnographic project exploring how the organisational care environment impedes or facilitates the provision of quality dementia care. Semi-structured interviews with 23 RCAs and more than 230 hours of participant observation were conducted in two nursing homes with specialised dementia units in British Columbia, Canada. Two overarching themes, "personhood undermined-management-staff relations" and "personhood undermined-workplace policies and practices" emerged, illustrating how, despite exposure to features believed beneficial to their working environment (e.g., favourable staffing ratios, relatively good remuneration), RCAs encountered repeated affronts to their personhood. The first theme encompasses the importance of being known (i.e., as persons and of their job demands) and valued (i.e., appreciated for their work in non-monetary terms). The second highlights the salience of work-life balance, full-staffing coverage and supportive human resource practices. RCAs' experiences reveal how the ongoing search for cost-efficiencies, cost-containment and cost-accountability overshadows their individuality, indicating a key disconnect between conceptual ideals and workplace realities. Organisations are encouraged to consider creating person-centred management and workplace practices that provide tangible evidence that RCAs, and their work, matter. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Hospital-diagnosed dementia and suicide

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Erlangsen, Annette; Zarit, Steven H; Conwell, Yeates

    2008-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: The current study aims to examine the risk of suicide in persons diagnosed with dementia during a hospitalization and its relationship to mood disorders. DESIGN: Event-history analysis using time-varying covariates. SETTING: Population-based record linkage. PARTICIPANTS: All individuals...... who are aged 70 or older with dementia have a threefold higher risk than persons with no dementia. The time shortly after diagnosis is associated with an elevated suicide risk. The risk among persons with dementia remains significant when controlling for mood disorders. As many as 26% of the men...... aged 50+ living in Denmark (N=2,474,767) during January 1, 1990 through December 31, 2000. MEASUREMENTS: Outcome of interest is suicide. Relative risks are calculated based on person-days spent in each stratum. RESULTS: A total of 18,648,875 person-years were observed during the 11-year study period...

  5. The global security perspective on the effects of executive cognitive function on complex behavioral screening intervention and HIV/AIDS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Suk-Hee

    2010-11-01

    The purpose of this quantitative study is to understand the global security perspective on the effects of executive cognitive function (ECF) on Complex Behavioral Screening Intervention and HIV/AIDS. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is as much a social, political, economic, and cultural problem as a biomedical one. HIV/AIDS is associated centrally with the collapse not just of communities and families but potentially of states, with some of the largest public health interventions ever and enormous questions about governance, a huge population of orphans, and deep questions about intergenerational relations and cultural transmission. This study also is to develop a screening instrument that improves quality of life for individuals with executive cognitive impairments and behavior problems in our communities and the global society.

  6. Lost for words or loss of memories? Autobiographical memory in semantic dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moss, H E; Kopelman, M D; Cappelletti, M; Davies, P de Mornay; Jaldow, E

    2003-12-01

    Recent reports have suggested that patients with semantic dementia show a loss of early (remote) auto-biographical memories with pronounced sparing of recent memories (Graham & Hodges, 1997; Snowden, Griffiths, & Neary, 1996), i.e., a 'reversed' temporal gradient or 'Ribot effect'. At first sight, these findings suggest that the deficits in 'semantic' dementia go beyond the semantic domain, involving aspects of autobiographical (episodic) memory. It has also been proposed that there is a 'step-like' function with personal memories preserved for 18 months to 2 years in the immediate past. This view is consistent with the theory that the hippocampal complex/medial temporal lobe (relatively intact in semantic dementia) plays a time-limited role in the acquisition and storage of memories, while the temporal neocortex (damaged in semantic dementia) is required for long-term storage and retrieval. In this study we ask whether (a) previous tests have underestimated the integrity of remote memory in semantic dementia as a result of not allowing for these patients' comprehension and language production difficulties, and (b) whether a recency effect, if obtained, is genuinely step-like or more graded. We used a cued autobiographical memory interview with semantic dementia patient, IH, to examine the effect of providing increasingly specific lexical cues to probe salient events throughout his lifespan. Results demonstrated that the provision of specific cues enabled IH to access and express memories from his childhood and early adulthood as well as from more recent times. There was a gentle recency effect only for intermediate levels of cueing, indicating that recent memories were easier to retrieve and/or express in the absence of specific cues, but this effect was graded, with no evidence of a step-like cut-off at 18 months or 2 years before testing. In brief, our findings are consistent with the view that the deficits in semantic dementia are predominantly or exclusively

  7. Care pathways for dementia: current perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samsi K

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Kritika Samsi, Jill ManthorpeSocial Care Workforce Research Unit, King’s College London, London, UKAbstract: Uncertainty appears to typify the experience of living with dementia. With an uncertain illness trajectory and unpredictable levels of deterioration and stability in symptoms, people with a diagnosis of dementia may live with uncertainty and anxiety and find it hard to make plans or decisions for their future. People with memory problems and caregivers seeking a diagnosis of dementia may also potentially find themselves navigating a labyrinth-like maze of services, practitioners, assessments, and memory tests, with limited understanding of test scores and little information about what support is available. In this context of uncertainty, the apparent clarity and certainty of a “dementia care pathway” may be attractive. However, the term “dementia care pathway” has multiple and overlapping meanings, which can potentially give rise to further confusion if these are ill-defined or a false consensus is presumed. This review distinguishes four meanings: 1 a mechanism for the management and containment of uncertainty and confusion, useful for the professional as well as the person with dementia; 2 a manual for sequencing care activities; 3 a guide to consumers, indicating eligibility for care activities, or a guide to self-management for dementia dyads, indicating the appropriateness of care activities; and 4 a manual for “walking with” the person. Examples of these approaches are presented from UK dementia services with illustrations of existing care pathways and associated time points, specifically focusing on: 1 early symptom identification and first service encounters, 2 assessment process, 3 diagnostic disclosure, 4 postdiagnostic support, and 5 appropriate interventions. We review the evidence around these themes, as well as discuss service pathways and referral routes used by some services in England and internationally. We

  8. Automated a complex computer aided design concept generated using macros programming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rizal Ramly, Mohammad; Asrokin, Azharrudin; Abd Rahman, Safura; Zulkifly, Nurul Ain Md

    2013-12-01

    Changing a complex Computer Aided design profile such as car and aircraft surfaces has always been difficult and challenging. The capability of CAD software such as AutoCAD and CATIA show that a simple configuration of a CAD design can be easily modified without hassle, but it is not the case with complex design configuration. Design changes help users to test and explore various configurations of the design concept before the production of a model. The purpose of this study is to look into macros programming as parametric method of the commercial aircraft design. Macros programming is a method where the configurations of the design are done by recording a script of commands, editing the data value and adding a certain new command line to create an element of parametric design. The steps and the procedure to create a macro programming are discussed, besides looking into some difficulties during the process of creation and advantage of its usage. Generally, the advantages of macros programming as a method of parametric design are; allowing flexibility for design exploration, increasing the usability of the design solution, allowing proper contained by the model while restricting others and real time feedback changes.

  9. Automated a complex computer aided design concept generated using macros programming

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramly, Mohammad Rizal; Asrokin, Azharrudin; Rahman, Safura Abd; Zulkifly, Nurul Ain Md

    2013-01-01

    Changing a complex Computer Aided design profile such as car and aircraft surfaces has always been difficult and challenging. The capability of CAD software such as AutoCAD and CATIA show that a simple configuration of a CAD design can be easily modified without hassle, but it is not the case with complex design configuration. Design changes help users to test and explore various configurations of the design concept before the production of a model. The purpose of this study is to look into macros programming as parametric method of the commercial aircraft design. Macros programming is a method where the configurations of the design are done by recording a script of commands, editing the data value and adding a certain new command line to create an element of parametric design. The steps and the procedure to create a macro programming are discussed, besides looking into some difficulties during the process of creation and advantage of its usage. Generally, the advantages of macros programming as a method of parametric design are; allowing flexibility for design exploration, increasing the usability of the design solution, allowing proper contained by the model while restricting others and real time feedback changes

  10. HIV/AIDS reference questions in an AIDS service organization special library.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deevey, Sharon; Behring, Michael

    2005-01-01

    Librarians in many venues may anticipate a wide range of reference questions related to HIV and AIDS. Information on HIV/ AIDS is now available in medical, academic, and public libraries and on the Internet, and ranges from the most complex science to the most private disclosures about personal behavior. In this article, the 913 reference questions asked between May 2002 and August 2004 in a special library in a mid-western community-based AIDS service organization are described and analyzed.

  11. Dementia care mapping to support staff in the care of people with intellectual disability and dementia: a feasibility study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schaap, Feija; Dijkstra, Geke; Fokkens, Andrea; Reijneveld, Sijmen; Finnema, Evelyn

    2018-01-01

    Background: The number of people with intellectual disability and dementia in-creases; this combination causes behavioural changes. Dementia Care Mapping (DCM) supports staff in dementia care in nursing homes and may be useful in intel-lectual disability-care. This qualitative study examines the

  12. Everyday meal preparation for people with dementia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Iversen, Mette Kathrine Friis; Nejsum, Hanne Lindberg; Bendtsen, Trine Vase

    When people are diagnosed with dementia everyday activities like meal preparation will gradually become more difficult. A recipe is a support for meal preparation but as dementia develops, it seems that following a recipe can be a challenge. In Denmark health professionals often use meal preparat......When people are diagnosed with dementia everyday activities like meal preparation will gradually become more difficult. A recipe is a support for meal preparation but as dementia develops, it seems that following a recipe can be a challenge. In Denmark health professionals often use meal...... preparation as an activity for people with dementia but they have no combined material to base the planning of the activity on. The thesis of this project is that when persons with dementia is involved in cooking his or her own meal meal preparation it will contribute to the feeling of content and meaning...... preparation. The guide includes ideas for constructing recipes, methods for planning and guiding the process and examples of utensils that can increase the ability to cook in the persons own home or in an institutionalized setting. This supports the person with dementia both nutritionally, cognitively...

  13. Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ridder, Hanne Mette Ochsner

    2015-01-01

    people around the world. Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias affect neurocognition and associated functioning, including memory, thinking, behavior, and activities of daily living. Agitation in later stages of dementia is the most significant symptom contributing to patient distress and caregiver...

  14. Recognition of dementia in hospitalized older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maslow, Katie; Mezey, Mathy

    2008-01-01

    Many hospital patients with dementia have no documented dementia diagnosis. In some cases, this is because they have never been diagnosed. Recognition of Dementia in Hospitalized Older Adults proposes several approaches that hospital nurses can use to increase recognition of dementia. This article describes the Try This approaches, how to implement them, and how to incorporate them into a hospital's current admission procedures. For a free online video demonstrating the use of these approaches, go to http://links.lww.com/A216.

  15. Dementias show differential physiological responses to salient sounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fletcher, Phillip D; Nicholas, Jennifer M; Shakespeare, Timothy J; Downey, Laura E; Golden, Hannah L; Agustus, Jennifer L; Clark, Camilla N; Mummery, Catherine J; Schott, Jonathan M; Crutch, Sebastian J; Warren, Jason D

    2015-01-01

    Abnormal responsiveness to salient sensory signals is often a prominent feature of dementia diseases, particularly the frontotemporal lobar degenerations, but has been little studied. Here we assessed processing of one important class of salient signals, looming sounds, in canonical dementia syndromes. We manipulated tones using intensity cues to create percepts of salient approaching ("looming") or less salient withdrawing sounds. Pupil dilatation responses and behavioral rating responses to these stimuli were compared in patients fulfilling consensus criteria for dementia syndromes (semantic dementia, n = 10; behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, n = 16, progressive nonfluent aphasia, n = 12; amnestic Alzheimer's disease, n = 10) and a cohort of 26 healthy age-matched individuals. Approaching sounds were rated as more salient than withdrawing sounds by healthy older individuals but this behavioral response to salience did not differentiate healthy individuals from patients with dementia syndromes. Pupil responses to approaching sounds were greater than responses to withdrawing sounds in healthy older individuals and in patients with semantic dementia: this differential pupil response was reduced in patients with progressive nonfluent aphasia and Alzheimer's disease relative both to the healthy control and semantic dementia groups, and did not correlate with nonverbal auditory semantic function. Autonomic responses to auditory salience are differentially affected by dementias and may constitute a novel biomarker of these diseases.

  16. MR spectroscopy in dementia; MR-Spektroskopie bei Demenz

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hauser, T.; Gerigk, L.; Giesel, F.; Schuster, L.; Essig, M. [Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Abteilung E010, Radiologie, Heidelberg (Germany)

    2010-09-15

    With an increasingly aging population we are faced with the problem of an increasing number of dementia patients. In addition to clinical, neuropsychological and laboratory procedures, MRI plays an important role in the early diagnosis of dementia. In addition to various morphological changes functional changes can also help in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of dementia. Overall the diagnosis of dementia can be improved by using parameters from MR spectroscopy. This article focuses on MR spectroscopic changes in the physiological aging process as well as on changes in mild cognitive impairment a precursor of Alzheimer's dementia, in Alzheimer's dementia, frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia and Lewy body dementia. (orig.) [German] Angesichts einer immer aelter werdenden Bevoelkerung sind wir mit dem Problem einer zunehmenden Zahl an Demenzerkrankungen konfrontiert. Neben klinischen, neuropsychologischen und laborchemischen Verfahren spielt die MRT zur Fruehdiagnostik einer Demenz eine wichtige Rolle. Morphologische Veraenderungen wie auch verschiedene funktionelle Verfahren helfen bei der Diagnostik und Differenzialdiagnostik einer Demenz. Insgesamt kann mittels MR-spektroskopischer Parameter die Diagnostik einer Demenz verbessert werden. In diesem Artikel soll auf MR-spektroskopische Veraenderungen im Rahmen des physiologischen Alterungsprozesses eingegangen werden. Ferner werden speziell Veraenderungen bei leichter kognitiver Beeintraechtigung, einer Vorform der Alzheimer-Demenz, bei Alzheimer-, frontotemporaler, vaskulaerer und Lewy-Koerper-Demenz eroertert. (orig.)

  17. Determinants for undetected dementia and late-life depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ruoling; Hu, Zhi; Chen, Ruo-Li; Ma, Ying; Zhang, Dongmei; Wilson, Kenneth

    2013-09-01

    Determinants for undetected dementia and late-life depression have been not well studied. To investigate risk factors for undetected dementia and depression in older communities. Using the method of the 10/66 algorithm, we interviewed a random sample of 7072 participants aged ≥60 years in six provinces of China during 2007-2011. We documented doctor-diagnosed dementia and depression in the interview. Using the validated 10/66 algorithm we diagnosed dementia (n = 359) and depression (n = 328). We found that 93.1% of dementia and 92.5% of depression was undetected. Both undetected dementia and depression were significantly associated with low levels of education and occupation, and living in a rural area. The risk of undetected dementia was also associated with 'help available when needed', and inversely, with a family history of mental illness and having functional impairment. Undetected depression was significantly related to female gender, low income, having more children and inversely with having heart disease. Older adults in China have high levels of undetected dementia and depression. General socioeconomic improvement, associated with mental health education, targeting high-risk populations are likely to increase detection of dementia and depression in older adults, providing a backdrop for culturally acceptable service development.

  18. The role of higher education in transforming the quality of dementia care: dementia studies at the University of Bradford.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Downs, M; Capstick, A; Baldwin, P C; Surr, C; Bruce, E

    2009-04-01

    There is now widespread concern about the inadequate care and support provided to people with dementia from diagnosis to death. It is acknowledged that while there is a range of effective ways to care for and support people with dementia and their families from diagnosis to death, these have yet to become integral to practice. In England, for example, the National Dementia Strategy seeks to transform the quality of dementia care. One of the key components to transforming the quality of care is to ensure we have an informed and effective workforce. We argue here that in order to transform the quality of care we need to distinguish between the aims of training and education. Whilst there is a place for skills-based workplace training, Higher Education in dementia studies has a key role to play in the provision of specialist knowledge and skills in dementia care emphasizing as it does the development of critical thinking, reflection and action. In this paper we describe dementia studies at Bradford University available at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. We outline their aims and learning outcomes, curricula, approach to teaching, learning and assessment. We describe the nature of students who study with us, noting their fit with the Higher Education Funding Council in England's agenda for widening participation in higher education. Higher Education in dementia studies has a unique role to play in equipping practitioners and professionals with the information, skills and attitudes to realize the potential for quality of life for people with dementia and their families.

  19. Implementing Dementia Care Mapping to develop person-centred care: results of a process evaluation within the Leben-QD II trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quasdorf, Tina; Riesner, Christine; Dichter, Martin Nikolaus; Dortmann, Olga; Bartholomeyczik, Sabine; Halek, Margareta

    2017-03-01

    To evaluate Dementia Care Mapping implementation in nursing homes. Dementia Care Mapping, an internationally applied method for supporting and enhancing person-centred care for people with dementia, must be successfully implemented into care practice for its effective use. Various factors influence the implementation of complex interventions such as Dementia Care Mapping; few studies have examined the specific factors influencing Dementia Care Mapping implementation. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design embedded in a quasi-experimental trial was used to assess Dementia Care Mapping implementation success and influential factors. From 2011-2013, nine nursing units in nine different nursing homes implemented either Dementia Care Mapping (n = 6) or a periodic quality of life measurement using the dementia-specific instrument QUALIDEM (n = 3). Diverse data (interviews, n = 27; questionnaires, n = 112; resident records, n = 81; and process documents) were collected. Each data set was separately analysed and then merged to comprehensively portray the implementation process. Four nursing units implemented the particular intervention without deviating from the preplanned intervention. Translating Dementia Care Mapping results into practice was challenging. Necessary organisational preconditions for Dementia Care Mapping implementation included well-functioning networks, a dementia-friendly culture and flexible organisational structures. Involved individuals' positive attitudes towards Dementia Care Mapping also facilitated implementation. Precisely planning the intervention and its implementation, recruiting champions who supported Dementia Care Mapping implementation and having well-qualified, experienced project coordinators were essential to the implementation process. For successful Dementia Care Mapping implementation, it must be embedded in a systematic implementation strategy considering the specific setting. Organisational preconditions may need to

  20. Revisiting Regression in Autism: Heller's "Dementia Infantilis"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westphal, Alexander; Schelinski, Stefanie; Volkmar, Fred; Pelphrey, Kevin

    2013-01-01

    Theodor Heller first described a severe regression of adaptive function in normally developing children, something he termed dementia infantilis, over one 100 years ago. Dementia infantilis is most closely related to the modern diagnosis, childhood disintegrative disorder. We translate Heller's paper, Uber Dementia Infantilis, and discuss…

  1. Dementia and Hospital Readmission Rates: A Systematic Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabrina Pickens

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Although community-dwelling persons with dementia have an increased risk of hospital readmission, no systematic review has examined the contribution of dementia to readmissions. Summary: We examined articles in English, with no restrictions on publication dates, from Medline, PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and EMBASE. Keywords used were dementia, Alzheimer disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, elderly, frontotemporal dementia, executive function, brain atrophy, frontal lobe atrophy, cognitive impairment, readmission, readmit, rehospitalization, patient discharge, and return visit. Of 404 abstracts identified, 77 articles were retrieved; 12 were included. Four of 5 cohort studies showed significantly increased readmission rates in patients with dementia. On average the absolute increase above the comparison groups was from 3 to 13%. Dementia was not associated with readmission in 7 included case-control studies. Key Message: Findings suggest a small increased risk of hospital readmission in individuals with dementia. More study is needed.

  2. Suicidal behavior and assisted suicide in dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Draper, Brian M

    2015-10-01

    Concerns about suicide risk in people with dementia have been increasing in recent years along with a discourse about rational suicide and assisted suicide. A systematic narrative literature review of suicidal behavior and assisted suicide in persons with dementia. Most studies that have examined the spectrum of suicidal ideation, attempted suicide and suicide in dementia have methodological limitations but the overall suicide risk does not appear to be increased. When suicidal behavior does occur, common themes include the presence of psychiatric comorbidity, mainly depression; occurrence early in the dementia course with preserved insight and capacity; and an increased risk in younger people. The emerging discourse on rational and assisted suicide has been spurred by early and pre-symptomatic diagnosis and poses a number of ethical challenges for clinicians including the role of proxy decision-makers. Although dementia might not confer a significant overall risk for suicidal behavior, clinicians still need to consider the potential for suicide in vulnerable individuals particularly early in the dementia course.

  3. Holding on while letting go: trauma and growth on the pathway of dementia care in families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCormack, Lynne; Tillock, Katrina; Walmsley, Bruce D

    2017-06-01

    Limited research explores the medical model of residential care in dementia from the family caregiver's perspectives. This study sought subjective interpretations of nine family caregivers who experienced relinquishing their status as primary caregiver to a medical model, dementia care residential setting. Following semi-structured interviews and transcription data was analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. One superordinate theme, navigating 'system' control, overarched three subordinate themes: connecting/disconnecting, windows closing, and capacity for sensation. Navigating system control reflected participants' experience of circumnavigating a medical system fraught with hierarchical challenges inclusive of a complex maze of contradictions that appeared threatening, yet appeared comforting; authoritarian, yet often humane. For them, care of self, while advocating for a family member with dementia, required vigilance to manoeuvre a system of care that imposed its uninvited authority at will. Connection/disconnection highlights the enduring struggle for inclusivity in caregiving despite the omnipresent trauma of windows closing. Psychological growth came to these participants through an unexpected capacity for sensation which offered a unique lens to communication with the family member with dementia primarily through sensory exchange. Models of dementia care and therapeutic interventions could inclusively involve dementia family caregivers who may be experiencing traumatic distress, and associated guilt, stigma, loss, and grief. Co-existing psychological wellbeing, however, is possible when family members are encouraged to transition communication to sensory awareness and exchange as windows close.

  4. Occult CSF flow disturbance of patients with Alzheimer type dementia and vascular dementia; Results from Iotrolan CT-cisternography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kono, Kazuhiko; Sugita, Yasuko; Funaki, Chiaki [Nagoya Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Medicine; and others

    1994-04-01

    We report results of Iotrolan CT-cisternography on 41 demented patients (13 males and 28 females) to find 'occult normal pressure hydrocephalus'. These patients were suspected to have CSF flow disturbance from clinical symptoms and simple brain CT scan findings. Their average age, duration of dementia, and score of Hasegawa's dementia scale (HDS) were 76.2 years, 5.9 years, 9.5/32.5,respectively. Before performing CT-cisternography, clinical diagnosis for their dementia were vascular dementia in 18 patients. Alzheimer type dementia in 12, suspect of NPH in 5, and other diagnoses in 6. From the results of cisternography, we found 13 patients with CSF flow disturbance (contrast material remained in the ventricle more than 48 hours after injection), and 17 patients with normal CSF flow. The former showed lower scores of HDS, higher urinary incontinence scores and smaller areas of the interhemispheric fissure on CT scan than the latter. But the former showed no significant difference from the latter in the average age, duration of dementia and width of the ventricles. (author).

  5. Snoezelen for dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, J C; Lai, C K; Chung, P M; French, H P

    2002-01-01

    Snoezelen, multi-sensory stimulation, provides sensory stimuli to stimulate the primary senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell, through the use of lighting effects, tactile surfaces, meditative music and the odour of relaxing essential oils (Pinkney 1997). The clinical application of snoezelen has been extended from the field of learning disability to dementia care over the past decade. The rationale for its use lies in providing a sensory environment that places fewer demands on intellectual abilities but capitalizes on the residual sensorimotor abilities of people with dementia (e.g. Buettner 1999, Hope 1998). Practitioners are keen to use snoezelen in dementia care, and some encouraging results have been documented in the area of promoting adaptive behaviours (e.g. Baker, Long 1992, Spaull 1998). However, the clinical application of snoezelen often varies in form, nature, principles and procedures. Such variations not only make examination of the therapeutic values of Snoezelen difficult, but also impede the clinical development of snoezelen in dementia care. A systematic review of evidence for the efficacy of snoezelen in the care of people with dementia is therefore needed to inform future clinical applications and research directions. This review aims to examine the clinical efficacy of snoezelen for older people with dementia. "Snoezelen", "multi-sensory", "dement*", "Alzheimer*", "randomized control/single control/double control" were used as keywords to search seven electronic databases (e.g. MEDLINE, PsyLIT). The list of trials was compared with those identified from a search of the Specialized Register of the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group. All RCTs in which Snoezelen or multi-sensory programmes were used as an intervention for people with dementia were included in the review. Trial data included in the review were restricted to those involving people aged over 60 years suffering from any type of dementia, except one subject

  6. The importance of music for people with dementia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    McDermott, Orii; Orrell, Martin; Ridder, Hanne Mette Ochsner

    2014-01-01

    with dementia and explore the meaning of music in their lives.Method: Separate focus groups and interviews with (1) care home residents with dementia and their families, (2) day hospital clients with dementia, (3) care home staff, and (4) music therapists, were conducted. The findings of the thematic analysis......, the importance of relationship-building through music making were particularly highlighted as valuable. The psychosocial model of music in dementia was developed. The model revealed the importance of music to support the personal psychology of people with dementia and the social psychology of the care home...

  7. [Electroencephalography in delirium superimposed on dementia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanemaaijer, Judith I; Wijnen, Viona J M; van Gool, W A

    2017-09-01

    Recognizing delirium superimposed on pre-existing cognitive impairment or dementia, 'delirium superimposed on dementia' (DSD), is challenging because signs of delirium might be interpreted as symptoms of pre-existing cognitive dysfunction.In this paper, we review the literature on the role of electrencephalography (EEG) in the differential diagnosis of delirium, dementia and DSD.Conventional EEG, applying twenty to thirty electrodes, taking thirty minutes registration, is not feasible in psychogeriatric patients. Recent studies suggest that it is possible to reliably detect delirium using only a limited number of EEG electrodes for a short period of time.With this, use of EEG in the detection of delirium in patients with cognitive impairment or clinically manifest dementia could be possible.

  8. Comparison of dementia recorded in routinely collected hospital admission data in England with dementia recorded in primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Anna; Kirichek, Oksana; Balkwill, Angela; Reeves, Gillian; Beral, Valerie; Sudlow, Cathie; Gallacher, John; Green, Jane

    2016-01-01

    Electronic linkage of UK cohorts to routinely collected National Health Service (NHS) records provides virtually complete follow-up for cause-specific hospital admissions and deaths. The reliability of dementia diagnoses recorded in NHS hospital data is not well documented. For a sample of Million Women Study participants in England we compared dementia recorded in routinely collected NHS hospital data (Hospital Episode Statistics: HES) with dementia recorded in two separate sources of primary care information: a primary care database [Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), n = 340] and a survey of study participants' General Practitioners (GPs, n = 244). Dementia recorded in HES fully agreed both with CPRD and with GP survey data for 85% of women; it did not agree for 1 and 4%, respectively. Agreement was uncertain for the remaining 14 and 11%, respectively; and among those classified as having uncertain agreement in CPRD, non-specific terms compatible with dementia, such as 'memory loss', were recorded in the CPRD database for 79% of the women. Agreement was significantly better (p primary care (CPRD) than in hospital (HES) data. Age-specific rates for dementia based on the hospital admission data were lower than the rates based on the primary care data, but were similar if the delay in recording in HES was taken into account. Dementia recorded in routinely collected NHS hospital admission data for women in England agrees well with primary care records of dementia assessed separately from two different sources, and is sufficiently reliable for epidemiological research.

  9. Is postoperative cognitive dysfunction a risk factor for dementia?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Steinmetz, J; Siersma, Volkert Dirk; Kessing, L V

    2013-01-01

    BACKGROUND: /st>Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common complication in elderly patients after major surgery. An association between POCD and the development of dementia has been suspected. In this study, we assessed if POCD was a risk factor for the occurrence of dementia. METHODS...... surgery, using a neuropsychological test battery. The time of (first) occurrence of dementia after surgery was assessed using the National Patient Register and the Psychiatric Central Research Register. Recorded dementia diagnoses (ICD-8 and ICD-10) were: Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia......, frontotemporal dementia, or dementia without specification. The risk of dementia according to POCD was assessed in the Cox regression models. RESULTS: /st>A total of 686 patients with a median age of 67 [inter-quartile range (IQR) 61-74] yr were followed for a median of 11.1 (IQR 5.2-12.6) yr. Only 32 patients...

  10. Validity of dementia diagnoses in the danish hospital registers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Phung, T.K.T.; Andersen, B.B.; Phung, T.K.T.

    2007-01-01

    .24-0.48). Conclusion: The validity of dementia syndrome in the Danish hospital registers was high and allows for epidemiological studies about dementia. Alzheimer's disease, although underregistered, also had a good validity once the diagnosis was registered. In general, other ICD-10 dementia subtypes in the registers......Background:The validity of dementia diagnoses in the Danish nationwide hospital registers was evaluated to determine the value of these registers in epidemiological research about dementia. Methods: Two hundred patients were randomly selected from 4,682 patients registered for the first time...... with a dementia diagnosis in the last 6 months of 2003. The patients' medical journals were reviewed to evaluate if they fulfilled ICD-10 and/or DSM-IV criteria for dementia and specific dementia subtypes. The patients who were still alive in 2006 were invited to an interview. Results: One hundred and ninety...

  11. Demography, diagnostics, and medication in dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease with dementia: data from the Swedish Dementia Quality Registry (SveDem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fereshtehnejad SM

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Seyed-Mohammad Fereshtehnejad,1 Dorota Religa,2,3 Eric Westman,1 Dag Aarsland,2,4 Johan Lökk,1,3 Maria Eriksdotter1,3 1Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society (NVS, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; 2Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; 3Department of Geriatric Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; 4Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway Introduction: Whether dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB and Parkinson's disease with dementia (PDD should be considered as one entity or two distinct conditions is a matter of controversy. The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics of DLB and PDD patients using data from the Swedish Dementia Quality Registry (SveDem. Methods: SveDem is a national Web-based quality registry initiated to improve the quality of diagnostic workup, treatment, and care of patients with dementia across Sweden. Patients with newly diagnosed dementia of various types were registered in SveDem during the years 2007–2011. The current cross-sectional report is based on DLB (n = 487 and PDD (n = 297 patients. Demographic characteristics, diagnostic workup, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE score, and medications were compared between DLB and PDD groups. Results: No gender differences were observed between the two study groups (P = 0.706. PDD patients were significantly younger than DLB patients at the time of diagnosis (74.8 versus 76.8 years, respectively; P < 0.001. A significantly higher prevalence of patients with MMSE score #24 were found in the PDD group (75.2% versus 67.6%; P = 0.030. The mean number of performed diagnostic modalities was significantly higher in the DLB group (4.9 ± 1.7 than in the PDD group (4.1 ± 1.6; P< 0.001. DLB patients were more likely than PDD patients to be treated with

  12. The Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia in Down Syndrome (BPSD-DS) Scale: Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathology in Down Syndrome

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dekker, Alain D.; Sacco, Silvia; Carfi, Angelo; Benejam, Bessy; Vermeiren, Yannick; Beugelsdijk, Gonny; Schippers, Mieke; Hassefras, Lyanne; Eleveld, José; Grefelman, Sharina; Fopma, Roelie; Bomer-Veenboer, Monique; Boti, Mariángeles; Oosterling, G. Danielle E.; Scholten, Esther; Tollenaere, Marleen; Checkley, Laura; Strydom, André; Van Goethem, Gert; Onder, Graziano; Blesa, Rafael; zu Eulenburg, Christine; Coppus, Antonia M.W.; Rebillat, Anne-Sophie; Fortea, Juan; De Deyn, Peter P.

    2018-01-01

    People with Down syndrome (DS) are prone to develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are core features, but have not been comprehensively evaluated in DS. In a European multidisciplinary study, the novel Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia in Down Syndrome (BPSD-DS) scale was developed to identify frequency and severity of behavioral changes taking account of life-long characteristic behavior. 83 behavioral items in 12 clinically defined sections were evaluated. The central aim was to identify items that change in relation to the dementia status, and thus may differentiate between diagnostic groups. Structured interviews were conducted with informants of persons with DS without dementia (DS, n = 149), with questionable dementia (DS+Q, n = 65), and with diagnosed dementia (DS+AD, n = 67). First exploratory data suggest promising interrater, test-retest, and internal consistency reliability measures. Concerning item relevance, group comparisons revealed pronounced increases in frequency and severity in items of anxiety, sleep disturbances, agitation & stereotypical behavior, aggression, apathy, depressive symptoms, and eating/drinking behavior. The proportion of individuals presenting an increase was highest in DS+AD, intermediate in DS+Q, and lowest in DS. Interestingly, among DS+Q individuals, a substantial proportion already presented increased anxiety, sleep disturbances, apathy, and depressive symptoms, suggesting that these changes occur early in the course of AD. Future efforts should optimize the scale based on current results and clinical experiences, and further study applicability, reliability, and validity. Future application of the scale in daily care may aid caregivers to understand changes, and contribute to timely interventions and adaptation of caregiving. PMID:29689719

  13. The Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia in Down Syndrome (BPSD-DS) Scale: Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathology in Down Syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dekker, Alain D; Sacco, Silvia; Carfi, Angelo; Benejam, Bessy; Vermeiren, Yannick; Beugelsdijk, Gonny; Schippers, Mieke; Hassefras, Lyanne; Eleveld, José; Grefelman, Sharina; Fopma, Roelie; Bomer-Veenboer, Monique; Boti, Mariángeles; Oosterling, G Danielle E; Scholten, Esther; Tollenaere, Marleen; Checkley, Laura; Strydom, André; Van Goethem, Gert; Onder, Graziano; Blesa, Rafael; Zu Eulenburg, Christine; Coppus, Antonia M W; Rebillat, Anne-Sophie; Fortea, Juan; De Deyn, Peter P

    2018-01-01

    People with Down syndrome (DS) are prone to develop Alzheimer's disease (AD). Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are core features, but have not been comprehensively evaluated in DS. In a European multidisciplinary study, the novel Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia in Down Syndrome (BPSD-DS) scale was developed to identify frequency and severity of behavioral changes taking account of life-long characteristic behavior. 83 behavioral items in 12 clinically defined sections were evaluated. The central aim was to identify items that change in relation to the dementia status, and thus may differentiate between diagnostic groups. Structured interviews were conducted with informants of persons with DS without dementia (DS, n = 149), with questionable dementia (DS+Q, n = 65), and with diagnosed dementia (DS+AD, n = 67). First exploratory data suggest promising interrater, test-retest, and internal consistency reliability measures. Concerning item relevance, group comparisons revealed pronounced increases in frequency and severity in items of anxiety, sleep disturbances, agitation & stereotypical behavior, aggression, apathy, depressive symptoms, and eating/drinking behavior. The proportion of individuals presenting an increase was highest in DS+AD, intermediate in DS+Q, and lowest in DS. Interestingly, among DS+Q individuals, a substantial proportion already presented increased anxiety, sleep disturbances, apathy, and depressive symptoms, suggesting that these changes occur early in the course of AD. Future efforts should optimize the scale based on current results and clinical experiences, and further study applicability, reliability, and validity. Future application of the scale in daily care may aid caregivers to understand changes, and contribute to timely interventions and adaptation of caregiving.

  14. Where is God when dementia sneaks into our house? Practical theology and the partners of dementia patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Bons-Storm

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available How can hope, love and faith stay alive when dementia enters a home? In this article I shall look especially at the spouse or partner who shares an abode with a person with dementia. Most of the authors in this field, also John Swinton who is perhaps the best known author whose books are written from a (practical theological perspective, focus on care in institutions, that means care by professionals. A partner living with a dementia patient has two main roles: as partner and caregiver. Night and day a partner is witness to the ongoing deterioration of her or his beloved partner, without being a professional. This article is founded not only on literature about dementia patients, but also on the experiences of several partners, as well as my own experiences as a partner. The question we all ask is: ‘From where does our strength come?’ I argue that what is said in the literature on the subject of (the pastoral care for dementia patients does not help the partners, because it lays a heavy burden on them, who are already suffering from feelings of grief and guilt. I do not agree with John Swinton’s idea that God created dementia. Looking for different ways of thinking about God and faith to survive with hope and love, I turn to the exegesis of the creation stories by Ellen van Wolde. These give the opportunity to take the evil of the situation of the deterioration of the personality of a patient with dementia seriously, and at the same time grant the possibility to turn the grief and guilt feelings into strength to fight evil, together with a God whose empathy and love stays with a partner in her or his loneliness and grief. Keywords: dementia; partner care; guilt feelings; evil; God as ally

  15. Enteral Nutrition in Dementia: A Systematic Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanne Brooke

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the role of enteral nutrition in dementia. The prevalence of dementia is predicted to rise worldwide partly due to an aging population. People with dementia may experience both cognitive and physical complications that impact on their nutritional intake. Malnutrition and weight loss in dementia correlates with cognitive decline and the progress of the disease. An intervention for long term eating difficulties is the provision of enteral nutrition through a Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy tube to improve both nutritional parameters and quality of life. Enteral nutrition in dementia has traditionally been discouraged, although further understanding of physical, nutritional and quality of life outcomes are required. The following electronic databases were searched: EBSCO Host, MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Google Scholar for publications from 1st January 2008 and up to and including 1st January 2014. Inclusion criteria included the following outcomes: mortality, aspiration pneumonia, pressure sores, nutritional parameters and quality of life. Each study included separate analysis for patients with a diagnosis of dementia and/or neurological disease. Retrospective and prospective observational studies were included. No differences in mortality were found for patients with dementia, without dementia or other neurological disorders. Risk factors for poor survival included decreased or decreasing serum albumin levels, increasing age or over 80 years and male gender. Evidence regarding pneumonia was limited, although did not impact on mortality. No studies explored pressure sores or quality of life.

  16. Radio elements / bottom salts separation by nano-filtration aided by complexation in a highly saline environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gaubert, Eric

    1997-01-01

    This research thesis addresses the use of a membrane-based technique, nano-filtration, aided or not by complexation, for the processing of highly saline liquid effluents produced by radio-chemical decontamination. The objective is to separate non-radioactive elements (sodium nitrate) from radio-elements (caesium, strontium and actinides) in order to reduce the volume of wastes. Within the perspective of an industrial application, a system to concentrate the effluent is firstly defined. Different nano-filtration membranes are tested and reveal to be insufficient in highly saline environment. A stage of selective complexation of radio-elements is therefore considered before nano-filtration. The main factors affecting performance of nano-filtration-complexation (for a given membrane system) are identified: ionic force, pH, ligand content, trans-membrane pressure. Finally, a nano-filtration pilot is implemented to perform nano-filtration-complexation operations by remote handling on radioactive substances [fr

  17. The Association between Hypertension and Dementia in the Elderly

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michiya Igase

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Hypertension (HT and dementia are common disorders in the elderly. HT in the elderly is associated with increased occurrence rates of dementia including Alzheimer's disease (AD and vascular dementia (VaD. In connection to this, some studies have suggested that HT in old age correlates with the pathogenesis of dementia. Since HT is potentially reversible, a number of randomized trials have examined whether antihypertensive treatment may help in preventing dementia occurrence. We review five studies, all using subjects 60 years or older, which investigated different antihypertensive pharmacological treatments. Data from two trials (Syst-Eur, PROGRESS open the way toward the prevention of dementia (AD or VaD by antihypertensive treatments. In the Syst-Eur study, with the dihydropyridine calcium antagonists, a reduction in both types of dementia was demonstrated (risk reduction 55%. The PROGRESS study showed that the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs, with or without diuretics, resulted in decrease incidence of stroke-related dementia (risk reduction 19%, but dementia without stroke was not reduced. In contrast, the SHEP trial, treatment with a chlorthalidone-based antihypertensive regimen, did not significantly reduced the incidence of dementia. The SCOPE study (candesartan or hydrochlorothiazide versus placebo and the HYVET-COG study (indapamide or perindopril versus placebo found no significant difference between the active treatment and placebo group on the incidence of dementia. We found conflicting results regarding treatment benefits in dementia prevention. Recent clinical trials and studies on animal models suggest that blockades of RAS system could have reduced cognitive decline seen in Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Future trials primarily designed to investigate the effects of antihypertensive agents on impaired cognition are needed.

  18. IDENTIFYING DEMENTIA IN ELDERLY POPULATION : A CAMP APPROACH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anand P

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Dementia is an emerging medico social problem affecting elderly, and poses a challenge to clinician and caregivers. It is usually identified in late stage where management becomes difficult. AIM: The aim of camp was to identify dementia in elderly population participating in screening camp. MATERIAL AND METHODS : The geriatric clinic and department of psychiatry jointly organised screening camp to detect dementia in elderly for five days in September 2014 to commemorate world Alzheimer’s day. The invitation regarding camp was sent to all senio r citizen forums and also published in leading Kannada daily newspaper. Mini Mental Status Examination and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4 th edition criteria (DSM IV was used to identify dementia. RESULTS: Elderly male participate d in camp in more number than females and dementia was identified in 36% elderly with education less than 9 th standard. Dementia was found in 18% in our study population. CONCLUSION: The camp help identify elderly suffering from dementia and also created a wareness about it. Hypertension and diabetes mellitus were common co morbidity in study population. Our study suggested organising screening camp will help identify elderly living with dementia.

  19. Art and the brain: a view from dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gretton, Cosima; ffytche, Dominic H

    2014-02-01

    Art making encompasses a range of perceptual and cognitive functions involving widely distributed brain systems. The dementias impact on these systems in different ways, raising the possibility that each dementia has a unique artistic signature. Here we use a review of the visual art of 14 artists with dementia (five Alzheimer's disease, seven fronto-temporal dementia and two dementia with Lewy bodies) to further our understanding of the neurobiological constituents of art production and higher artistic function. Artists with Alzheimer's disease had prominent changes in spatial aspects of their art and attributes of colour and contrast. These qualities were preserved in the art of fronto-temporal dementia, which was characterised by perseverative themes and a shift towards realistic representation. The art of dementia with Lewy Bodies was characterised by simple, bizarre content. The limitations of using visual aspects of individual artworks to infer the impact of dementia on art production are discussed with the need for a wider perspective encompassing changes in cognition, emotion, creativity and artistic personality. A novel classificatory scheme is presented to help characterise neural mechanisms of higher artistic functions in future studies. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Limbic system, the main focus of dementia syndrome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsuzawa, Taiju

    1990-01-01

    Alzheimer disease and multi-infarct dementia are two entirely different diseases producing almost the same abnormalities as dementia syndrome. The statistical studies with MRI to locate the focus of dementia syndrome in the neocortex was an absolute failure. With MRI there is drastic atrophy and destruction of the amygdala and hippocampus suggesting the limbic system as the focus of dementia syndrome. Destruction of the limbic system in particular amygdala and hippocampus produced the functional obstruction brought about by the marked reduction in the glucose utilization with PET in the bilateral temporal, parietal and occipital association cortices. Although this type constitutes only about 1/5 of all dementia patients. It is considered the fundamental type of dementia syndrome. Aside from this, there is a type wherein simultaneous and symmetrical reductions in glucose utilization of the frontal association cortex and the motor association cortex in the anterior part of the neocortex. This is referred to as type II. It constitutes about 4/5 of all dementia patients which is far more than type I. Based on these results, it is thought that limbic system is the main focus of dementia syndrome. (author)

  1. A Systematic Review of the Economic Evidence for Home Support Interventions in Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarkson, Paul; Davies, Linda; Jasper, Rowan; Loynes, Niklas; Challis, David

    2017-09-01

    Recent evidence signals the need for effective forms of home support to people with dementia and their carers. The cost-effectiveness evidence of different approaches to support is scant. To appraise economic evidence on the cost-effectiveness of home support interventions for dementia to inform future evaluation. A systematic literature review of full and partial economic evaluations was performed using the British National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database supplemented by additional references. Study characteristics and findings, including incremental cost-effectiveness ratios, when available, were summarized narratively. Study quality was appraised using the National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database critical appraisal criteria and independent ratings, agreed by two reviewers. Studies were located on a permutation matrix describing their mix of incremental costs/effects to aid decision making. Of the 151 articles retrieved, 14 studies met the inclusion criteria: 8 concerning support to people with dementia and 6 to carers. Five studies were incremental cost-utility analyses, seven were cost-effectiveness analyses, and two were cost consequences analyses. Five studies expressed incremental cost-effectiveness ratios as cost per quality-adjusted life-year (£6,696-£207,942 per quality-adjusted life-year). In four studies, interventions were dominant over usual care. Two interventions were more costly but more beneficial and were favorable against current acceptability thresholds. Occupational therapy, home-based exercise, and a carers' coping intervention emerged as cost-effective approaches for which there was better evidence. These interventions used environmental modifications, behavior management, physical activity, and emotional support as active components. More robust evidence is needed to judge the value of these and other interventions across the dementia care pathway. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and

  2. Use of Tablet Devices in the Management of Agitation Among Inpatients with Dementia: An Open-Label Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vahia, Ipsit V; Kamat, Rujvi; Vang, Cheng; Posada, Carolina; Ross, Lisa; Oreck, Sarah; Bhatt, Alok; Depp, Colin; Jeste, Dilip V; Sewell, Daniel D

    2017-08-01

    To investigate the feasibility, safety, and utility of tablet devices as novel nonpharmacologic tools in managing older psychiatric inpatients with agitation and dementia. Thirty-six patients at a geriatric psychiatry inpatient unit were provided with tablets when agitated and used various apps on the tablet related to communication, games, music, web browser, and photography during their stay. Study staff documented the frequency, duration, and app usage history and rated the extent to which agitation improved after tablet use. All participants, regardless of dementia severity, were able to use apps and were rated by staff to have clinical benefit. Dementia severity was negatively associated with app complexity. Age was negatively associated with frequency and duration of tablet use. Tablet use as a nonpharmacologic intervention for agitation in older adults, including those with severe dementia, appears to be feasible, safe, and of potential utility. Copyright © 2016 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Dementias show differential physiological responses to salient sounds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Phillip David Fletcher

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Abnormal responsiveness to salient sensory signals is often a prominent feature of dementia diseases, particularly the frontotemporal lobar degenerations, but has been little studied. Here we assessed processing of one important class of salient signals, looming sounds, in canonical dementia syndromes. We manipulated tones using intensity cues to create percepts of salient approaching (‘looming’ or less salient withdrawing sounds. Pupil dilatation responses and behavioural rating responses to these stimuli were compared in patients fulfilling consensus criteria for dementia syndromes (semantic dementia, n=10; behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia, n=16, progressive non-fluent aphasia, n=12; amnestic Alzheimer’s disease, n=10 and a cohort of 26 healthy age-matched individuals. Approaching sounds were rated as more salient than withdrawing sounds by healthy older individuals but this behavioural response to salience did not differentiate healthy individuals from patients with dementia syndromes. Pupil responses to approaching sounds were greater than responses to withdrawing sounds in healthy older individuals and in patients with semantic dementia: this differential pupil response was reduced in patients with progressive nonfluent aphasia and Alzheimer’s disease relative both to the healthy control and semantic dementia groups, and did not correlate with nonverbal auditory semantic function. Autonomic responses to auditory salience are differentially affected by dementias and may constitute a novel biomarker of these diseases.

  4. Dementias show differential physiological responses to salient sounds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fletcher, Phillip D.; Nicholas, Jennifer M.; Shakespeare, Timothy J.; Downey, Laura E.; Golden, Hannah L.; Agustus, Jennifer L.; Clark, Camilla N.; Mummery, Catherine J.; Schott, Jonathan M.; Crutch, Sebastian J.; Warren, Jason D.

    2015-01-01

    Abnormal responsiveness to salient sensory signals is often a prominent feature of dementia diseases, particularly the frontotemporal lobar degenerations, but has been little studied. Here we assessed processing of one important class of salient signals, looming sounds, in canonical dementia syndromes. We manipulated tones using intensity cues to create percepts of salient approaching (“looming”) or less salient withdrawing sounds. Pupil dilatation responses and behavioral rating responses to these stimuli were compared in patients fulfilling consensus criteria for dementia syndromes (semantic dementia, n = 10; behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, n = 16, progressive nonfluent aphasia, n = 12; amnestic Alzheimer's disease, n = 10) and a cohort of 26 healthy age-matched individuals. Approaching sounds were rated as more salient than withdrawing sounds by healthy older individuals but this behavioral response to salience did not differentiate healthy individuals from patients with dementia syndromes. Pupil responses to approaching sounds were greater than responses to withdrawing sounds in healthy older individuals and in patients with semantic dementia: this differential pupil response was reduced in patients with progressive nonfluent aphasia and Alzheimer's disease relative both to the healthy control and semantic dementia groups, and did not correlate with nonverbal auditory semantic function. Autonomic responses to auditory salience are differentially affected by dementias and may constitute a novel biomarker of these diseases. PMID:25859194

  5. Towards defining restlessness in individuals with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Regier, Natalie G; Gitlin, Laura N

    2017-05-01

    Most individuals with dementia develop significant behavioral problems. Restlessness is a behavioral symptom frequently endorsed by caregivers as distressing, yet is variably defined and measured. Lack of conceptual and operational clarity hinders an understanding of this common behavioral type, its prevalence, and development of effective interventions. We advance a systematic definition and understanding of restlessness from which to enhance reporting and intervention development. We reviewed the literature for existing definitions and measures of restlessness, identified common elements across existing definitions, assessed fit with relevant theoretical frameworks, and explored the relationship between restlessness and other behavioral symptoms in a data set of 272 community-dwelling persons with dementia. Twenty-five scales assessing restlessness were identified. Shared components included motor/neurological, psychiatric, and needs-based features. Exploratory analyses suggest that restlessness may co-occur primarily with argumentation, anxiety, waking the caregiver, delusions/hallucinations, and wandering. We propose that restlessness consists of three key attributes: diffuse motor activity or motion subject to limited control, non-productive or disorganized behavior, and subjective distress. Restlessness should be differentiated from and not confused with wandering or elopement, pharmacological side effects, a (non-dementia) mental or movement disorder, or behaviors occurring in the context of a delirium or at end-of-life. Restlessness appears to denote a distinct set of behaviors that have overlapping but non-equivalent features with other behavioral symptoms. We propose that it reflects a complex behavior involving three key characteristics. Understanding its specific manifestations and which components are present can enhance tailoring interventions to specific contexts of this multicomponent behavioral type.

  6. Music perception in dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicholas, Jennifer M; Cohen, Miriam H; Slattery, Catherine F; Paterson, Ross W; Foulkes, Alexander J M; Schott, Jonathan M; Mummery, Catherine J; Crutch, Sebastian J; Warren, Jason D

    2017-01-01

    Despite much recent interest in music and dementia, music perception has not been widely studied across dementia syndromes using an information processing approach. Here we addressed this issue in a cohort of 30 patients representing major dementia syndromes of typical Alzheimer’s disease (AD, n=16), logopenic aphasia (LPA, an Alzheimer variant syndrome; n=5) and progressive nonfluent aphasia (PNFA; n=9) in relation to 19 healthy age-matched individuals. We designed a novel neuropsychological battery to assess perception of musical patterns in the dimensions of pitch and temporal information (requiring detection of notes that deviated from the established pattern based on local or global sequence features) and musical scene analysis (requiring detection of a familiar tune within polyphonic harmony). Performance on these tests was referenced to generic auditory (timbral) deviance detection and recognition of familiar tunes and adjusted for general auditory working memory performance. Relative to healthy controls, patients with AD and LPA had group-level deficits of global pitch (melody contour) processing while patients with PNFA as a group had deficits of local (interval) as well as global pitch processing. There was substantial individual variation within syndromic groups. No specific deficits of musical temporal processing, timbre processing, musical scene analysis or tune recognition were identified. The findings suggest that particular aspects of music perception such as pitch pattern analysis may open a window on the processing of information streams in major dementia syndromes. The potential selectivity of musical deficits for particular dementia syndromes and particular dimensions of processing warrants further systematic investigation. PMID:27802226

  7. Frontotemporal Dementias: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wilkins Kirsten

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Dementia is a clinical state characterized by loss of function in multiple cognitive domains. It is a costly disease in terms of both personal suffering and economic loss. Frontotemporal dementia (FTD is the term now preferred over Picks disease to describe the spectrum of non-Alzheimers dementias characterized by focal atrophy of the frontal and anterior temporal regions of the brain. The prevalence of FTD is considerable, though specific figures vary among different studies. It occurs usually in an age range of 35–75 and it is more common in individuals with a positive family history of dementia. The risk factors associated with this disorder include head injury and family history of FTD. Although there is some controversy regarding the further syndromatic subdivision of the different types of FTD, the three major clinical presentations of FTD include: 1 a frontal or behavioral variant (FvFTD, 2 a temporal, aphasic variant, also called Semantic dementia (SD, and 3 a progressive aphasia (PA. These different variants differ in their clinical presentation, cognitive deficits, and affected brain regions. Patients with FTD should have a neuropsychiatric assessment, neuropsychological testing and neuroimaging studies to confirm and clarify the diagnosis. Treatment for this entity consists of behavioral and pharmacological approaches. Medications such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, mood stabilizer and other novel treatments have been used in FTD with different rates of success. Further research should be directed at understanding and developing new diagnostic and therapeutic modalities to improve the patients' prognosis and quality of life.

  8. Music Perception in Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golden, Hannah L; Clark, Camilla N; Nicholas, Jennifer M; Cohen, Miriam H; Slattery, Catherine F; Paterson, Ross W; Foulkes, Alexander J M; Schott, Jonathan M; Mummery, Catherine J; Crutch, Sebastian J; Warren, Jason D

    2017-01-01

    Despite much recent interest in music and dementia, music perception has not been widely studied across dementia syndromes using an information processing approach. Here we addressed this issue in a cohort of 30 patients representing major dementia syndromes of typical Alzheimer's disease (AD, n = 16), logopenic aphasia (LPA, an Alzheimer variant syndrome; n = 5), and progressive nonfluent aphasia (PNFA; n = 9) in relation to 19 healthy age-matched individuals. We designed a novel neuropsychological battery to assess perception of musical patterns in the dimensions of pitch and temporal information (requiring detection of notes that deviated from the established pattern based on local or global sequence features) and musical scene analysis (requiring detection of a familiar tune within polyphonic harmony). Performance on these tests was referenced to generic auditory (timbral) deviance detection and recognition of familiar tunes and adjusted for general auditory working memory performance. Relative to healthy controls, patients with AD and LPA had group-level deficits of global pitch (melody contour) processing while patients with PNFA as a group had deficits of local (interval) as well as global pitch processing. There was substantial individual variation within syndromic groups. Taking working memory performance into account, no specific deficits of musical temporal processing, timbre processing, musical scene analysis, or tune recognition were identified. The findings suggest that particular aspects of music perception such as pitch pattern analysis may open a window on the processing of information streams in major dementia syndromes. The potential selectivity of musical deficits for particular dementia syndromes and particular dimensions of processing warrants further systematic investigation.

  9. Vitamin D, Homocysteine, and Folate in Subcortical Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer Dementia

    OpenAIRE

    Moretti, Rita; Caruso, Paola; Dal Ben, Matteo; Conti, Corrado; Gazzin, Silvia; Tiribelli, Claudio

    2017-01-01

    Dementia is a worldwide health problem which affects millions of patients; Alzheimer's disease (AD) and subcortical vascular dementia (sVAD) are the two most frequent forms of its presentation. As no definite therapeutic options have been discovered, different risk factors for cognitive impairment have been searched for potential therapies. This report focuses on the possible evidence that vitamin D deficiency and hyper-homocysteinemia can be considered as two important factors for the develo...

  10. The process of disclosing a diagnosis of dementia and mild cognitive impairment: A national survey of specialist physicians in Denmark.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nielsen, T Rune; Svensson, Birthe Hjorth; Rohr, Gitte; Gottrup, Hanne; Vestergaard, Karsten; Høgh, Peter; Waldemar, Gunhild

    2018-01-01

    Background Although general recommendations for diagnostic disclosure of dementia are available, little is known about how these recommendations are implemented. The aim of the current study was to investigate the process and content of dementia diagnostic disclosure meetings, and to compare key aspects of disclosing a diagnosis of dementia and mild cognitive impairment. Method A total of 54 specialist physicians in Danish dementia diagnostic departments completed an online survey on their practices regarding diagnostic disclosure of dementia and mild cognitive impairment. The influence of respondent characteristics was assessed, and differences on key aspects of disclosing a diagnosis of dementia and mild cognitive impairment were analyzed. Results The results suggest that among Danish specialist physicians, there is a general consensus regarding the organization of diagnostic disclosure meetings. However, differences in employed terminology and information provided when disclosing a dementia diagnosis were evident. Significant differences were present on key aspects of the diagnostic disclosure of dementia and mild cognitive impairment. For instance, 91% would use the term dementia during diagnostic disclosures compared to just 72% for mild cognitive impairment. Conclusion The range of practices reflected in the present study confirms the complexity of diagnostic disclosure and highlights the importance of preparation and follow-up strategies to tailor the disclosure process to the needs of individual patients with dementia and their caregivers. Due to earlier diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders, more research is urgently needed on this aspect of the diagnostic process, especially to develop evidence-based models for the disclosure of mild cognitive impairment.

  11. The Italian Dementia National Plan

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    Teresa Di Fiandra

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The Italian Dementia National Plan was formulated in October 2014 by the Italian Ministry of Health in close cooperation with the regions, the National Institute of Health and the three major national associations of patients and carers. The main purpose of this strategy was to provide directive indications for promoting and improving interventions in the dementia field, not limiting to specialist and therapeutic actions, but particularly focusing on the support of patients and families throughout the pathways of care. Four main objectives are indicated: 1 promote health- and social-care interventions and policies; 2 create/strengthen the integrated network of services for dementia based on an integrated approach; 3 implement strategies for promoting appropriateness and quality of care; and 4 improve the quality of life of persons with dementia and their families by supporting empowerment and stigma reduction. These objectives and the pertaining actions are described in the present paper.

  12. COTARD SYNDROME IN SEMANTIC DEMENTIA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mendez, Mario F.; Ramírez-Bermúdez, Jesús

    2011-01-01

    Background Semantic dementia is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of meaning of words or concepts. semantic dementia can offer potential insights into the mechanisms of content-specific delusions. Objective The authors present a rare case of semantic dementia with Cotard syndrome, a delusion characterized by nihilism or self-negation. Method The semantic deficits and other features of semantic dementia were evaluated in relation to the patient's Cotard syndrome. Results Mrs. A developed the delusional belief that she was wasting and dying. This occurred after she lost knowledge for her somatic discomforts and sensations and for the organs that were the source of these sensations. Her nihilistic beliefs appeared to emerge from her misunderstanding of her somatic sensations. Conclusion This unique patient suggests that a mechanism for Cotard syndrome is difficulty interpreting the nature and source of internal pains and sensations. We propose that loss of semantic knowledge about one's own body may lead to the delusion of nihilism or death. PMID:22054629

  13. Is drug treatment for dementia followed up in primary care? A Swedish study of dementia clinics and referring primary care centres.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lars Sonde

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: It is largely unknown how the medical treatment of patients diagnosed with dementia is followed up in primary care. Therefore, we studied patient medical records from two dementia clinics and from the referring primary care centres. METHODS: A retrospective study of 241 patients was conducted from April to October 2011 in north west Stockholm, Sweden. Over half (51.5% of the patients had Alzheimer's disease (AD, the remainder had mixed AD/vascular dementia (VaD. Eighty-four medical reports from primary care (35% of the study group were analysed at follow-up 18 months after diagnosis. RESULTS: All four dementia drugs available on the Swedish market (three cholinesterase inhibitors [donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine] and memantine were prescribed at the two dementia clinics. The most commonly used dementia drug was galantamine. There were differences between the two dementia clinics in preference and combination of drugs and of treatment given to male and female patients. At follow-up, 84% were still on dementia medication. Drug use was followed up by the general practitioners (GPs in two-thirds of the cases. Eighteen per cent of the GPs' medical records made no reference to the patient's dementia or treatment even though dementia drugs were included in the list of medications prescribed. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the Swedish guidelines for treatment of cognitive symptoms in AD are being followed in primary care. However, documentation of follow-up of drug treatment was sometimes insufficient, which calls for development of guidelines for complete medical records and medication lists.

  14. Dementia in affective disorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kessing, L V; Olsen, E W; Mortensen, P B

    1999-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate whether patients with affective disorder have increased risk of developing dementia compared to other groups of psychiatric patients and compared to the general population. METHOD: In the Danish psychiatric central register, 3363 patients...... with unipolar affective disorder, 518 patients with bipolar affective disorder, 1025 schizophrenic and 8946 neurotic patients were identified according to the diagnosis at the first ever discharge from psychiatric hospital during the period from 1970 to 1974. The rate of discharge diagnosis of dementia...... on readmission was estimated during 21 years of follow-up. In addition, the rates were compared with the rates for admission to psychiatric hospitals with a discharge diagnosis of dementia for the total Danish population. RESULTS: Patients with unipolar and with bipolar affective disorder had a greater risk...

  15. [Artistic creativity and dementia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sellal, François; Musacchio, Mariano

    2008-03-01

    Artistic creativity can be defined as the ability to produce both innovative and esthetic works. Though most dementias result in a loss of instrumental functions and a deterioration in artistic production, for some established artists, dementia, most often Alzheimer's disease, changed their style and technique but preserved their creativity and prolific artistic drive. Moreover, in some cases, mainly frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson's disease, and very occasionally strokes, the disease may favour the emergence of de novo artistic talent. This phenomenon has been conceptualized as a paradoxical facilitation, a disinhibition of brain areas devoted to visuospatial processing, greater freedom in a patient who becomes less bound by social conventions, enhancement of motivation and pleasure, etc. These neurological cases provide an opportunity to shed some light on the roots of artistic creation.

  16. Depression in dementia: epidemiology, mechanisms, and treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enache, Daniela; Winblad, Bengt; Aarsland, Dag

    2011-11-01

    Depression in people with dementia has important implications, such as reduced quality of life of patients and carers, and is associated with increased costs and reduced cognition. Here, we review recent studies of the epidemiology, course, mechanisms and treatment of depression in people with dementia. Depression is both a risk factor and a prodrome of Alzheimer's disease. Depression is a common occurrence in all types of dementias and at all disease stages, including in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Many studies have explored whether depression in MCI increased the conversion rate to dementia, but findings are inconsistent. Studies of the mechanisms are relatively few and findings inconsistent, but inflammatory, trophic and cerebrovascular factors may contribute, in addition to monoamine deficiency and severity of plaques and tangle pathology. Studies of antidepressants for depression in dementia are inconclusive, with several negative findings reported in recent large studies, suggesting that antidepressant may not confer benefit over placebo. Depression is a common risk factor, prodrome, and accompanying symptom of people with Alzheimer's dementia. The mechanisms are unknown, and there is little evidence of effective therapies.

  17. Depression and Risk of Developing Dementia

    OpenAIRE

    Byers, Amy L.; Yaffe, Kristine

    2011-01-01

    Depression is highly common throughout the life course and dementia is common in late life. The literature suggests an association between depression and dementia, and growing evidence implies that timing of depression may be important to defining the nature of the association. In particular, earlier-life depression or depressive symptoms consistently have been shown to be associated with a 2-fold or greater increase in risk of dementia. In contrast, studies of late-life depression have been ...

  18. Pareidolia in Parkinson's disease without dementia: A positron emission tomography study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uchiyama, Makoto; Nishio, Yoshiyuki; Yokoi, Kayoko; Hosokai, Yoshiyuki; Takeda, Atsushi; Mori, Etsuro

    2015-06-01

    Pareidolia, which is a particular type of complex visual illusion, has been reported to be a phenomenon analogous to visual hallucinations in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies. However, whether pareidolia is observed in Parkinson's disease (PD) or whether there are common underlying mechanisms of these two types of visual misperceptions remains to be elucidated. A test to evoke pareidolia, the Pareidolia test, was administered to 53 patients with PD without dementia and 24 healthy controls. The regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose was measured using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in the PD patients. PD patients without dementia produced a greater number of pareidolic illusions compared with the controls. Pareidolia was observed in all of the patients having visual hallucinations as well as a subset of those without visual hallucinations. The number of pareidolic illusions was correlated with hypometabolism in the bilateral temporal, parietal and occipital cortices. The index of visual hallucinations was correlated with hypometabolism in the left parietal cortex. A region associated with both pareidolia and visual hallucinations was found in the left parietal lobe. Our study suggests that PD patients without dementia experience pareidolia more frequently than healthy controls and that posterior cortical dysfunction could be a common neural mechanism of pareidolia and visual hallucinations. Pareidolia could represent subclinical hallucinations or a predisposition to visual hallucinations in Lewy body disease. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. The pathological basis of dementia in the aged and reliability of computed tomograms in the diagnosis of dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tohgi, Hideo

    1981-01-01

    Pathological findings of demented (89 cases) and non-demented, control subjects (74 cases) in the aged were compared. The reliability of CT in the diagnosis was also studied. 1) Brain weight and the degree of ventricular dilatation were related to dementia, but the degree of convolutional atrophy showed no correlation with dementia. 2) Among various types of cerebrovascular lesions, only diffuse white matter lesions can be the cause of dementia. 3) Cases with dementia were classified into 4 groups as regards to which of cerebrovascular lesions and senile plaques was more prominent histologically. 4) CT evaluations coincided with pathological findings in only 17.9% in the degree of ventricular dilatation and 57.1% in the degree of convolutional atrophy. Ninty-three percent of cases without periventricular lucency did not show diffuse white matter lesions at autopsy, while only 50% of cases with periventricular lucency were confirmed to have diffuse white matter lesions. 5) The degree of ventricular dilatation, conventional atrophy, periventricular lucency, and subarachnoid free space in the cerebral convexity were studied in relation to dementia. The sum of the evaluations of these indices had a significant correlation with dementia. (J.P.N.)

  20. Racial differences in dementia care among nursing home residents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sengupta, Manisha; Decker, Sandra L; Harris-Kojetin, Lauren; Jones, Adrienne

    2012-06-01

    This article aims to describe potential racial differences in dementia care among nursing home residents with dementia. Using data from the 2004 National Nursing Home Survey (NNHS) in regression models, the authors examine whether non-Whites are less likely than Whites to receive special dementia care--defined as receiving special dementia care services or being in a dementia special care unit (SCU)--and whether this difference derives from differences in resident or facility characteristics. The authors find that non-Whites are 4.3 percentage points less likely than Whites to receive special dementia care. The fact that non-Whites are more likely to rely on Medicaid and less likely to pay out of pocket for nursing home care explains part but not all of the difference. Most of the difference is due to the fact that non-Whites reside in facilities that are less likely to have special dementia care services or dementia care units, particularly for-profit facilities and those in the South.

  1. Dementia and the Deaf community: knowledge and service access.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferguson-Coleman, Emma; Keady, John; Young, Alys

    2014-01-01

    This study concerns culturally Deaf people in the United Kingdom who use British Sign Language (BSL). Its objective was to explore how Deaf people's knowledge about dementia and access to services is mediated by their minoritised cultural-linguistic status. Twenty-six members of the Deaf community participated in one of three Deaf-led focus groups in BSL corresponding with the sample of: Deaf people over the age of 60 without dementia; Deaf people aged 18-60 working professional roles unconnected with dementia services; ordinary members of the Deaf community aged 18-60. Data were subjected to a thematic content analysis. Participants' concerns about their poor levels of knowledge and understanding of dementia were augmented by their awareness that without sustained social contact in BSL opportunities for earlier recognition of dementia would be lost. Although primary care services were identified as the first port of call for dementia-related concerns, there was widespread mistrust of their effectiveness because of failures in communication and cultural competence. Confirmed diagnosis of dementia was not viewed as a gateway to services and support because Deaf organisations, dementia-related organisations and mainstream adult services were perceived to be ill-equipped to respond to the needs of Deaf people with dementia. Locating problems of late diagnosis within the Deaf community's poor awareness and knowledge of dementia fails to recognise the structural barriers Deaf people face in timely access to services and accurate recognition of dementia-related changes.

  2. Leisure activities, cognition and dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hui-Xin; Xu, Weili; Pei, Jin-Jing

    2012-03-01

    Accumulated evidence shows that leisure activities have a positive impact on cognitive function and dementia. This review aimed to systematically summarize the current evidence on this topic taking into account the limitations of the studies and biological plausibility for the underlying mechanisms linking cognition, dementia and leisure activities, with special attention on mental, physical and social activities. We included only longitudinal studies, with a follow-up time of at least 2 years, published in English from 1991 to March 2011 on leisure activities and cognition (n=29) or dementia (n=23) and provided some evidence from intervention studies on the topic. A protective effect of mental activity on cognitive function has been consistently reported in both observational and interventional studies. The association of mental activity with the risk of dementia was robust in observational studies but inconsistent in clinical trials. The protective effect of physical activity on the risk of cognitive decline and dementia has been reported in most observational studies, but has been less evident in interventional studies. Current evidence concerning the beneficial effect of other types of leisure activities on the risk of dementia is still limited and results are inconsistent. For future studies it is imperative that the assessment of leisure activities is standardized, for example, the frequency, intensity, duration and the type of activity; and also that the cognitive test batteries and the definition of cognitive decline are harmonized/standardized. Further, well designed studies with long follow-up times are necessary. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Imaging Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative disease. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Pathways to dementia diagnosis among South Asian Canadians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCleary, Lynn; Persaud, Malini; Hum, Susan; Pimlott, Nicholas J G; Cohen, Carole A; Koehn, Sharon; Leung, Karen K; Dalziel, William B; Kozak, Jean; Emerson, Victor F; Silvius, James L; Garcia, Linda; Drummond, Neil

    2013-11-01

    Urban centers are increasingly ethnically diverse. However, some visible minorities are less likely than their majority counterparts to seek and receive services and treatment for dementia. This study explored experiences of South Asian Canadians, Canada's largest visible minority group, prior to dementia diagnosis. Six persons with dementia and eight of their family carers described their early perceptions of dementia-related changes, actions taken, including help seeking and diagnosis, and affective responses. Early signs were attributed to aging or personality. Even after cognitive enhancers were prescribed, some respondents continued to believe that the dementia symptoms were 'normal'. Family carers' affective responses may be related to their attributions. Before seeking medical attention, family carers modified physical or social environments because of symptoms. Help seeking was delayed up to four years, even with significant dementia symptoms. Recognition of a health problem was influenced by safety concerns, emergence of new symptoms following trauma, and treatment for other health problems. For some, relatives living outside the home or outside Canada were instrumental in recognizing a problem and convincing family carers and persons with dementia to seek medical attention. The pathway to diagnosis might be easier with outreach to help South Asian immigrants differentiate between normal aging and dementia. Symptom recognition by physicians treating other acute conditions was a portal to dementia services for others. Screening and referral in acute care could result in earlier diagnosis and treatment.

  4. Cuba's Strategy for Alzheimer Disease and Dementia Syndromes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bosch-Bayard, Rodolfo I; Llibre-Rodríguez, Juan J; Fernández-Seco, Alberto; Borrego-Calzadilla, Carmen; Carrasco-García, Mayra R; Zayas-Llerena, Tania; Moreno-Carbonell, Carmen R; Reymond-Vasconcelos, Ana G

    2016-10-01

    Dementia is a great challenge to public health in Cuba due to its impact on society and families. Cuba's National Intervention Strategy for Alzheimer Disease and Dementia Syndromes is designed to address this challenge. The Strategy includes working guidelines for primary and secondary care, education about rights of people with cognitive impairment, professional development, research, and health promotion and dementia prevention. An associated action plan, focused on primary care, includes proposals for creation of memory clinics, day centers and comprehensive rehabilitation services for cognitive stimulation. Short-term measures proposed include increasing early detection; creating a dementia morbidity and mortality registry; promoting professional training; providing support for families; and promoting basic and clinical research on dementia. Medium-term proposals aim to reduce dementia incidence and mortality by controlling risk factors and promoting healthy lifestyles, offering new treatment options and optimizing early detection. A set of indicators has been developed to evaluate strategy implementation. With this strategy, Cuba joins the small number of developing countries that have responded to WHO's call to improve care for patients with dementia and alleviate its impact on society and families. KEYWORDS Dementia, Alzheimer disease, aging, national health programs, social stigma, primary prevention, health promotion, civil rights, Cuba.

  5. Discovering EEG resting state alterations of semantic dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grieder, Matthias; Koenig, Thomas; Kinoshita, Toshihiko; Utsunomiya, Keita; Wahlund, Lars-Olof; Dierks, Thomas; Nishida, Keiichiro

    2016-05-01

    Diagnosis of semantic dementia relies on cost-intensive MRI or PET, although resting EEG markers of other dementias have been reported. Yet the view still holds that resting EEG in patients with semantic dementia is normal. However, studies using increasingly sophisticated EEG analysis methods have demonstrated that slightest alterations of functional brain states can be detected. We analyzed the common four resting EEG microstates (A, B, C, and D) of 8 patients with semantic dementia in comparison with 8 healthy controls and 8 patients with Alzheimer's disease. Topographical differences between the groups were found in microstate classes B and C, while microstate classes A and D were comparable. The data showed that the semantic dementia group had a peculiar microstate E, but the commonly found microstate C was lacking. Furthermore, the presence of microstate E was significantly correlated with lower MMSE and language scores. Alterations in resting EEG can be found in semantic dementia. Topographical shifts in microstate C might be related to semantic memory deficits. This is the first study that discovered resting state EEG abnormality in semantic dementia. The notion that resting EEG in this dementia subtype is normal has to be revised. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Epidemiology of early-onset dementia: a review of the literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vieira, Renata Teles; Caixeta, Leonardo; Machado, Sergio; Silva, Adriana Cardoso; Nardi, Antonio Egidio; Arias-Carrión, Oscar; Carta, Mauro Giovanni

    2013-01-01

    Presenile Dementia or Early Onset Dementia (EOD) is a public health problem, it differs from Senile Dementia, and encloses a significant number of cases; nevertheless, it is still poorly understood and underdiagnosed. This study aims to review the prevalence and etiology of EOD, comparing EOD with Senile Dementia, as well as to show the main causes of EOD and their prevalence in population and non-population based studies. The computer-supported search used the following databases: Pubmed/Medline, ISI Web of Knowledge and Scielo. The search terms were alcohol-associated dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, Creutzfeldt-jakob disease, dementia with lewy bodies, early onset dementia, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, Huntington’s disease, mixed dementia, neurodegenerative disorders, Parkinson’s disease dementia, presenile dementia, traumatic brain injury, vascular dementia. Only papers published in English and conducted from 1985 up to 2012 were preferentially reviewed. Neurodegenerative diseases are the most common etiologies seen in EOD. Among the general population, the prevalence of EOD was found to range between 0 to 700 per 100.000 habitants in groups of 25-64 years old, with an increasing incidence with age. The progression of EOD was found to range between 8.3 to 22.8 new cases per 100.000 in those aged under 65 years. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the major etiology, followed by Vascular Dementia (VaD) and Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD). A larger number of epidemiological studies to elucidate how environmental issues contribute to EOD are necessary, thus, we can collaborate in the planning and prevention of services toward dementia patients. PMID:23878613

  7. Gender Differences in Dementia Spousal Caregiving

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Minna Maria Pöysti

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The proportion of male caregivers is rapidly increasing. However, there are few large scale studies exploring gender differences in the burden or coping with caregiving. We investigated this among caregivers of patients with dementia. The study cohort consisted of 335 dyads of wife-husband couples from two studies including dementia patients and their spousal caregivers. Baseline mini-mental state examination (MMSE, clinical dementia rating scale (CDR, neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI, cornell depression scale and charlson comorbidity index (CCI were used to describe patients with dementia, Zarit burden scale and geriatric depression scale were used to measure experienced burden and depression of caregivers. Mean age of caregivers was 78 years. There were no differences in depression, satisfaction with life, or loneliness according to caregivers' gender. Male caregivers had more comorbidities than females (CCI 1.9 versus 1.1, P<0.001, and the wives of male caregivers had a more severe stage of dementia than husbands of female caregivers (CDR, P=0.048; MMSE14.0 versus 17.7, P<0.001. However, the mean Zarit burden scale was significantly lower among male than female caregivers (31.5 versus 37.5; P<0.001. Lower education of male caregivers tended to be associated with less experienced burden. In conclusion, male caregivers of dementia experienced lower burden than female caregivers despite care recipients' more severe disease.

  8. Disruption of endocytic trafficking in frontotemporal dementia with CHMP2B mutations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Urwin, Hazel; Authier, Astrid; Nielsen, Jørgen Erik

    2010-01-01

    Mutations in CHMP2B cause frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in a large Danish pedigree, which is termed FTD linked to chromosome 3 (FTD-3), and also in an unrelated familial FTD patient. CHMP2B is a component of the ESCRT-III complex, which is required for function of the multivesicular body (MVB), a...

  9. White matter alterations in neurodegenerative and vascular dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Supprian, T.; Kessler, H.; Falkai, P.; Retz, W.; Roesler, M.; Grunwald, I.; Reith, W.

    2003-01-01

    Due to a significant overlap of the two syndromes, differentiation of degenerative dementia of the Alzheimer-type from vascular dementia may be difficult even when imaging studies are available. White matter changes occur in many patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Little is known about the impact of white matter changes on the course and clinical presentation of Alzheimer's disease. High sensitivity of MRI in the detection of white matter alterations may account for over-diagnosing vascular dementia. The clinical significance of white matter alterations in dementia is still a matter of debate. The article reviews current concepts about the role of white matter alterations in dementia. (orig.) [de

  10. Advance Care Planning in Dementia: Do Family Carers Know the Treatment Preferences of People with Early Dementia?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karen Harrison Dening

    .45; tube feeding; k = 0.20; PABAK = -0.22. However, both PWD and carers showed marked uncertainty about their preferences for end of life treatment choices. Relationship quality, carer distress and burden had no influence on agreement.This study is the first to have used the LSPQ with PWD in the UK to consider treatment options in hypothetical illness scenarios. Key finding are that family carers had a low to moderate agreement with PWD on preferences for end of life treatment. This underscores how planning for care at the end of life is beset with uncertainty, even when the carer and PWD perceive the care-giving/receiving relationship is good. Families affected by dementia may benefit from early and ongoing practical and emotional support to prepare for potential changes and aid decision making in the context of the realities of care towards the end of life.

  11. Evaluating the Association between Diabetes, Cognitive Decline and Dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Omorogieva Ojo

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this article is to review the association between diabetes mellitus, cognitive decline and dementia, including the effects of cognitive decline and dementia on self management of diabetes. This is a literature review of primary research articles. A number of contemporary research articles that met the inclusion criteria were selected for this review paper. These articles were selected using a number of search strategies and electronic databases, such as EBSCOhost Research and SwetsWise databases. The duration of diabetes, glycated haemoglobin levels and glycaemic fluctuations were associated with cognitive decline and dementia. Similarly, hypoglycaemia was significantly related to increased risk of developing cognitive decline and dementia. Furthermore, cognitive decline and dementia were associated with poorer diabetes management. There is evidence of the association between diabetes, cognitive decline and dementia including the shared pathogenesis between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, the self management of diabetes is affected by dementia and cognitive decline. It could be suggested that the association between diabetes and dementia is bidirectional with the potential to proceed to a vicious cycle. Further studies are needed in order to fully establish the relationship between diabetes, cognitive decline and dementia. Patients who have diabetes and dementia could benefit from structured education strategies, which should involve empowerment programmes and lifestyle changes. The detection of cognitive decline should highlight the need for education strategies.

  12. Dementia - keeping safe in the home

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000031.htm Dementia - keeping safe in the home To use the ... make sure the homes of people who have dementia are safe for them. Safety Tips for the ...

  13. Considering sex and gender in Alzheimer disease and other dementias.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Podcasy, Jessica L; Epperson, C Neill

    2016-12-01

    Suffering related to dementia is multifaceted because cognitive and physical functioning slowly deteriorates. Advanced age and sex, two of the most prominent risk factors for dementia, are not modifiable. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, excessive alcohol use, and poor diet modulate susceptibility to dementia in both males and females. The degree to which the resulting health conditions (eg, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease) impact dementia risk varies by sex. Depending on the subtype of dementia, the ratio of male to female prevalence differs. For example, females are at greater risk of developing Alzheimer disease dementia, whereas males are at greater risk of developing vascular dementia. This review examines sex and gender differences in the development of dementia with the goal of highlighting factors that require further investigation. Considering sex as a biological variable in dementia research promises to advance our understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment of these conditions.

  14. Recruitment of Individuals With Dementia and Their Carers for Social Research: Lessons Learned From Nine Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beattie, Elizabeth; Fielding, Elaine; O'Reilly, Maria; Brooks, Deborah; MacAndrew, Margaret; McCrow, Judy

    2018-05-01

    Many health and social care research studies report difficulties recruiting sufficient numbers of participants, adding to time and money expenditures and potentially jeopardizing the generalizability of findings. The current article reports the effectiveness and resource requirements of recruitment strategies used in nine dementia-related studies conducted in Australia. Articles, notices, or advertisements in targeted specialist newsletters were the most cost-effective method of recruitment. The use of service providers to aid recruitment yielded mixed results, but was lengthy in terms of research time. Online and social media were low cost but not reliably effective in terms of recruitment potential. Despite using multiple strategies to maximize recruitment, significant challenges were encountered achieving the required sample sizes; in most cases these challenges resulted in delays in the recruitment phase. Implications for researchers in the fields of dementia and general social/health research are discussed. [Res Gerontol Nurs. 2018; 11(3):119-128.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

  15. Florbetapir F18 PET Amyloid Neuroimaging and Characteristics in Patients With Mild and Moderate Alzheimer Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Degenhardt, Elisabeth K; Witte, Michael M; Case, Michael G; Yu, Peng; Henley, David B; Hochstetler, Helen M; D'Souza, Deborah N; Trzepacz, Paula T

    2016-01-01

    Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer disease (AD) is challenging, with a 70.9%-87.3% sensitivity and 44.3%-70.8% specificity, compared with autopsy diagnosis. Florbetapir F18 positron emission tomography (FBP-PET) estimates beta-amyloid plaque density antemortem. Of 2052 patients (≥55 years old) clinically diagnosed with mild or moderate AD dementia from 2 solanezumab clinical trials, 390 opted to participate in a FBP-PET study addendum. We analyzed baseline prerandomization characteristics. A total of 22.4% had negative FBP-PET scans, whereas 72.5% of mild and 86.9% of moderate AD patients had positive results. No baseline clinical variable reliably differentiated negative from positive FBP-PET scan groups. These data confirm the challenges of correctly diagnosing AD without using biomarkers. FBP-PET can aid AD dementia differential diagnosis by detecting amyloid pathology antemortem, even when the diagnosis of AD is made by expert clinicians. Copyright © 2016 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Dementia and rural nuclear medicine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cowell, S.F.; Davison, A.; Logan-Sinclair, P.; Sturt University, Dubbo, NSW; Greenough, R.

    2003-01-01

    Full text: The rapid increase in dementia is directly related to the growing number of aged people in developed countries, such as Australia. This increase heightens the need for accurate dementia diagnosis to ensure treatment resources are appropriately allocated. However, current diagnostic methods are unable to determine specific dementia types limiting the effectiveness of many care plans. The lack of specialist resources in rural Australian communities presents nuclear medicine with an opportunity to make a significant impact on the management of this disease. This investigation aimed to identify how SPECT perfusion imaging could maximise its role in the management of dementia in a rural New South Wales setting. The study reviewed all Technetium 99m HMPAO SPECT brain studies over a three-year period. This included a medical record audit, review of all diagnostic imaging reports and an analysis of referral patterns. The results of this study provide compelling evidence that, even in a rural setting, brain SPECT, in conjunction with neuropsychological testing, offers high accuracy in determining the presence and type of dementia. In addition, the study found more than 30% of referrers had no training in SPECT, emphasising the importance of ensuring that brain SPECT reports, in a rural setting, educate and specify to referrers the significance and exact disease type found in the study. Copyright (2003) The Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine Inc

  17. Dementia in hereditary cystatin C amyloidosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Blöndal, H; Guomundsson, G; Benedikz, Eirikur

    1989-01-01

    in seventeen cases of whom two presented with dementia. At the last examination the majority had severe dementia and severely abnormal EEG. Anti-cystatin C positive amyloid vascular and perivascular infiltrates were found. The resulting damage to the microvasculature of the brain and secondary hemorrhages......Nineteen cases with verified Hereditary Cystatin C Amyloid Angiopathy are presented. All of the cases had one or more cerebrovascular insults starting at the age of 20-41 years and survived from 10 days to 23 years after the first insult. Progressive dementia was a prominent clinical feature...... and infarctions were considered to be an adequate explanation for the dementia in these cases. Skin biopsies can now probably be used to demonstrate cystatin C positive amyloid deposits conclusively in the tissues of these patients....

  18. Community occupational therapy for people with dementia and family carers (COTiD-UK) versus treatment as usual (Valuing Active Life in Dementia [VALID] programme): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wenborn, Jennifer; Hynes, Sinéad; Moniz-Cook, Esme; Mountain, Gail; Poland, Fiona; King, Michael; Omar, Rumana; Morris, Steven; Vernooij-Dassen, Myrra; Challis, David; Michie, Susan; Russell, Ian; Sackley, Catherine; Graff, Maud; O'Keeffe, Aidan; Crellin, Nadia; Orrell, Martin

    2016-02-03

    A community-based occupational therapy intervention for people with mild to moderate dementia and their family carers (Community Occupational Therapy in Dementia (COTiD)) was found clinically and cost effective in the Netherlands but not in Germany. This highlights the need to adapt and implement complex interventions to specific national contexts. The current trial aims to evaluate the United Kingdom-adapted occupational therapy intervention for people with mild to moderate dementia and their family carers living in the community (COTiD-UK) compared with treatment as usual. This study is a multi-centre, parallel-group, pragmatic randomised trial with internal pilot. We aim to allocate 480 pairs, with each pair comprising a person with mild to moderate dementia and a family carer, who provides at least 4 hours of practical support per week, at random between COTiD-UK and treatment as usual. We shall assess participants at baseline, 12 and 26 weeks, and by telephone at 52 and 78 weeks (first 40% of recruits only) after randomisation. The primary outcome measure is the Bristol Activities of Daily Living Scale (BADLS) at 26 weeks. Secondary outcome measures will include quality of life, mood, and resource use. To assess intervention delivery, and client experience, we shall collect qualitative data via audio recordings of COTiD-UK sessions and conduct semi-structured interviews with pairs and occupational therapists. COTiD-UK is an evidence-based person-centred intervention that reflects the current priority to enable people with dementia to remain in their own homes by improving their capabilities whilst reducing carer burden. If COTiD-UK is clinically and cost effective, this has major implications for the future delivery of dementia services across the UK. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN10748953 Date of registration: 18 September 2014.

  19. Practice development: providing benefits for both managers and older patients with delerium and dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bezzant, Kim

    2008-03-01

    This article describes the ways in which practice development can aid Nurse Managers to enhance both efficiency and effectiveness, focussing particularly on the care of older people with delerium and dementia. Practitioners caring for this group of patients in acute general hospitals need specialist skills, particularly skills in working with the unusual ('challenging') behaviours that these patients often exhibit. These skills are rarely present at the point of registration but practice development techniques can facilitate the acquisition of appropriate skills with resultant benefits for both patients and organization. The study contains an outline of the ways in which a practice development approach can be delivered and appraised: the theories are outlined, strategies for delivery of the techniques are described and methods of evaluation are suggested. These theories and techniques are being applied in a project in Portsmouth called 'Rise to the Challenge', which has the specific aim of improving the care of people with delerium and dementia in an acute hospital setting. This project is currently running and will be evaluated in the summer of 2008.

  20. Tools to Detect Delirium Superimposed on Dementia: A Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morandi, Alessandro; McCurley, Jessica; Vasilevskis, Eduard E.; Fick, Donna M.; Bellelli, Giuseppe; Lee, Patricia; Jackson, James C.; Shenkin, Susan D.; Trabucchi, Marco; Schnelle, John; Inouye, Sharon K.; Ely, Wesley E.; MacLullich, Alasdair

    2012-01-01

    Background Delirium commonly occurs in patients with dementia. Though several tools for detecting delirium exist, it is unclear which are valid in patients with delirium superimposed on dementia. Objectives Identify valid tools to diagnose delirium superimposed on dementia Design We performed a systematic review of studies of delirium tools, which explicitly included patients with dementia. Setting In-hospital patients Participants Studies were included if delirium assessment tools were validated against standard criteria, and the presence of dementia was assessed according to standard criteria that used validated instruments. Measurements PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched for articles in English published between January 1960 and January 2012. Results Nine studies fulfilled the selection criteria. Of the total of 1569 patients, 401 had dementia, and 50 had delirium superimposed on dementia. Six delirium tools were evaluated. One studyusing the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) with 85% patients with dementia showed a high specificity (96–100%) and moderate sensitivity (77%).Two intensive care unit studies that used the CAM for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU) ICU reported 100% sensitivity and specificity for delirium among 23 dementia patients. One study using electroencephalography reported a sensitivity of 67% and a specificity of 91% among a population with 100% prevalence of dementia. No studies examined potential effects of dementia severity or subtype upon diagnostic accuracy. Conclusions The evidence base on tools for detection of delirium superimposed on dementia is limited, although some existing tools show promise. Further studies of existing or refined tools with larger samples and more detailed characterization of dementia are now required to address the identification of delirium superimposed on dementia. PMID:23039270

  1. Functional neuroimaging of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Ruimin

    2001-01-01

    Dementing illnesses comprise Alzheimer's disease (AD), Pick's disease, Multi-infarct dementia (MID) and other neurological disorders. These diseases have different clinical characters respectively. Neuropsychological examinations can help to diagnose and differential diagnose dementias. The development of neuroimaging dementias is more and more rapid. 18 F-FDG PET method shows neo-cortical hypometabolism occurring in the biparietal-temporal lobes and left-right asymmetry of AD patients in the early stage. It can also differential diagnose Ad from other dementias

  2. Experience of anaesthesia nurses of perioperative communication in hip fracture patients with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krupic, Ferid; Eisler, Thomas; Sköldenberg, Olof; Fatahi, Nabi

    2016-03-01

    Perioperative care in hip fracture patients with dementia can be complex. There is currently little scientific evidence on how care should be undertaken. The aim of the study was to describe the experience of anaesthesia nurses of the difficulties that emerge in care situations and how communication with patients can be maintained in the perioperative setting of hip fracture surgery. Individual interviews were conducted with ten anaesthesia nurses (5 men and 5 women). The interviews were carried out at a university hospital in Gothenburg (Sweden), and the data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Three main response categories were discerned: 'Communication', 'Dementia as a special issue' and 'Practical issues'. Dementia was viewed as one of the most difficult and shifting diseases an individual may suffer from. Time must be allocated to communicate clearly and patiently, to meticulously plan and carry out care while providing distinct information to enable patient participation. Establishing a mental bridgehead by confirming the patients' perceptions/feelings significantly reduced distress in a majority of the patients. A holistic and respectful approach was deemed mandatory at all times. Patients are sometimes dependent on recognition, so that small personal items brought close to the patient during surgery can calm the patient. State-of-the-art analgesia and anxiolytic medications are mandatory. Perioperative problems can be overcome with patience, empathy and profound knowledge of how patients with dementia respond prior to surgery. Our results may serve as a source for future care and provide information about hospital settings for better perioperative care in patients with dementia. © 2015 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  3. A new self-rating questionnaire for dementia screening

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jin WANG

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Background The AD8 plays an important role in the early diagnosis of dementia. However, because of cultural and language difference, it is difficult for Chinese subjects to understand and answer questions in AD8. This paper aims to make a new dementia self-rating questionnaire for Chinese people based on the AD8, and to determine its value for dementia screening.  Methods According to early symptoms of dementia and life style of old Chinese people, a dementia self-rating questionnaire was made based on the AD8. The new questionnaire includes 10 questions, and can be finished in 3 min. The reliability and validity was validated by a questionnaire survey in senior citizens older than 50 years in urban Xi'an. All patients were screened by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE and dementia was diagnosed according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Forth Edition (DSM-Ⅳ criteria.  Results A total of 620 patients finished the new questionnaire, and among them 17 patients (2.74% were diagnosed as dementia. The score of each question in the questionnaire was positively correlated with the total score (rs = 0.300-0.709; P = 0.000, for all. The Cronbach α was 0.795, indicating that the questionnaire got good internal consistency reliability. Two principal components were extracted, and the cumulative variance contribution ratio was 49.771%. Factor loading of each subitem was > 0.500, indicating a good construct validity. According to receiver operating characteristic (ROC curve, the critical value was 2, with the sensitivity 94.10% and specificity 82.10%. Youden index was 0.762.  Conclusions The new dementia self-rating questionnaire can detect dementia patients sensitively and correctly, and is very useful for early screening of dementia. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2015.07.009

  4. Reversal of pathology in CHMP2B-mediated frontotemporal dementia patient cells using RNA interference

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Troels Tolstrup; Mizielinska, Sarah; Hasholt, Lis

    2012-01-01

    role in the pathogenesis of the disease. METHODS: In the present study, we used lentiviral vectors to efficiently knockdown CHMP2B by delivering microRNA embedded small hairpin RNAs. RESULTS: We show that CHMP2B can be efficiently knocked down in patient fibroblasts using an RNA interference approach......BACKGROUND: Frontotemporal dementia is the second most common form of young-onset dementia after Alzheimer's disease, and several genetic forms of frontotemporal dementia are known. A rare genetic variant is caused by a point mutation in the CHMP2B gene. CHMP2B is a component of the ESCRT......-III complex, which is involved in endosomal trafficking of proteins targeted for degradation in lysosomes. Mutations in CHMP2B result in abnormal endosomal structures in patient fibroblasts and patient brains, probably through a gain-of-function mechanism, suggesting that the endosomal pathway plays a central...

  5. Perspectives of policy and political decision makers on access to formal dementia care: expert interviews in eight European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broda, Anja; Bieber, Anja; Meyer, Gabriele; Hopper, Louise; Joyce, Rachael; Irving, Kate; Zanetti, Orazio; Portolani, Elisa; Kerpershoek, Liselot; Verhey, Frans; Vugt, Marjolein de; Wolfs, Claire; Eriksen, Siren; Røsvik, Janne; Marques, Maria J; Gonçalves-Pereira, Manuel; Sjölund, Britt-Marie; Woods, Bob; Jelley, Hannah; Orrell, Martin; Stephan, Astrid

    2017-08-03

    As part of the ActifCare (ACcess to Timely Formal Care) project, we conducted expert interviews in eight European countries with policy and political decision makers, or representatives of relevant institutions, to determine their perspectives on access to formal care for people with dementia and their carers. Each ActifCare country (Germany, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, United Kingdom) conducted semi-structured interviews with 4-7 experts (total N = 38). The interview guide addressed the topics "Complexity and Continuity of Care", "Formal Services", and "Public Awareness". Country-specific analysis of interview transcripts used an inductive qualitative content analysis. Cross-national synthesis focused on similarities in themes across the ActifCare countries. The analysis revealed ten common themes and two additional sub-themes across countries. Among others, the experts highlighted the need for a coordinating role and the necessity of information to address issues of complexity and continuity of care, demanded person-centred, tailored, and multidisciplinary formal services, and referred to education, mass media and campaigns as means to raise public awareness. Policy and political decision makers appear well acquainted with current discussions among both researchers and practitioners of possible approaches to improve access to dementia care. Experts described pragmatic, realistic strategies to influence dementia care. Suggested innovations concerned how to achieve improved dementia care, rather than transforming the nature of the services provided. Knowledge gained in these expert interviews may be useful to national decision makers when they consider reshaping the organisation of dementia care, and may thus help to develop best-practice strategies and recommendations.

  6. Prevalence of dementia in urban and regional Aboriginal Australians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radford, Kylie; Mack, Holly A; Draper, Brian; Chalkley, Simon; Daylight, Gail; Cumming, Robert; Bennett, Hayley; Delbaere, Kim; Broe, Gerald A

    2015-03-01

    This study aimed to determine the prevalence of dementia in collaboration with urban/regional Aboriginal communities. A census of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women aged 60 years and above in the target communities identified 546 potential participants, with 336 (61.5%) participating in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed a structured interview and cognitive screening tests. One hundred fifty-three participants also completed a detailed medical assessment. Assessment data were reviewed by a panel of clinicians who determined a diagnosis of dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) according to standard criteria. Crude prevalence of dementia was 13.4%, and age-standardized prevalence was 21.0%. The most common types of dementia were Alzheimer's dementia (44%) and mixed dementia diagnoses (29%). Estimated prevalence of MCI was 17.7%. Consistent with previous findings in a remote population, urban and regional Aboriginal Australians face high rates of dementia at younger ages, most commonly Alzheimer's dementia. Copyright © 2015 The Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Is tube feeding futile in advanced dementia?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lynch, Matthew C.

    2016-01-01

    It is controversial whether tube feeding in people with dementia improves nutritional status or prolongs survival. Guidelines published by several professional societies cite observational studies that have shown no benefit and conclude that tube feeding in patients with advanced dementia should be avoided. However, all studies on tube feeding in dementia have major methodological flaws that invalidate their findings. The present evidence is not sufficient to justify general guidelines. Patients with advanced dementia represent a very heterogeneous group, and evidence demonstrates that some patients with dementia benefit from tube feeding. However, presently available guidelines make a single recommendation against tube feeding for all patients. Clinicians, patients, and surrogates should be aware that the guidelines and prior commentary on this topic tend both to overestimate the strength of evidence for futility and to exaggerate the burdens of tube feeding. Shared decision making requires accurate information tailored to the individual patient's particular situation, not blanket guidelines based on flawed data. Lay Summary: Many doctors believe that tube feeding does not help people with advanced dementia. Scientific studies suggest that people with dementia who have feeding tubes do not live longer or gain weight compared with those who are carefully hand fed. However, these studies are not very helpful because of flaws in design, which are discussed in this article. Guidelines from professional societies make a blanket recommendation against feeding tubes for anyone with dementia, but an individual approach that takes each person's situation into account seems more appropriate. Patients and surrogates should be aware that the guidelines on this topic tend both to underestimate the benefit and exaggerate the burdens of tube feeding. PMID:27833208

  8. Considering sex and gender in Alzheimer disease and other dementias

    Science.gov (United States)

    Podcasy, Jessica L.; Epperson, C. Neill

    2016-01-01

    Suffering related to dementia is multifaceted because cognitive and physical functioning slowly deteriorates. Advanced age and sex, two of the most prominent risk factors for dementia, are not modifiable. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, excessive alcohol use, and poor diet modulate susceptibility to dementia in both males and females. The degree to which the resulting health conditions (eg, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease) impact dementia risk varies by sex. Depending on the subtype of dementia, the ratio of male to female prevalence differs. For example, females are at greater risk of developing Alzheimer disease dementia, whereas males are at greater risk of developing vascular dementia. This review examines sex and gender differences in the development of dementia with the goal of highlighting factors that require further investigation. Considering sex as a biological variable in dementia research promises to advance our understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment of these conditions. PMID:28179815

  9. Cognitive correlates of α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in mild Alzheimer's dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabri, Osama; Meyer, Philipp M; Gräf, Susanne; Hesse, Swen; Wilke, Stephan; Becker, Georg-Alexander; Rullmann, Michael; Patt, Marianne; Luthardt, Julia; Wagenknecht, Gudrun; Hoepping, Alexander; Smits, Rene; Franke, Annegret; Sattler, Bernhard; Tiepolt, Solveig; Fischer, Steffen; Deuther-Conrad, Winnie; Hegerl, Ulrich; Barthel, Henryk; Schönknecht, Peter; Brust, Peter

    2018-06-01

    In early Alzheimer's dementia, there is a need for PET biomarkers of disease progression with close associations to cognitive dysfunction that may aid to predict further cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. Amyloid biomarkers are not suitable for that purpose. The α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α4β2-nAChRs) are widely abundant in the human brain. As neuromodulators they play an important role in cognitive functions such as attention, learning and memory. Post-mortem studies reported lower expression of α4β2-nAChRs in more advanced Alzheimer's dementia. However, there is ongoing controversy whether α4β2-nAChRs are reduced in early Alzheimer's dementia. Therefore, using the recently developed α4β2-nAChR-specific radioligand (-)-18F-flubatine and PET, we aimed to quantify the α4β2-nAChR availability and its relationship to specific cognitive dysfunction in mild Alzheimer's dementia. Fourteen non-smoking patients with mild Alzheimer's dementia, drug-naïve for cholinesterase therapy, were compared with 15 non-smoking healthy controls matched for age, sex and education by applying (-)-18F-flubatine PET together with a neuropsychological test battery. The one-tissue compartment model and Logan plot method with arterial input function were used for kinetic analysis to obtain the total distribution volume (VT) as the primary, and the specific binding part of the distribution volume (VS) as the secondary quantitative outcome measure of α4β2-nAChR availability. VS was determined by using a pseudo-reference region. Correlations between VT within relevant brain regions and Z-scores of five cognitive functions (episodic memory, executive function/working memory, attention, language, visuospatial function) were calculated. VT (and VS) were applied for between-group comparisons. Volume of interest and statistical parametric mapping analyses were carried out. Analyses revealed that in patients with mild Alzheimer's dementia compared to healthy controls

  10. Advanced MR Neuroimaging in Early Stage Presenile Dementia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    R.M.E. Steketee (Rebecca)

    2016-01-01

    markdownabstractDementia is a syndrome affecting cognitive functions and behavior, with an overwhelming impact on both patients and caregivers. An estimated number of 35.6 million patients suffers from dementia, with a subset affected before the age of 65 years, i.e. presenile dementia. Establishing

  11. Leisure activities and the risk of dementia in the elderly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verghese, Joe; Lipton, Richard B; Katz, Mindy J; Hall, Charles B; Derby, Carol A; Kuslansky, Gail; Ambrose, Anne F; Sliwinski, Martin; Buschke, Herman

    2003-06-19

    Participation in leisure activities has been associated with a lower risk of dementia. It is unclear whether increased participation in leisure activities lowers the risk of dementia or participation in leisure activities declines during the preclinical phase of dementia. We examined the relation between leisure activities and the risk of dementia in a prospective cohort of 469 subjects older than 75 years of age who resided in the community and did not have dementia at base line. We examined the frequency of participation in leisure activities at enrollment and derived cognitive-activity and physical-activity scales in which the units of measure were activity-days per week. Cox proportional-hazards analysis was used to evaluate the risk of dementia according to the base-line level of participation in leisure activities, with adjustment for age, sex, educational level, presence or absence of chronic medical illnesses, and base-line cognitive status. Over a median follow-up period of 5.1 years, dementia developed in 124 subjects (Alzheimer's disease in 61 subjects, vascular dementia in 30, mixed dementia in 25, and other types of dementia in 8). Among leisure activities, reading, playing board games, playing musical instruments, and dancing were associated with a reduced risk of dementia. A one-point increment in the cognitive-activity score was significantly associated with a reduced risk of dementia (hazard ratio, 0.93 [95 percent confidence interval, 0.90 to 0.97]), but a one-point increment in the physical-activity score was not (hazard ratio, 1.00). The association with the cognitive-activity score persisted after the exclusion of the subjects with possible preclinical dementia at base line. Results were similar for Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. In linear mixed models, increased participation in cognitive activities at base line was associated with reduced rates of decline in memory. Participation in leisure activities is associated with a reduced

  12. Distinct perfusion patterns in Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Binnewijzend, Maja A.A.; Wattjes, Mike P.; Berckel, Bart N.M. van; Barkhof, Frederik; Kuijer, Joost P.A.; Flier, Wiesje M. van der; Benedictus, Marije R.; Moeller, Christiane M.; Pijnenburg, Yolande A.L.; Lemstra, Afina W.; Prins, Niels D.; Scheltens, Philip

    2014-01-01

    To compare pseudo-continuous arterial spin-labelled (PCASL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measured quantitative cerebral blood flow (CBF) of patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), Alzheimer's disease (AD) and controls, in a region of interest (ROI) and voxel-wise fashion. We analysed whole-brain 3D fast-spin-echo PCASL images of 20 FTD patients, 14 DLB patients, 48 AD patients and 50 controls from the Amsterdam Dementia Cohort. Regional CBF patterns were compared using analyses of variance for repeated measures. Permutation tests were used for voxel-wise comparisons. Analyses were performed using uncorrected and partial volume corrected (PVC) maps. All analyses were corrected for age and sex. There was an interaction between diagnosis and region (p < 0.001), implying differences in regional CBF changes between diagnostic groups. In AD patients, CBF was decreased in all supratentorial regions, most prominently so in the posterior regions. DLB patients showed lowest CBF values throughout the brain, but temporal CBF was preserved. Supratentorial PVC cortical CBF values were lowest in the frontal lobes in FTD patients, and in the temporal lobes in AD patients. Patients with AD, FTD and DLB display distinct patterns of quantitative regional CBF changes. 3D-PCASL may provide additional value in the workup of dementia patients. (orig.)

  13. Family caregivers’ role implementation at different stages of dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Huei-Ling; Shyu, Yea-Ing L; Chen, Min-Chi; Huang, Chin-Chang; Kuo, Hung-Chou; Chen, Sien-Tsong; Hsu, Wen-Chuin

    2015-01-01

    Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore family caregivers’ role-implementation experiences at different stages of dementia. Patients and methods For this cross-sectional, exploratory study, 176 dyads of family caregivers and their community-dwelling elderly relatives with dementia were recruited from the neurological clinics of a medical center in Taiwan. The Family Caregiving Inventory was used to assess family caregivers for caregiving activities, role strain, role preparation, and help from others at different stages of care receivers’ dementia. Results Family caregivers’ caregiving activities were related to patients’ stages of dementia. For patients with mild dementia, caregivers provided more assistance in transportation and housekeeping. In addition to these two activities, family caregivers of patients with moderate dementia provided more assistance with mobility and protection. For patients with severe dementia, family caregivers provided more assistance with personal care, mobility and protection, transportation, and housekeeping. Overall, family caregivers reported having some preparation to provide care; the most difficult caregiving activity was identified as managing behavioral problems. Conclusion This study’s results provide a knowledge base for designing dementia stage-specific interventions in clinical practice and developing community-based, long-term care systems for families of patients with dementia. PMID:25584022

  14. Memantine for dementia?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2003-10-01

    Memantine (Ebixa--Lundbeck Ltd), an oral medicine, is available in the UK for treating "patients with moderately severe to severe Alzheimer's disease". It differs from other licensed dementia medicines in that it is an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist. The company has claimed that, with memantine therapy, "improvements in activities of daily living help patients to maintain a degree of independence and be easier to care for, potentially avoiding the need for nursing home care". We assess the efficacy of memantine for dementia and discuss its place in the management of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

  15. A Dementia Case Presenting with Psychotic Symptoms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Osman Ozdemir

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Dementia is a progressive clinical syndrome in which affected areas of brain function may be affected, such as memory, language, abstract thinking, problem solving and attention. Psychotic symptoms include auditory and visual hallucinations and delusions, which usually occur in the dementia. In this paper, a dementia case presenting with psychotic symptoms is presented. [Cukurova Med J 2013; 38(3.000: 482-486

  16. Validity of dementia diagnoses in the danish hospital registers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Phung, T.K.T.; Andersen, B.B.; Phung, T.K.T.

    2007-01-01

    Background:The validity of dementia diagnoses in the Danish nationwide hospital registers was evaluated to determine the value of these registers in epidemiological research about dementia. Methods: Two hundred patients were randomly selected from 4,682 patients registered for the first time...... with a dementia diagnosis in the last 6 months of 2003. The patients' medical journals were reviewed to evaluate if they fulfilled ICD-10 and/or DSM-IV criteria for dementia and specific dementia subtypes. The patients who were still alive in 2006 were invited to an interview. Results: One hundred and ninety......-seven journals were available for review and 51 patients were interviewed. A registered diagnosis of dementia was found to be correct in 169 (85.8%) cases. Regarding dementia subtypes, the degree of agreement between the registers and the results of the validating process was low with a kappa of 0.36 (95% CI 0...

  17. The therapeutic use of doll therapy in dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Gary; O'Donnell, Hugh

    Over the next 15 years, the number of people with dementia in the UK will increase significantly. There are clear limitations associated with the sole use of pharmacological interventions to address the cognitive decline and related problems that people with dementia and their carers will experience. As a result, health professionals, including nurses, need to consider the development and use of nonpharmacological therapies to help resolve the distress and decline in social function that people with dementia can experience. The use of doll therapy in dementia care appears to be increasing, even though there is limited empirical evidence to support its use and therapeutic effectiveness. It is suggested by advocates of doll therapy that its use can alleviate distress and promote comfort in some people with dementia. Despite these encouraging claims, the theoretical basis for the use of doll therapy in dementia is poorly understood and morally questionable. The purpose of this article is to provide healthcare professionals with a succinct overview of the theory behind the therapeutic use of dolls for people with dementia, a presentation and appraisal of the available empirical evidence and an appreciation of the potential ethical dilemmas that are involved.

  18. Who Is Responsible? A Man With Dementia Wanders From Home, Is Hit by a Train, and Dies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Yuchi; Papenkov, Maksim; Nakashima, Taeko

    2018-07-01

    The impact of dementia and Alzheimer's disease extends far beyond the healthcare needs of the person with dementia. As the disease progresses, individuals with dementia often require ongoing formal or informal care for their basic daily routine because of behavior changes and continuing loss of cognitive function. Most of the care for people with dementia takes place at home, and the unpaid, informal caregivers are often spouses or other relatives. Providing long-term informal care at home for someone with dementia is psychologically, physically, and financially draining. The tragedy described in this case elucidates the far-reaching societal impact of dementia care and the implicit health policy considerations. In 2007, a 91-year-old Japanese man with dementia was in the care of his wife when he wandered from home, was hit by a train, and died, immediately affecting the Central Japan Railway Company operations and, subsequently, legal practice as well as Japanese elder care policy. The railway sued the man's wife and son for negligence and lost revenue, winning both trials at the local and district courts. This ruling shocked families and caregivers in Japan, where care for elderly parents traditionally falls on the oldest son, and brought attention to the complex issues related to dementia care. A decade later, we revisit this case to provoke a renewed dialogue about the matrix of responsibilities and liabilities associated with caregiving; to illuminate the unmet needs of the person with dementia, as well as his or her informal caregivers; and the financial implications related to long-term care policy. We close with 2 practical suggestions which preserve the dignity of the individual and provide reassurance for caregivers. Copyright © 2018 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Comparative cardiovascular safety of dementia medications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fosbøl, Emil L; Peterson, Eric D; Holm, Ellen

    2012-01-01

    To compare the cardiovascular safety of currently marketed dementia medications in new users in the United States and Denmark.......To compare the cardiovascular safety of currently marketed dementia medications in new users in the United States and Denmark....

  20. [Investigation of Genetic Etiology in Neurodegenerative Dementias: Recommendations from the Centro Hospitalar São João Neurogenetics Group].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Massano, João; Leão, Miguel; Garrett, Carolina

    2016-10-01

    In the past few years several gene mutations have been identified as causative of the most frequent neurodegenerative dementias (Alzheimer disease and frontotemporal dementia). These advances, along with the complex phenotype-genotype relationships and the costs associated with genetic testing, have often made it difficult for clinicians to decide with regard to a rational plan for the investigation of the genetic etiology of the degenerative dementias. The Centro Hospitalar São João Neurogenetics Group, a multidisciplinary team of Neurologists and Geneticists with special interest in neurogenetic disorders, devised consensus recommendations for the investigation of the genetic etiology of Alzheimer disease and frontotemporal dementia in clinical practice, based on international consensus documents (currently containing partly outdated information) and published scientific evidence on this topic. Alzheimer disease may be caused by mutations in PSEN1, PSEN2 and APP. APOE genotyping is not recommended for the diagnostic or genetic counseling purposes in Alzheimer disease. Frontotemporal dementia may be caused by mutations in several genes such as c9orf72, PGRN, MAPT, TBK1, VCP, SQSTM1, and UBQLN2. This paper pragmatically approaches the process of genetic diagnosis in Alzheimer disease and frontotemporal dementia, with specific recommendations for both disorders.

  1. Dementia as a predictor of mortality in adult trauma patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jordan, Benjamin C; Brungardt, Joseph; Reyes, Jared; Helmer, Stephen D; Haan, James M

    2018-01-01

    The specific contribution of dementia towards mortality in trauma patients is not well defined. The purpose of the study was to evaluate dementia as a predictor of mortality in trauma patients when compared to case-matched controls. A 5-year retrospective review was conducted of adult trauma patients with a diagnosis of dementia at an American College of Surgeons-verified level I trauma center. Patients with dementia were matched with non-dementia patients and compared on mortality, ICU length of stay, and hospital length of stay. A total of 195 patients with dementia were matched to non-dementia controls. Comorbidities and complications (11.8% vs 12.4%) were comparable between both groups. Dementia patients spent fewer days on the ventilator (1 vs 4.5, P = 0.031). The length of ICU stay (2 days), hospital length of stay (3 days), and mortality (5.1%) were the same for both groups (P > 0.05). Dementia does not appear to increase the risk of mortality in trauma patients. Further studies should examine post-discharge outcomes in dementia patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Spousal caregivers and persons with dementia: Increasing participation in shared leisure activities among hospital-based dementia support program participants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiLauro, Michelle; Pereira, Amanda; Carr, Jennifer; Chiu, Mary; Wesson, Virginia

    2015-02-20

    Spousal caregivers of persons with dementia often have difficulty engaging persons with dementia in leisure activities. This qualitative descriptive study identifies how caregivers perceive their spouses' participation in leisure activities since dementia onset and the professional guidance caregivers require to increase persons with dementia participation in shared leisure activities. Nine spousal caregivers from a hospital-based caregiver intervention attended one of three focus groups. Using symbolic interactionism and selective optimization with compensation theory as guiding frameworks, thematic content analysis was performed. Three major themes were identified: Recognizing and acknowledging changes, Making sense of changes and conflicts, and Embracing changes and forging ahead. Findings can be used by healthcare providers to better understand caregivers' needs for engaging persons with dementia in shared leisure activities, and inform development of feedback protocols to enhance caregiver interventions. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  3. Factors associated with dementia in Aboriginal Australians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Kate; Flicker, Leon; Dwyer, Anna; Atkinson, David; Almeida, Osvaldo P; Lautenschlager, Nicola T; LoGiudice, Dina

    2010-10-01

    Although the prevalence of dementia in remote living Aboriginal Australians is one of the highest in the world, the factors associated with dementia in this population are yet to be examined. This study was designed to determine the demographic, lifestyle and clinical factors associated with dementia in Aboriginal Australians living in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. A total of 363 Aboriginal Australians aged over 45 years from the Kimberley region were selected by semi-purposeful sampling. The factors analysed for association with dementia were age, sex, education, smoking, chewing tobacco, alcohol, head injury, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, previous stroke, epilepsy, falls, mobility, incontinence, urinary problems, vision and hearing. This exposure data was collected from participants' and informants' reports using the Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment and specialist review, and medical records. Factors associated with dementia included older age, male gender (OR 3.1, 95%CI 1.4, 6.8) and no formal education (OR 2.7, 95%CI 1.1, 6.7) and after adjusting for age, sex and education, dementia was associated with current smoking (OR 4.5, 95%CI 1.1, 18.6), previous stroke (OR 17.9, 95%CI 5.9, 49.7), epilepsy (OR 33.5, 95%CI 4.8, 232.3), head injury (OR 4.0, 95%CI 1.7, 9.4), and poor mobility, incontinence and falls. Interventions aimed at better management or prevention of the modifiable factors identified could reduce dementia risk in Aboriginal populations.

  4. Citizenship and people living with dementia: A case for the ethics of care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brannelly, Tula

    2016-05-01

    The ethics of care is an emerging field of interest in many disciplines, including care for people with dementia. The ethics of care as proposed by Joan Tronto is a political argument for care together with a set of principles, the integrity of care, to guide and critique practice. This two-pronged approach enables on one hand, a political, complex and situated examination of inequality, and on the other hand the integrity of care provides a set of principles to guide inclusive citizenship practices. This approach has the significant advantage of recognition of the fight that people with dementia face to achieve rights and citizenship as an issue of social justice. In this paper, three challenges to citizenship are discussed in relation to people with dementia using an ethics of care lens: (a) citizenship as a relationship between the individual and the state; (b) citizenship as a practice and (c) citizenship as identity and belonging. I propose that citizenship can be achieved by promoting inclusion in defining and creating policy, research and practice. © The Author(s) 2016.

  5. Using sense-making theory to aid understanding of the recognition, assessment and management of pain in patients with dementia in acute hospital settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dowding, Dawn; Lichtner, Valentina; Allcock, Nick; Briggs, Michelle; James, Kirstin; Keady, John; Lasrado, Reena; Sampson, Elizabeth L; Swarbrick, Caroline; José Closs, S

    2016-01-01

    The recognition, assessment and management of pain in hospital settings is suboptimal, and is a particular challenge in patients with dementia. The existing process guiding pain assessment and management in clinical settings is based on the assumption that nurses follow a sequential linear approach to decision making. In this paper we re-evaluate this theoretical assumption drawing on findings from a study of pain recognition, assessment and management in patients with dementia. To provide a revised conceptual model of pain recognition, assessment and management based on sense-making theories of decision making. The research we refer to is an exploratory ethnographic study using nested case sites. Patients with dementia (n=31) were the unit of data collection, nested in 11 wards (vascular, continuing care, stroke rehabilitation, orthopaedic, acute medicine, care of the elderly, elective and emergency surgery), located in four NHS hospital organizations in the UK. Data consisted of observations of patients at bedside (170h in total); observations of the context of care; audits of patient hospital records; documentary analysis of artefacts; semi-structured interviews (n=56) and informal open conversations with staff and carers (family members). Existing conceptualizations of pain recognition, assessment and management do not fully explain how the decision process occurs in clinical practice. Our research indicates that pain recognition, assessment and management is not an individual cognitive activity; rather it is carried out by groups of individuals over time and within a specific organizational culture or climate, which influences both health care professional and patient behaviour. We propose a revised theoretical model of decision making related to pain assessment and management for patients with dementia based on theories of sense-making, which is reflective of the reality of clinical decision making in acute hospital wards. The revised model recognizes the

  6. Dementia - what to ask your doctor

    Science.gov (United States)

    What to ask your doctor about dementia; Alzheimer disease - what to ask your doctor; Cognitive impairment - what to ask your doctor ... Alzheimer's Association. Dementia Care Practice Recommendations ... in a Home Setting. Updated 2009. Alz.org. www.alz.org/national/ ...

  7. Identifying risk for dementia across populations: A study on the prevalence of dementia in tribal elderly population of Himalayan region in Northern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sunil Kumar Raina

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Studies have suggested that dementia is differentially distributed across populations with a lower prevalence in developing regions than the developed ones. A comparison in the prevalence of dementia across populations may provide an insight into its risk factors. Keeping this in view, a study was planned to evaluate the prevalence of dementia in tribal elderly population. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional comprehensive two-phase survey of all residents aged 60 years and older was conducted. Phase one involved screening of all individuals aged 60 and above with the help of a cognitive screen specifically developed for the tribal population. Phase two involved clinical examination of individuals who were suspected of dementia as per the developed cognitive screening test. Results: The results revealed that no individual above 60 years of age in the studied population was diagnosed as a case of dementia. Thereby, pointing out at some unknown factors, which are responsible for prevention of dementia. Discussion: The differences between the prevalence rate in this study and other studies in India appear to be a function of a valid regional difference. Environmental, phenotypic and genetic factors may contribute to regional and racial variations in dementia. Societies living in isolated hilly and tribal areas seem less predisposed to dementia, particularly age related neurodegenerative and vascular dementia, which are the most common causes for dementia in elderly. This may be because some environmental risk factors are much less prevalent in these settings.

  8. The advance care planning experiences of people with dementia, family caregivers and professionals: a synthesis of the qualitative literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryan, Tony; Amen, Karwan M; McKeown, Jane

    2017-10-01

    There exists compelling evidence that advance care planning (ACP) remains a key factor in the delivery of appropriate end of life care and facilitates the timely transition to palliative care for people with dementia. Take up of ACP within the dementia population is low, especially when compared with other conditions. Quantitative research has helped in identifying some of the key factors in enabling or inhibiting the use of ACP within the dementia population. Qualitative research can, however, shed further light upon the experiences of all. We carried out a search of the qualitative literature addressing the ACP experiences of people with dementia, family caregivers and professionals. An approach to qualitative synthesis involving coding of original text, developing descriptive themes and generating analytical themes was utilized. We identified five papers and subsequently five analytical themes: breadth and scope of future planning; challenges to ACP; postponing ACP; confidence in systems and making ACP happen for people with dementia. The synthesized findings shed light on the ongoing challenges of the use and further development of ACP in the population of people with dementia. In particular attention is drawn to the difficulties in the timing of ACP and the preference for informal approaches to planning within the families of people affected by dementia. The ACP capacity of the workforce is also addressed. The paper reveals considerable complexity in undertaking ACP in a context of dementia. It is suggested that the preference for informal approaches and the timing of initial conversations be considered and that the skills of those involved in initiating discussions should be given primacy.

  9. PET studies in dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Herholz, K.

    2003-01-01

    Measurement of local cerebral glucose metabolism (lCMRGlc) by positron emission tomography (PET) and 18 F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) has become a standard technique during the past 20 years and is now available at many university hospitals in all highly developed countries. Many studies have documented a close relation between lCMRGlc and localized cognitive functions, such as language and visuoconstructive abilities. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by regional impairment of cerebral glucose metabolism in neocortical association areas (posterior cingulate, temporoparietal and frontal multimodal association cortex), whereas primary visual and sensorimotor cortex, basal ganglia, and cerebellum are relatively well preserved. In a multicenter study comprising 10 PET centers (Network for Efficiency and Standardization of Dementia Diagnosis, NEST-DD) that employed an automated voxel-based analysis of FDG PET images, the distinction between controls and AD patients was 93% sensitive and 93% specific, and even in very mild dementia (at Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) 24 or higher) sensitivity was still 84% at 93% specificity. Significantly abnormal metabolism in mild cognitive deficit (MCI) indicates a high risk to develop dementia within the next two years. Reduced neocortical glucose metabolism can probably be detected with FDG PET in AD on average one year before onset of subjective cognitive impairment. In addition to glucose metabolism, specific tracers for dopamine synthesis ( 18 F-F-DOPA) and for ( 11 C-MP4A) are of interest for differentiation among dementia subtypes. Cortical acetylcholine esterase activity (AChE) activity is significantly lower in patients with AD or with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) than in age-matched normal controls. In LBD there is also impairment of dopamine synthesis, similar to Parkinson disease. (author) 115 refs

  10. PET studies in dementia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Herholz, K. [Neurologische Universitaetsklinik and Max-Planck-Inst. fuer neurologische Forschung, Koeln (Germany)

    2003-04-01

    Measurement of local cerebral glucose metabolism (lCMRGlc) by positron emission tomography (PET) and {sup 18}F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) has become a standard technique during the past 20 years and is now available at many university hospitals in all highly developed countries. Many studies have documented a close relation between lCMRGlc and localized cognitive functions, such as language and visuoconstructive abilities. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by regional impairment of cerebral glucose metabolism in neocortical association areas (posterior cingulate, temporoparietal and frontal multimodal association cortex), whereas primary visual and sensorimotor cortex, basal ganglia, and cerebellum are relatively well preserved. In a multicenter study comprising 10 PET centers (Network for Efficiency and Standardization of Dementia Diagnosis, NEST-DD) that employed an automated voxel-based analysis of FDG PET images, the distinction between controls and AD patients was 93% sensitive and 93% specific, and even in very mild dementia (at Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) 24 or higher) sensitivity was still 84% at 93% specificity. Significantly abnormal metabolism in mild cognitive deficit (MCI) indicates a high risk to develop dementia within the next two years. Reduced neocortical glucose metabolism can probably be detected with FDG PET in AD on average one year before onset of subjective cognitive impairment. In addition to glucose metabolism, specific tracers for dopamine synthesis ({sup 18}F-F-DOPA) and for ({sup 11}C-MP4A) are of interest for differentiation among dementia subtypes. Cortical acetylcholine esterase activity (AChE) activity is significantly lower in patients with AD or with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) than in age-matched normal controls. In LBD there is also impairment of dopamine synthesis, similar to Parkinson disease. (author) 115 refs.

  11. A clinical study on the usefulness of CT and MRI imaging in evaluating differential diagnosis and the degree of dementia in vascular dementia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hagiwara, Mariko [Nippon Medical School, Tokyo (Japan)

    1990-06-01

    In a retrospective review of 117 computed tomography (CT) scans and 56 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans sequentially performed for dementia patients, CT and MRI were compared for assessment of the usefulness in the differential diagnosis and determination of the functional prognosis of vascular dementia. The correlation between CT findings and the degree of mental function was also examined. Since MRI had a higher sensitivity than CT in detecting small infarcts or lacunaes in the perforating area or white matter, it should differentiate vascular dementia from dementia of Alzheimer type. When both dementia of Alzheimer type was clinically diagnosed and infarct areas were detected on either CT or MRI, activity of daily living tended to be poor. Even when mixed type of dementia or vascular dementia was clinically diagnosed in spite of negative findings on either CT or MRI, troublesome behavior was frequently observed, posing the likelihood of dementia of Alzheimer type. The ability of CT and MRI to detect lesions was not correlated with the degree of dementia or aging, even if MRI was capable of detecting smaller lesions. CT was thus considered to be more specific modality for evaluating mental function. The size of lesions on CT was found to be more significant than the number and localization of lesions in determining the degree of dementia in the chronic stage of cerebrovascular disease. The ability of MRI to detect smaller lesions, as well as clinically determined ischemic scores, may assist in the diagnostic differentiation. Lesion size on CT may be an important factor for determining the degree of dementia and functional prognosis. (N.K.).

  12. A clinical study on the usefulness of CT and MRI imaging in evaluating differential diagnosis and the degree of dementia in vascular dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hagiwara, Mariko

    1990-01-01

    In a retrospective review of 117 computed tomography (CT) scans and 56 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans sequentially performed for dementia patients, CT and MRI were compared for assessment of the usefulness in the differential diagnosis and determination of the functional prognosis of vascular dementia. The correlation between CT findings and the degree of mental function was also examined. Since MRI had a higher sensitivity than CT in detecting small infarcts or lacunaes in the perforating area or white matter, it should differentiate vascular dementia from dementia of Alzheimer type. When both dementia of Alzheimer type was clinically diagnosed and infarct areas were detected on either CT or MRI, activity of daily living tended to be poor. Even when mixed type of dementia or vascular dementia was clinically diagnosed in spite of negative findings on either CT or MRI, troublesome behavior was frequently observed, posing the likelihood of dementia of Alzheimer type. The ability of CT and MRI to detect lesions was not correlated with the degree of dementia or aging, even if MRI was capable of detecting smaller lesions. CT was thus considered to be more specific modality for evaluating mental function. The size of lesions on CT was found to be more significant than the number and localization of lesions in determining the degree of dementia in the chronic stage of cerebrovascular disease. The ability of MRI to detect smaller lesions, as well as clinically determined ischemic scores, may assist in the diagnostic differentiation. Lesion size on CT may be an important factor for determining the degree of dementia and functional prognosis. (N.K.)

  13. Partners in Dementia Care: A Care Coordination Intervention for Individuals with Dementia and Their Family Caregivers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Judge, Katherine S.; Bass, David M.; Snow, A. Lynn; Wilson, Nancy L.; Morgan, Robert; Looman, Wendy J.; McCarthy, Catherine; Kunik, Mark E.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: This article provides a detailed description of a telephone-based care coordination intervention, Partners in Dementia Care (PDC), for veterans with dementia and their family caregivers. Essential features of PDC included (a) formal partnerships between Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers and Alzheimer's Association Chapters; (b) a…

  14. An integrated dementia intervention for Korean older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Hee-Young; Bae, Yeong-Suk; Kim, Eun-Hee; Lee, Kap-Soon; Chae, Myeong-Jeong; Ju, Ree-Aie

    2010-12-01

    Called dotage in Korea, dementia is primarily characterized by cognitive impairments. Secondary manifestations include mental-emotional problems, including depression. This study was designed to examine the effects of an integrated dementia intervention for Korean older adults. The intervention is composed of cognitive stimulation training, exercise, music, art, and horticultural therapy. Participants included 38 older adults with mild dementia. Twenty were assigned to the experimental group and 18 to the control group. Participants in the experimental group attended 18 program sessions. Significant differences were found postintervention between the two groups in measures of cognitive function, depression levels, and mental-emotional health. The findings indicate that this integrated dementia intervention can be applied to help older adults with mild dementia. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.

  15. The clinical utility of the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia as a routine assessment in nursing homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeon, Yun-Hee; Li, Zhicheng; Low, Lee-Fay; Chenoweth, Lynn; O'Connor, Daniel; Beattie, Elizabeth; Liu, Zhixin; Brodaty, Henry

    2015-08-01

    To examine the clinical utility of the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) in nursing homes. 14 nursing homes in Sydney and Brisbane, Australia. 92 residents with a mean age of 85 years. Consenting residents were assessed by care staff for depression using the CSDD as part of their routine assessment. Specialist clinicians conducted assessment of depression using the Semi-structured Clinical Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV-TR Axis I Disorders for residents without dementia or the Provisional Diagnostic Criteria for Depression in Alzheimer Disease for residents with dementia to establish expert clinical diagnoses of depression. The diagnostic performance of the staff completed CSDD was analyzed against expert diagnosis using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The CSDD showed low diagnostic accuracy, with areas under the ROC curve being 0.69, 0.68 and 0.70 for the total sample, residents with dementia and residents without dementia, respectively. At the standard CSDD cutoff score, the sensitivity and specificity were 71% and 59% for the total sample, 69% and 57% for residents with dementia, and 75% and 61% for residents without dementia. The Youden index (for optimizing cut-points) suggested different depression cutoff scores for residents with and without dementia. When administered by nursing home staff the clinical utility of the CSDD is highly questionable in identifying depression. The complexity of the scale, the time required for collecting relevant information, and staff skills and knowledge of assessing depression in older people must be considered when using the CSDD in nursing homes. Copyright © 2015 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Driving cessation and dementia: results of the prospective registry on dementia in Austria (PRODEM.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephan Seiler

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of cognitive, functional and behavioral factors, co-morbidities as well as caregiver characteristics on driving cessation in dementia patients. METHODS: The study cohort consists of those 240 dementia cases of the ongoing prospective registry on dementia in Austria (PRODEM who were former or current car-drivers (mean age 74.2 (±8.8 years, 39.6% females, 80.8% Alzheimer's disease. Reasons for driving cessation were assessed with the patients' caregivers. Standardized questionnaires were used to evaluate patient- and caregiver characteristics. Cognitive functioning was determined by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE, the CERAD neuropsychological test battery and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR, activities of daily living (ADL by the Disability Assessment for Dementia, behavior by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI and caregiver burden by the Zarit burden scale. RESULTS: Among subjects who had ceased driving, 136 (93.8% did so because of "Unacceptable risk" according to caregiver's judgment. Car accidents and revocation of the driving license were responsible in 8 (5.5% and 1(0.7% participant, respectively. Female gender (OR 5.057; 95%CI 1.803-14.180; p = 0.002, constructional abilities (OR 0.611; 95%CI 0.445-0.839; p = 0.002 and impairment in Activities of Daily Living (OR 0.941; 95%CI 0.911-0.973; p<0.001 were the only significant and independent associates of driving cessation. In multivariate analysis none of the currently proposed screening tools for assessment of fitness to drive in elderly subjects including the MMSE and CDR were significantly associated with driving cessation. CONCLUSION: The risk-estimate of caregivers, but not car accidents or revocation of the driving license determines if dementia patients cease driving. Female gender and increasing impairment in constructional abilities and ADL raise the probability for driving cessation. If any of these factors also relates to undesired

  17. Cost Effective Community Based Dementia Screening: A Markov Model Simulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erin Saito

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Given the dementia epidemic and the increasing cost of healthcare, there is a need to assess the economic benefit of community based dementia screening programs. Materials and Methods. Markov model simulations were generated using data obtained from a community based dementia screening program over a one-year period. The models simulated yearly costs of caring for patients based on clinical transitions beginning in pre dementia and extending for 10 years. Results. A total of 93 individuals (74 female, 19 male were screened for dementia and 12 meeting clinical criteria for either mild cognitive impairment (n=7 or dementia (n=5 were identified. Assuming early therapeutic intervention beginning during the year of dementia detection, Markov model simulations demonstrated 9.8% reduction in cost of dementia care over a ten-year simulation period, primarily through increased duration in mild stages and reduced time in more costly moderate and severe stages. Discussion. Community based dementia screening can reduce healthcare costs associated with caring for demented individuals through earlier detection and treatment, resulting in proportionately reduced time in more costly advanced stages.

  18. Qualitative aspects of learning, recall, and recognition in dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ranjith Neelima

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To determine whether learning and serial position effect (SPE differs qualitatively and quantitatively among different types of dementia and between dementia patients and controls; we also wished to find out whether interference affects it. Materials and Methods: We administered the Malayalam version of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT to 30 cognitively unimpaired controls and 80 dementia patients [30 with Alzheimer′s disease (AD, 30 with vascular dementia (VaD, and 20 with frontotemporal dementia (FTD] with mild severity on the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale. Results: All groups were comparable on education and age, except the FTD group, who were younger. Qualitatively, the learning pattern and SPE (with primacy and recency being superior to intermediate was retained in the AD, VaD, and control groups. On SPE in free recall, recency was superior to intermediate in the FTD group (P < 0.01 using Bonferroni correction. On recognition, the AD and VaD groups had more misses (P < 0.01, while the FTD group had more false positives (P < 0.01. Conclusion: Quantitative learning is affected by dementia. The pattern of qualitative learning remains unaltered in dementia in the early stages.

  19. The satisfaction with the quality of dementia care and the health, burnout and work ability of nurses: a longitudinal analysis of 50 German nursing homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt, Sascha G; Dichter, Martin N; Bartholomeyczik, Sabine; Hasselhorn, Hans Martin

    2014-01-01

    The increasing prevalence of residents with dementia in Nursing Homes (NH) leads to a demanding work with high physical and psychological workloads. This study focuses on NH nurses and their satisfaction with quality of care for residents with dementia (SQCD) and its impact on nurses' general health, burnout and work ability. Two-wave (2007/2009) self-report questionnaire data of 305 nurses (RNs and nurses' aides) from 50 German NHs. 58.6% (2007) and 64.9% (2009) of the respondents reported satisfaction with the quality of care of the dementia residents. However, when dissatisfied, this was perceived as substantial work stressor and was adversely associated with nurses' individual resource outcomes. Those nurses who between 2007 and 2009 had become dissatisfied or were dissatisfied at both measurements showed the most adverse scorings for burnout, general health and work ability. The findings imply that in NHs, SQCD may be a relevant work factor with substantial impact on nurses' core resources. Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Vascular dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... poor judgment and loss of ability to recognize danger Using the wrong word, not pronouncing words correctly, ... disease and other dementias. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine . 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: ...

  1. Cross-cultural differences in dementia: the Sociocultural Health Belief Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sayegh, Philip; Knight, Bob G

    2013-04-01

    Many minority ethnic (ME) older adults face several culturally associated and systemic barriers to timely dementia diagnoses that may result in delays to dementia care-seeking. We aimed to develop and propose a model illustrating variables that influence dementia care-seeking among ME older adults. We conducted a literature review on the effects of these barriers on diagnostic delays and impairment levels at initial evaluation. We also strived to provide a basis for the Sociocultural Health Belief Model (SHBM) to guide future research and service planning pertaining to culture and dementia care-seeking. There was consistent evidence that ME older adults with dementia tended to have greater diagnostic delays and higher levels of cognitive impairment and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia at initial evaluation than their non-Hispanic White counterparts. We also found several barriers to dementia care-seeking among ME groups. These barriers included lower levels of acculturation and accurate knowledge about dementia, more culturally associated beliefs about dementia, such as the perception of memory loss as normal aging and stigma associated with dementia, and health system barriers. The SHBM provides an empirically based conceptual framework for examining cross-cultural differences in dementia care-seeking among diverse groups. We provide recommendations for future research, such as the need for research with more diverse ethnic subgroups and the examination of group-specific cultural values. We conclude with a discussion of the clinical and service implications of our review, including potential interventions aimed at facilitating timely dementia diagnoses among ME older adults.

  2. Depression and dementia in Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinanović, Osman; Hudić, Josip; Zukić, Sanela; Kapidžić, Almasa; Zonić, Lejla; Vidović, Mirjana

    2015-03-01

    Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder causing not only motor dysfunction but also cognitive, psychiatric, autonomic and sensory disturbances. Depression is the most common psychiatric disturbance identified in patients with PD and has been shown to be more common in PD than in other chronic and disabling disorders, occurring in approximately 40% of PD patients. However, the prevalence and clinical features associated with depression in PD remain controversial. Dementia is increasingly recognized as a symptom associated with idiopathic PD, and is found in up to 40% of all patients suffering from that condition. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of depressive and dementia symptoms in PD patients. The study included 35 consecutive patients with PD, 13 (37.4%) male and 22 (62.6%) female (mean age 62.9 ± 11.0, range 36-85 years), mean duration of disease 4.7 ± 2.9 (range 1-10) years, hospitalized during one year at Clinical Department of Neurology, Tuzla University Clinical Center, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used for assessment of cognitive deterioration and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for depression. Computerized tomography was performed in all patients. According to BDI scale, depressive symptoms were present in all 35 PD patients: minimal in 4 (11.4%), low in 7 (20%), moderate in 8 (22.8%), severe in 9 (25.4%) and extreme in 7 (20%) patients. On MMSE scale, 9 (25.4%) patients were free from cognitive deterioration and 26 (74.6%) patients had moderate to severe deterioration, but 21 (60%) patients (7 (33.33%) male and 14 (66.66%) female) had symptoms of dementia (MMSE score ≤ 23). Using MMSE scale, 8 (22.8%) patients were free from dementia and 27 (77.2%) patients had some cognitive deterioration. Very mild symptoms of dementia were found in 6 (25.9%) and overt features of dementia in 21 (74.1%) PD patients. So, out of 35 PD study patients, 21 (60%) (7 (33.3%) male and 14

  3. [Intervention priorities in the acute stage of complex emergencies drafted by nine humanitarian aid agencies].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrillo Jaimes, Carmen Sofía; Arcos González, Pedro Ignacio

    2004-01-01

    Complex Emergencies are an international Public Health problem currently becoming increasingly more frequent and of growing proportions which lead to major death and disease rates, especially during the acute stage thereof. This study is aimed at identifying and analyzing the top-priority areas of intervention in the acute stage of a complex emergency drafted in the operating manuals of the main aid agencies, as well as the degree of development and structuring of the activities proposed in each area on which priority has been placed. The intervention manuals drafted by nine major aid agencies were used as study material. A quantitative analysis was then made of the 16 intervention priorities set out, as well as of the degree to which each priority was defined based on the development of 73 variables of aspects of the proposals set out in the manuals. The ACNUR manual includes 90% of the 73 variables for further expansion upon the priorities, the UN Humanitarian Affaire Coordination Office manual including 35% of the 73 variables. ACNUR better expands upon the non-healthcare variables, followed by MSF and USAID. Doctors without borders shows a 97.3% degree of expansion of the healthcare variables) followed by ACNUR (94.7%), USAID (92.1%). ACNUR has been found to have the most integral proposal, the UN Humanitarian Affairs Coordination Office having the most discreet. There is a general trend towad further expanding upon and unifying the health indicators, whilst other aspects are not further expanded upon.

  4. Social class, dementia and the fourth age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Ian Rees

    2017-02-01

    Research addressing social class and dementia has largely focused on measures of socioeconomic status as causal risk factors for dementia and in observed differences in diagnosis, treatment and care. This large body of work has produced important insights but also contains numerous problems and weaknesses. Research needs to take account of the ways in which ageing and social class have been transformed in tandem with the economic, social and cultural coordinates of late modernity. These changes have particular consequences for individual identities and social relations. With this in mind this article adopts a critical gaze on research that considers interactions between dementia and social class in three key areas: (i) epidemiological approaches to inequalities in risk (ii) the role of social class in diagnosis and treatment and (iii) class in the framing of care and access to care. Following this, the article considers studies of dementia and social class that focus on lay understandings and biographical accounts. Sociological insights in this field come from the view that dementia and social class are embedded in social relations. Thus, forms of distinction based on class relations may still play an important role in the lived experience of dementia. © 2017 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness.

  5. Death in life or life in death? Dementia's ontological challenge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macdonald, Gaynor

    2018-01-01

    Is it possible to end one's life well with dementia? The perception of dementia as death brought into life flows from ideas about humanness embedded in medicine's Cartesian paradigm. Dementia as incurable brain disease exacerbates negativity. But the real impact of dementia is that it changes social relations: to live well with dementia requires a relational not Cartesian understanding of life. A relational ontology prioritizes social health: to live is to be held in connection. Negativity produces the disconnection that is death, with or without disease. When people with dementia are held in connection, they live a better life.

  6. Counting dementia: There is no one "best" way.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Launer, Lenore J

    2011-01-01

    The growing societal and individual burden of dementia means that counting the cases of dementia is critical. There are several approaches and methods that can be used to identify dementia cases. The ascertainment can range from very detailed characterization of the individual (deep) to a brief standardized assessment (wide) that emphasizes individual functioning. The choice of going deep or wide depends on the goal of the ascertainment. These goals are discussed, as well as the emerging issues that may change the way dementia cases are classified. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  7. Office-Based Screening for Dementia in Parkinson Disease: The Montreal Parkinson Risk of Dementia Scale in 4 Longitudinal Cohorts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dawson, Benjamin K; Fereshtehnejad, Seyed-Mohammad; Anang, Julius B M; Nomura, Takashi; Rios-Romenets, Silvia; Nakashima, Kenji; Gagnon, Jean-François; Postuma, Ronald B

    2018-06-01

    Parkinson disease dementia dramatically increases mortality rates, patient expenditures, hospitalization risk, and caregiver burden. Currently, predicting Parkinson disease dementia risk is difficult, particularly in an office-based setting, without extensive biomarker testing. To appraise the predictive validity of the Montreal Parkinson Risk of Dementia Scale, an office-based screening tool consisting of 8 items that are simply assessed. This multicenter study (Montreal, Canada; Tottori, Japan; and Parkinson Progression Markers Initiative sites) used 4 diverse Parkinson disease cohorts with a prospective 4.4-year follow-up. A total of 717 patients with Parkinson disease were recruited between May 2005 and June 2016. Of these, 607 were dementia-free at baseline and followed-up for 1 year or more and so were included. The association of individual baseline scale variables with eventual dementia risk was calculated. Participants were then randomly split into cohorts to investigate weighting and determine the scale's optimal cutoff point. Receiver operating characteristic curves were calculated and correlations with selected biomarkers were investigated. Dementia, as defined by Movement Disorder Society level I criteria. Of the 607 patients (mean [SD] age, 63.4 [10.1]; 376 men [62%]), 70 (11.5%) converted to dementia. All 8 items of the Montreal Parkinson Risk of Dementia Scale independently predicted dementia development at the 5% significance level. The annual conversion rate to dementia in the high-risk group (score, >5) was 14.9% compared with 5.8% in the intermediate group (score, 4-5) and 0.6% in the low-risk group (score, 0-3). The weighting procedure conferred no significant advantage. Overall predictive validity by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.877 (95% CI, 0.829-0.924) across all cohorts. A cutoff of 4 or greater yielded a sensitivity of 77.1% (95% CI, 65.6-86.3) and a specificity of 87.2% (95% CI, 84.1-89.9), with a

  8. Living with early-stage dementia: a review of qualitative studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steeman, Els; de Casterlé, Bernadette Dierckx; Godderis, Jan; Grypdonck, Mieke

    2006-06-01

    This paper presents a literature review whose aim was to provide better understanding of living with early-stage dementia. Even in the early stages, dementia may challenge quality of life. Research on early-stage dementia is mainly in the domain of biomedical aetiology and pathology, providing little understanding of what it means to live with dementia. Knowledge of the lived experience of having dementia is important in order to focus pro-active care towards enhancing quality of life. Qualitative research is fundamentally well suited to obtaining an insider's view of living with early-stage dementia. We performed a meta-synthesis of qualitative research findings. We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO and reviewed the papers cited in the references of pertinent articles, the references cited in a recently published book on the subjective experience of dementia, one thesis, and the journal Dementia. Thirty-three pertinent articles were identified, representing 28 separate studies and 21 different research samples. Findings were coded, grouped, compared and integrated. Living with dementia is described from the stage a person discovers the memory impairment, through the stage of being diagnosed with dementia, to that of the person's attempts to integrate the impairment into everyday life. Memory loss often threatens perceptions of security, autonomy and being a meaningful member of society. At early stages of memory loss, individuals use self-protecting and self-adjusting strategies to deal with perceived changes and threats. However, the memory impairment itself may make it difficult for an individual to deal with these changes, thereby causing frustration, uncertainty and fear. Our analysis supports the integration of proactive care into the diagnostic process, because even early-stage dementia may challenge quality of life. Moreover, this care should actively involve both the individual with dementia and their family so that both parties can adjust positively

  9. Antipsychotics and dementia in Canada: a retrospective cross-sectional study of four health sectors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rios, Sebastian; Perlman, Christopher M; Costa, Andrew; Heckman, George; Hirdes, John P; Mitchell, Lori

    2017-10-23

    Antipsychotic medications are not recommended for the management of symptoms of dementia, particularly among persons with no behavioral or psychological symptoms. We examine patterns of antipsychotic medication use among persons with dementia across health sectors in Canada, with a focus on factors related to use among those without behavioral or psychotic symptoms. Using a retrospective cross-sectional design, this study examines antipsychotic use among adults aged 65 or older with dementia in home care (HC), complex continuing care (CCC), long-term care (LTC), and among alternate level care patients in acute hospitals (ALC). Using clinical data from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2014, the prevalence of antipsychotic medication use was estimated by the presence of behavioral and psychotic symptoms. Logistic regression was used to identify sector specific factors associated with antipsychotic use in the absence of behavioral and psychotic symptoms. The total prevalence of antipsychotic use among older adults with dementia was 26% in HC, 54% in ALC, 41% in CCC, and 48% in LTC. This prevalence ranged from 38% (HC) to 73% (ALC) for those with both behavioral and psychotic symptoms and from 15% (HC) to 31% (ALC) among those with no symptoms. The regression models identified a number of variables were related to antipsychotic use in the absence of behavior or psychotic symptoms, such as bipolar disorder (OR = 6.63 in CCC; OR = 5.52 in LTC), anxious complaints (OR = 1.54 in LTC to 2.01 in CCC), and wandering (OR = 1.83 in ALC). Potentially inappropriate use of antipsychotic medications is prevalent among older adults with dementia across health sectors. The variations in prevalence observed from community to facility based care suggests that system issues may exist in appropriately managing persons with dementia.

  10. Does Bilingualism Delay the Development of Dementia?

    OpenAIRE

    Amy L Atkinson

    2016-01-01

    It has been suggested that bilingualism (where individuals speak two languages) may delay the development of dementia. However, much of the research is inconclusive. Some researchers have reported that bilingualism delays the onset and diagnosis of dementia, whilst other studies have found weak or even detrimental effects. This paper reviews a series of nine empirical studies, published up until March 2016, which investigated whether bilingualism significantly delays the onset of dementia. Th...

  11. The project “understAID” – a platform that helps informal caregivers to understand and aid their demented relatives

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skorupska, Elżbieta; Mojs, Ewa; Samborski, Włodzimierz

    2014-01-01

    “UnderstAID” is a platform that helps informal caregivers to understand and aid their demented relatives. It is an international project initiated by Denmark, Poland and Spain. The aim of the project is to design, and implement the multimedia platform “understAID” to support informal caregivers...... of dementia patients. The project was launched in April 2013 and is expected to end 36 months later. The project is divided into fi ve tasks concerning the fi nal aim. The aim of task 1 is the management of the project, as well as the exploitation and dissemination of gathered information. Task 2 is meant...... to defi ne the contents and solutions of the CarePlatform based on the knowledge gained from real-case studies. Demented elderlies from each country (n = 40) suffering from different degrees of dementia were evaluated by formal caregivers and dementia professionals. The aim of task 3 is the development...

  12. Evaluation of a workplace engagement project for people with younger onset dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, Jacinta; Evans, David

    2015-08-01

    In 2011, a workplace project was established to provide a small group of people who had younger onset dementia with the opportunity to return to the workplace. The project sought to explore the feasibility and safety of engaging these younger people in workplace activities if an appropriate framework of support was provided. Opportunities to engage in meaningful activities are quite limited for younger people with dementia because services are targeted at an older client population. A qualitative exploratory approach was used for the project evaluation. Participants were people who were 65 years or younger and had a diagnosis of dementia. They attended a large metropolitan hardware store one day per week and worked beside a store employee for a four hour work shift. Evaluation of the project included observation of participant's engagement in the workplace, adverse events and a qualitative analysis that used participant-nominated good project outcomes. Nine people with a mean age of 58·8 years participated in the project. Six of these participants have been engaged at the workplace for more than two years. All participants were able to gain the skills needed to complete their respective work duties. Participants initially assisted with simple work tasks, but over time, they were able to expand their range of duties to include more complex activities such as customer sales. Participants achieved their nominated good outcomes of improved well-being, engaging in worthwhile activities, contributing to society and socialisation. The evaluation has shown that this workplace programme is a viable model of engagement for younger people with dementia. This evaluation offers a practical demonstration that it is feasible and safe to provide opportunities for younger people with dementia to engage in meaningful activities in the community if appropriate support is provided. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Car drivers with dementia: Different complications due to different etiologies?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piersma, Dafne; de Waard, Dick; Davidse, Ragnhild; Tucha, Oliver; Brouwer, Wiebo

    2016-01-01

    Older drivers with dementia are an at-risk group for unsafe driving. However, dementia refers to various etiologies and the question is whether dementias of different etiology have similar effects on driving ability. The literature on the effects of dementia of various etiologies on driving ability is reviewed. Studies addressing dementia etiologies and driving were identified through PubMed, PsychINFO, and Google Scholar. Early symptoms and prognoses differ between dementias of different etiology. Therefore, different etiologies may represent different likelihoods with regard to fitness to drive. Moreover, dementia etiologies could indicate the type of driving problems that can be expected to occur. However, there is a great lack of data and knowledge about the effects of almost all etiologies of dementia on driving. One could hypothesize that patients with Alzheimer's disease may well suffer from strategic difficulties such as finding a route, whereas patients with frontotemporal dementia are more inclined to make tactical-level errors because of impaired hazard perception. Patients with other dementia etiologies involving motor symptoms may suffer from problems on the operational level. Still, the effects of various etiologies of dementias on driving have thus far not been studied thoroughly. For the detection of driving difficulties in patients with dementia, structured interviews with patients but also their family members appear crucial. Neuropsychological assessment could support the identification of cognitive impairments. The impact of such impairments on driving could also be investigated in a driving simulator. In a driving simulator, strengths and weaknesses in driving behavior can be observed. With this knowledge, patients can be advised appropriately about their fitness to drive and options for support in driving (e.g., compensation techniques, car adaptations). However, as long as no valid, reliable, and widely accepted test battery is available for

  14. Added value of 18F-florbetaben amyloid PET in the diagnostic workup of most complex patients with dementia in France: A naturalistic study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ceccaldi, Mathieu; Jonveaux, Thérèse; Verger, Antoine; Krolak-Salmon, Pierre; Houzard, Claire; Godefroy, Olivier; Shields, Trevor; Perrotin, Audrey; Gismondi, Rossella; Bullich, Santiago; Jovalekic, Aleksandar; Raffa, Nicola; Pasquier, Florence; Semah, Franck; Dubois, Bruno; Habert, Marie-Odile; Wallon, David; Chastan, Mathieu; Payoux, Pierre; Stephens, Andrew; Guedj, Eric

    2018-03-01

    Although some studies have previously addressed the clinical impact of amyloid positron emission tomography (PET), none has specifically addressed its selective and hierarchical implementation in relation to cerebrospinal fluid analysis in a naturalistic setting. This multicenter study was performed at French tertiary memory clinics in patients presenting with most complex clinical situations (i.e., early-onset, atypical clinical profiles, suspected mixed etiological conditions, unexpected rate of progression), for whom cerebrospinal fluid analysis was indicated but either not feasible or considered as noncontributory (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02681172). Two hundred five patients were enrolled with evaluable florbetaben PET scans; 64.4% of scans were amyloid positive. PET results led to changed diagnosis and improved confidence in 66.8% and 81.5% of patients, respectively, and altered management in 80.0% of cases. High-level improvement of diagnostic certainty and management is provided by selective and hierarchical implementation of florbetaben PET into current standard practices for the most complex dementia cases. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. A break-even analysis for dementia care collaboration: Partners in Dementia Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, Robert O; Bass, David M; Judge, Katherine S; Liu, C F; Wilson, Nancy; Snow, A Lynn; Pirraglia, Paul; Garcia-Maldonado, Maurilio; Raia, Paul; Fouladi, N N; Kunik, Mark E

    2015-06-01

    Dementia is a costly disease. People with dementia, their families, and their friends are affected on personal, emotional, and financial levels. Prior work has shown that the "Partners in Dementia Care" (PDC) intervention addresses unmet needs and improves psychosocial outcomes and satisfaction with care. We examined whether PDC reduced direct Veterans Health Administration (VHA) health care costs compared with usual care. This study was a cost analysis of the PDC intervention in a 30-month trial involving five VHA medical centers. Study subjects were veterans (N = 434) 50 years of age and older with dementia and their caregivers at two intervention (N = 269) and three comparison sites (N = 165). PDC is a telephone-based care coordination and support service for veterans with dementia and their caregivers, delivered through partnerships between VHA medical centers and local Alzheimer's Association chapters. We tested for differences in total VHA health care costs, including hospital, emergency department, nursing home, outpatient, and pharmacy costs, as well as program costs for intervention participants. Covariates included caregiver reports of veterans' cognitive impairment, behavior problems, and personal care dependencies. We used linear mixed model regression to model change in log total cost post-baseline over a 1-year follow-up period. Intervention participants showed higher VHA costs than usual-care participants both before and after the intervention but did not differ significantly regarding change in log costs from pre- to post-baseline periods. Pre-baseline log cost (p ≤ 0.001), baseline cognitive impairment (p ≤ 0.05), number of personal care dependencies (p ≤ 0.01), and VA service priority (p ≤ 0.01) all predicted change in log total cost. These analyses show that PDC meets veterans' needs without significantly increasing VHA health care costs. PDC addresses the priority area of care coordination in the National Plan to Address Alzheimer

  16. Undertreatment of osteoporosis in persons with dementia? A population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haasum, Y; Fastbom, J; Fratiglioni, L; Johnell, K

    2012-03-01

    In this population-based study of more than 2,600 elderly, people with dementia received less preventive treatment for osteoporosis compared to people without dementia, although osteoporotic fractures were more common in patients with dementia. Thus, our results indicate an undertreatment of osteoporosis in dementia. This study compares the use of osteoporosis drugs in elderly with and without dementia, taking into account osteoporotic fractures and type of housing. We analyzed data from the baseline examination (2001-2004) of The Swedish National Study on Aging and Care- Kungsholmen (SNAC-K), Stockholm, Sweden. Participants were aged ≥ 66 years (n = 2610). We analysed the use of bisphosphonates, raloxifene, and calcium/vitamin D combinations in relation to clinically based dementia diagnosis. Information about osteoporotic fractures during the previous 4 years was obtained from the Swedish National Patient Register. We used logistic regression to analyze the association between dementia status and use of osteoporosis drugs. Osteoporosis drugs (mainly calcium/vitamin D combinations) were used by 5% of the persons with dementia and 12% of the persons without dementia. Furthermore, 25% of the persons with dementia and 7% of the persons without dementia had had at least one osteoporotic fracture during the past 4 years. After controlling for age, sex, osteoporotic fractures, and type of housing (own home or institution), persons with dementia were less likely to use osteoporosis drugs than persons without dementia (OR = 0.34; 95% CI, 0.19-0.59). Our results indicate an undertreatment of osteoporosis in persons with dementia, although osteoporotic fractures are common among these patients.

  17. Role of BRI2 in Dementia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    del Campo, M.; Teunissen, C.E.

    2014-01-01

    Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, shares clinical and pathological similarities with familial British and Danish dementias (FBD and FDD). Whereas the etiology of sporadic AD remains unclear, familial AD is linked to mutations in amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP),

  18. Implementation of an evidence-based intervention to improve the wellbeing of people with dementia and their carers: study protocol for 'Care of People with dementia in their Environments (COPE)' in the Australian context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clemson, Lindy; Laver, Kate; Jeon, Yun-Hee; Comans, Tracy A; Scanlan, Justin; Rahja, Miia; Culph, Jennifer; Low, Lee-Fay; Day, Sally; Cations, Monica; Crotty, Maria; Kurrle, Susan; Piersol, Catherine; Gitlin, Laura N

    2018-05-09

    There are effective non-pharmacological treatment programs that reduce functional disability and changed behaviours in people with dementia. However, these programs (such as the Care of People with dementia in their Environments (COPE) program) are not widely available. The primary aim of this study is to determine the strategies and processes that enable the COPE program to be implemented into existing dementia care services in Australia. This study uses a mixed methods approach to test an implementation strategy. The COPE intervention (up to ten consultations with an occupational therapist and up to two consultations with a nurse) will be implemented using a number of strategies including planning (such as developing and building relationships with dementia care community service providers), educating (training nurses and occupational therapists in how to apply the intervention), restructuring (organisations establishing referral systems; therapist commitment to provide COPE to five clients following training) and quality management (coaching, support, reminders and fidelity checks). Qualitative and quantitative data will contribute to understanding how COPE is adopted and implemented. Feasibility, fidelity, acceptability, uptake and service delivery contexts will be explored and a cost/benefit evaluation conducted. Client outcomes of activity engagement and caregiver wellbeing will be assessed in a pragmatic pre-post evaluation. While interventions that promote independence and wellbeing are effective and highly valued by people with dementia and their carers, access to such programs is limited. Barriers to translation that have been previously identified are addressed in this study, including limited training opportunities and a lack of confidence in clinicians working with complex symptoms of dementia. A strength of the study is that it involves implementation within different types of existing services, such as government and private providers, so the study

  19. Job strain: a cross-sectional survey of dementia care specialists and other staff in Swedish home care services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandberg, Linda; Borell, Lena; Edvardsson, David; Rosenberg, Lena; Boström, Anne-Marie

    2018-01-01

    An increasing number of older persons worldwide live at home with various functional limitations such as dementia. So, home care staff meet older persons with extensive, complex needs. The staff's well-being is crucial because it can affect the quality of their work, although literature on job strain among home care staff is limited. To describe perceived job strain among home care staff and to examine correlations between job strain, personal factors, and organizational factors. The study applied a cross-sectional survey design. Participants were dementia care specialists who work in home care (n=34) and other home care staff who are not specialized in dementia care (n=35). The Strain in Dementia Care Scale (SDCS) and Creative Climate Questionnaire instruments and demographic variables were used. Descriptive and inferential statistics (including regression modeling) were applied. The regional ethical review board approved the study. Home care staff perceived job strain - particularly because they could not provide what they perceived to be necessary care. Dementia care specialists ranked job strain higher (m=5.71) than other staff members (m=4.71; p =0.04). Job strain (for total score and for all five SDCS factors) correlated with being a dementia care specialist. Correlations also occurred between job strain for SDCS factor 2 (difficulties understanding and interpreting) and not having Swedish as first language and SDCS factor 5 (lack of recognition) and stagnated organizational climate. The study indicates that home care staff and particularly dementia care specialists perceived high job strain. Future studies are needed to confirm or reject findings from this study.

  20. Physiological imaging with PET and SPECT in Dementia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jagust, W.J. (California Univ., San Francisco, CA (United States). Dept. of Neurology Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States))

    1989-10-01

    Dementia is a medical problem of increasingly obvious importance. The most common cause of dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD) accounts for at least 50% of all cases of dementia, with multi-infarct dementia the next most common cause of the syndrome. While the accuracy of diagnosis of AD may range from 80 to 90%, there is currently no laboratory test to confirm the diagnosis. Functional imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) offer diagnostic advantages since brain function is unequivocally disturbed in all dementing illnesses. Both PET and SPECT have been utilized in the study of dementia. While both techniques rely on principles of emission tomography to produce three dimensional maps of injected radiotracers, the differences between positron and single photon emission have important consequences for the practical applications of the two procedures. This briefly reviews the technical differences between PET and SPECT, and discusses how both techniques have been used in our laboratory to elucidate the pathophysiology of dementia. 32 refs., 2 figs.

  1. Physiological imaging with PET and SPECT in Dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jagust, W.J.

    1989-10-01

    Dementia is a medical problem of increasingly obvious importance. The most common cause of dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD) accounts for at least 50% of all cases of dementia, with multi-infarct dementia the next most common cause of the syndrome. While the accuracy of diagnosis of AD may range from 80 to 90%, there is currently no laboratory test to confirm the diagnosis. Functional imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) offer diagnostic advantages since brain function is unequivocally disturbed in all dementing illnesses. Both PET and SPECT have been utilized in the study of dementia. While both techniques rely on principles of emission tomography to produce three dimensional maps of injected radiotracers, the differences between positron and single photon emission have important consequences for the practical applications of the two procedures. This briefly reviews the technical differences between PET and SPECT, and discusses how both techniques have been used in our laboratory to elucidate the pathophysiology of dementia. 32 refs., 2 figs

  2. Prevalence of dementia and major subtypes in Europe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lobo, A; Launer, L J; Fratiglioni, L

    2000-01-01

    The last comparison of prevalence figures of dementia across European studies was 10 years ago. Using studies conducted in the 1990s, the authors compare the age- and sex-specific prevalence of dementia, AD, and vascular dementia (VaD) across European population-based studies of persons 65 years...... and older. Data from these studies were also pooled to obtain stable estimates of age- and sex-specific prevalence. A total of 2346 cases of mild to severe dementia were identified in 11 cohorts. Age-standardized prevalence was 6.4% for dementia (all causes), 4.4% for AD, and 1.6% for VaD. The prevalence...... of dementia increased continuously with age and was 0.8% in the group age 65 to 69 years and 28.5% at age 90 years and older. The corresponding figures for AD (53.7% of cases) were 0.6% and 22.2%, and for VaD (15.8% of cases), 0.3% and 5.2%. Variation of AD prevalence across studies was greatest for men...

  3. Societal and Family Lifetime Cost of Dementia: Implications for Policy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jutkowitz, Eric; Kane, Robert L; Gaugler, Joseph E; MacLehose, Richard F; Dowd, Bryan; Kuntz, Karen M

    2017-10-01

    To estimate the cost of dementia and the extra cost of caring for someone with dementia over the cost of caring for someone without dementia. We developed an evidence-based mathematical model to simulate disease progression for newly diagnosed individuals with dementia. Data-driven trajectories of cognition, function, and behavioral and psychological symptoms were used to model disease progression and predict costs. Using modeling, we evaluated lifetime and annual costs of individuals with dementia, compared costs of those with and without clinical features of dementia, and evaluated the effect of reducing functional decline or behavioral and psychological symptoms by 10% for 12 months (implemented when Mini-Mental State Examination score ≤21). Mathematical model. Representative simulated U.S. incident dementia cases. Value of informal care, out-of-pocket expenditures, Medicaid expenditures, and Medicare expenditures. From time of diagnosis (mean age 83), discounted total lifetime cost of care for a person with dementia was $321,780 (2015 dollars). Families incurred 70% of the total cost burden ($225,140), Medicaid accounted for 14% ($44,090), and Medicare accounted for 16% ($52,540). Costs for a person with dementia over a lifetime were $184,500 greater (86% incurred by families) than for someone without dementia. Total annual cost peaked at $89,000, and net cost peaked at $72,400. Reducing functional decline or behavioral and psychological symptoms by 10% resulted in $3,880 and $680 lower lifetime costs than natural disease progression. Dementia substantially increases lifetime costs of care. Long-lasting, effective interventions are needed to support families because they incur the most dementia cost. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

  4. Open dementia project: Empathic tools between magic and everyday life

    OpenAIRE

    Lee, Yanki; Hendriks, Niels; Tsang, Albert

    2017-01-01

    In Chinese society like in many cultures, persons with dementia suffer some level of stigmatisation. For this reason a dementia research/care centre in Hong Kong (China) initiated the design of the “dementia experience tool”. Its main goal is to create public understanding through inviting the general public to experience dementia. The dementia research/care centre commissioned a social design research lab team (two of the authors are part of this) to create the tool, sta...

  5. Possibility of objective diagnosis in patients with mild Alzheimer-type dementia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kodama, Naoki; Shimada, Tetsuo; Kaeriyama, Tomoharu; Kaneko, Tomoyuki; Fukumoto, Ichiro; Okamoto, Koichiro

    2003-01-01

    In this study, patients with mild Alzheimer-type dementia were compared with healthy elderly volunteers by means of 12 features to evaluate the possibility of objective diagnosis of mild dementia. The subjects included 9 patients with questionable dementia, 14 patients with mild dementia, and 30 healthy elderly volunteers as controls. In addition, the 23 patients with questionable or mild dementia were included in the mild Alzheimer-type dementia group. A statistically significant difference was found between the mild Alzheimer-type dementia group and the healthy volunteers in 4 of the 10 textural features. Discriminant analysis using these 4 features demonstrated a sensitivity of 87.0% and a specificity of 66.7%. These results suggest the possibility of objective diagnosis in patients with mild Alzheimer-type dementia. (author)

  6. Information and communication technology solutions for outdoor navigation in dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teipel, Stefan; Babiloni, Claudio; Hoey, Jesse; Kaye, Jeffrey; Kirste, Thomas; Burmeister, Oliver K

    2016-06-01

    Information and communication technology (ICT) is potentially mature enough to empower outdoor and social activities in dementia. However, actual ICT-based devices have limited functionality and impact, mainly limited to safety. What is an ideal operational framework to enhance this field to support outdoor and social activities? Review of literature and cross-disciplinary expert discussion. A situation-aware ICT requires a flexible fine-tuning by stakeholders of system usability and complexity of function, and of user safety and autonomy. It should operate by artificial intelligence/machine learning and should reflect harmonized stakeholder values, social context, and user residual cognitive functions. ICT services should be proposed at the prodromal stage of dementia and should be carefully validated within the life space of users in terms of quality of life, social activities, and costs. The operational framework has the potential to produce ICT and services with high clinical impact but requires substantial investment. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. A Novel Sonification Approach to Support the Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Letizia Gionfrida

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative form of dementia that steadily worsens and eventually leads to death. Its set of symptoms include loss of cognitive function and memory decline. Structural and functional imaging methods such as CT, MRI, and PET scans play an essential role in the diagnosis process, being able to identify specific areas of cerebral damages. While the accuracy of these imaging techniques increases over time, the severity assessment of dementia remains challenging and susceptible to cognitive and perceptual errors due to intra-reader variability among physicians. Doctors have not agreed upon standardized measurement of cell loss used to specifically diagnose dementia among individuals. These limitations have led researchers to look for supportive diagnosis tools to enhance the spectrum of diseases characteristics and peculiarities. Here is presented a supportive auditory tool to aid in diagnosing patients with different levels of Alzheimer’s. This tool introduces an audible parameter mapped upon three different brain’s lobes. The motivating force behind this supportive auditory technique arise from the fact that AD is distinguished by a decrease of the metabolic activity (hypometabolism in the parietal and temporal lobes of the brain. The diagnosis is then performed by comparing metabolic activity of the affected lobes to the metabolic activity of other lobes that are not generally affected by AD (i.e., sensorimotor cortex. Results from the diagnosis process compared with the ground truth show that physicians were able to categorize different levels of AD using the sonification generated in this study with higher accuracy than using a standard diagnosis procedure, based on the visualization alone.

  8. 'The stigma attached isn't true of real life': Challenging public perception of dementia through a participatory approach involving people with dementia (Innovative Practice).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reynolds, Laura; Innes, Anthea; Poyner, Christopher; Hambidge, Sarah

    2017-02-01

    This paper discusses the potential impact of viewing public performances of an orchestra comprising people with dementia, family members, student volunteers and professional symphony orchestra members in contributing to challenging negative perceptions of dementia. Negative perceptions of dementia abound despite recent policy attempts to challenge the stigma associated with the condition. This paper reports on the findings from the performance element of a music project for people with dementia, known as the BUDI Orchestra, designed to replicate the traditional rehearse and perform cycle of musicians. Data were collected via self-completion questionnaires from audience members ( N = 109) at three public performances. The performances exceeded the expectations of the general public, and findings suggest a positive impact on perceptions of dementia, demonstrating the power and potential of participatory approaches showcasing the achievements of those living with dementia when attempting to raise awareness of dementia and challenge negative perceptions.

  9. Psychotropic Polypharmacy in Patients with Dementia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nørgaard, Ane; Jensen-Dahm, Christina; Gasse, Christiane

    2017-01-01

    classes (psychotropic polypharmacy) may also pose a risk for patients. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence and predictors associated with use of psychotropic polypharmacy in patients with dementia. METHODS: A population-based study using nationwide registers. Patients with dementia were identified...... to evaluate factors independently associated with the prescription of other psychotropic drug classes among patients already using antipsychotics. RESULTS: Among all patients registered with dementia (34,553), 25.3% (8,728) used ≥2 psychotropic drugs. Among patients treated with antipsychotics 75.8% (5...... of psychotropic drugs was antipsychotics and antidepressants. CONCLUSION: Concomitant use of psychotropic drugs was frequent in dementia patients. Patients living in nursing homes had the highest risk of receiving a combination of antipsychotics and other psychotropic drugs. Concomitant use of psychotropics may...

  10. Personality traits and risk of cognitive impairment and dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terracciano, Antonio; Stephan, Yannick; Luchetti, Martina; Albanese, Emiliano; Sutin, Angelina R

    2017-06-01

    We investigated the association between five factor model personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) and risk of dementia, cognitive impairment not dementia (CIND), and conversion from CIND to dementia in a large national cohort. Participants from the Health and Retirement Study (N > 10,000) completed a personality scale in 2006-2008 and their cognitive status was tracked for up to 8 years using the modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICSm). Adjusting for age, sex, education, race, and ethnicity, lower conscientiousness and agreeableness and higher neuroticism were independently associated with increased risk of dementia. These associations remained significant after adjusting for other risk factors for dementia, including income, wealth, smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and blood biomarkers. These associations were not modified by age, sex, race, ethnicity, and education, suggesting that the associations of personality with risk of dementia were similar across demographic groups. Neuroticism and conscientiousness were also associated with risk of CIND. Low conscientiousness predicted conversion from CIND to dementia. Using brief assessments of personality and cognition, we found robust evidence that personality is associated with risk of cognitive impairment and dementia in a large national sample. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. A Review of Behavioural Gerontology and Dementia Related Interventions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Josling, Megan

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Behavioural Gerontology is concerned with the interaction of the aging individual and their environment. One aspect of behavioural gerontology has focussed on the use of behaviourist methods to improve the functioning and quality of life of individuals with dementia. Positive reinforcement techniques have shown to have an effect on dementia related behavioural excesses (wandering, disruptive vocalisations, behavioural deficits (incontinence, self feeding and mood changes (depression. One of the major concerns of using reinforcement techniques in the case of dementia is maintenance of the behavioural changes with the continual implementation of the intervention. Research has indicated that individuals with dementia meet behavioural extinction criteria at an advanced rate in comparison with individuals without dementia. Thus for a behavioural change to be successfully maintained it requires diligence on the part of the caregiver and/or nursing home staff. In the case of dementia care centres and nursing homes, when using behavioural interventions to modify the behavioural symptoms of dementia, there needs to be a considerable overlap between Behavioural Gerontology and Organisational Behavioural Management to ensure the successful maintenance of behavioural change.

  12. Clinical-pathologic correlations in vascular cognitive impairment and dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flanagan, Margaret; Larson, Eric B; Latimer, Caitlin S; Cholerton, Brenna; Crane, Paul K; Montine, Kathleen S; White, Lon R; Keene, C Dirk; Montine, Thomas J

    2016-05-01

    The most common causes of cognitive impairment and dementia are Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular brain injury (VBI), either independently, in combination, or in conjunction with other neurodegenerative disorders. The contribution of VBI to cognitive impairment and dementia, particularly in the context of AD pathology, has been examined extensively yet remains difficult to characterize due to conflicting results. Describing the relative contribution and mechanisms of VBI in dementia is important because of the profound impact of dementia on individuals, caregivers, families, and society, particularly the stability of health care systems with the rapidly increasing age of our population. Here we discuss relationships between pathologic processes of VBI and clinical expression of dementia, specific subtypes of VBI including microvascular brain injury, and what is currently known regarding contributions of VBI to the development and pathogenesis of the dementia syndrome. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia edited by M. Paul Murphy, Roderick A. Corriveau and Donna M. Wilcock. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Tooth loss, dementia and neuropathology in the Nun study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stein, Pamela Sparks; Desrosiers, Mark; Donegan, Sara Jean; Yepes, Juan F; Kryscio, Richard J

    2007-10-01

    Numerous studies have linked dementia to the subsequent deterioration of oral health. Few investigators, however, have examined oral disease as a potential risk factor in the development of dementia. The authors conducted a study to investigate a potential association between a history of oral disease and the development of dementia. Longitudinal dental records supplemented data collected from 10 annual cognitive assessments of 144 Milwaukee participants in the Nun Study, a longitudinal study of aging and Alzheimer disease, who were 75 to 98 years old. Neuropathologic findings at autopsy were available for 118 participants who died. A low number of teeth increased the risk of higher prevalence and incidence of dementia. Participants with the fewest teeth had the highest risk of prevalence and incidence of dementia. Edentulism or very few (one to nine) teeth may be predictors of dementia late in life.

  14. Animal-assisted therapy for clients with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buettner, Linda L; Fitzsimmons, Suzanne; Barba, Beth

    2011-05-01

    The purpose of this article is to increase nurses' awareness of animal-assisted therapy as a treatment option for older adults with dementia. We describe the differences between animal visitation programs and goal-directed therapy. We also address credentials of human-animal teams and provide an overview of possible therapeutic outcomes for older adults with dementia. Step-by-step methods are outlined for nurses to advocate for clients with dementia to receive these services. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

  15. Awareness of dementia by family carers of nursing home residents dying with dementia: A post-death study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Penders, Y.W.H.; Albers, G.; Deliens, L.; van der Stichele, R.; Block, L.

    2015-01-01

    Background: High-quality palliative care for people with dementia should be patient-centered, family-focused, and include well-informed and shared decision-making, as affirmed in a recent white paper on dementia from the European Association for Palliative Care. Aim: To describe how often family

  16. Barriers to leisure participation for people with dementia and their carers: An exploratory analysis of carer and people with dementia's experiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Innes, Anthea; Page, Stephen J; Cutler, Clare

    2016-11-01

    Leisure has emerged as a prominent research theme within the growing body of knowledge on dementia, with a focus on physical activity. Yet participation in any form of leisure presupposes an ability to freely choose to partake in activities and to negotiate one's way around key barriers. In the case of dementia, the ability to undertake leisure activities is subject to a greater range of barriers, structured in a hierarchical manner that contributes to social exclusion if not addressed. This study based on focus groups with people with dementia and their family members conducted in Dorset, UK illustrates a range of barriers to leisure participation. How to create or maintain leisure opportunities for those living with dementia where households affected by dementia do not adopt avoidance behaviour, compounding a sense of isolation and exclusion is a challenge. Leisure can be an important strategy framed as a form of resistance to the social disabilities experienced by those living with dementia and it is potentially isolating impact. © The Author(s) 2015.

  17. Costs of dementia in the Czech Republic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holmerová, Iva; Hort, Jakub; Rusina, Robert; Wimo, Anders; Šteffl, Michal

    2017-11-01

    The aim of this study was to estimate the cost of dementia in the Czech Republic. One hundred and nineteen patient-caregiver dyads participated in our multicenter observational cost-of-illness study. The modified Resource Utilization in Dementia Questionnaire was used as the main tool to collect data from patients and caregivers. Medical specialists provided additional data from medical records. The average costs of dementia were calculated and patients were then divided by the level of cognitive impairment. A generalized linear model was used to determine if differences were present for selected cost variables. The mean (standard deviation) for direct cost per a patient in a month was estimated to be €243.0 (138.0), €1727.1 (1075.6) for the indirect cost, and €1970.0 (1090.3) for the total cost of dementia in the Czech Republic. All of the costs increased as dementia severity increased. Both the indirect and total costs significantly (p Republic. Both total and indirect care costs increased significantly the cognition declined.

  18. Physical Activity Prevents Progression for Cognitive Impairment and Vascular Dementia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Verdelho, Ana; Madureira, Sofia; Ferro, José M

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We aimed to study if physical activity could interfere with progression for cognitive impairment and dementia in older people with white matter changes living independently. METHODS: The LADIS (Leukoaraiosis and Disability) prospective multinational European study evaluates....... Physical activity was recorded during the clinical interview. MRI was performed at entry and at the end of the study. RESULTS: Six hundred thirty-nine subjects were included (74.1±5 years old, 55% women, 9.6±3.8 years of schooling, 64% physically active). At the end of follow-up, 90 patients had dementia...... (vascular dementia, 54; Alzheimer disease with vascular component, 34; frontotemporal dementia, 2), and 147 had cognitive impairment not dementia. Using Cox regression analysis, physical activity reduced the risk of cognitive impairment (dementia and not dementia: β=-0.45, P=0.002; hazard ratio, 0.64; 95...

  19. Interventions for confusion and dementia. 5: Changing cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodrow, P

    Previous articles in this series (Vol 7(15): 891-94; Vol 7(17): 1018-20; Vol 7(19): 1145-49; Vol 7(20): 1247-50) have explored the promotion of quality of life for people with dementia and how this can be achieved through existing interventions. This final article moves from discussing specific interventions to cover wider issues around healthcare beliefs and values. A brief historical overview of dementia care is given, outlining the inherited structures and values. Much valuable work has been carried out by the Bradford Dementia Group, who has described changes in dementia care as moving from an 'old' to a 'new' culture. This 'new culture', offering a comprehensive person-centred approach to holistic care, is explored with reference to the work of Kitwood, who has done much to promote quality of life for people suffering from dementia.

  20. Depression and synaptic zinc regulation in Alzheimer disease, dementia with lewy bodies, and Parkinson disease dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitfield, David R; Vallortigara, Julie; Alghamdi, Amani; Hortobágyi, Tibor; Ballard, Clive; Thomas, Alan J; O'Brien, John T; Aarsland, Dag; Francis, Paul T

    2015-02-01

    Depression is a common symptom in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), Parkinson disease dementia (PDD), and Alzheimer disease (AD), yet its molecular basis remains unclear and current antidepressants do not appear to be effective. Cerebral zinc has been implicated in depression and synaptic dysfunction. We investigated the relationship between synaptic zinc regulation (for which zinc transporter 3 [ZnT3] is responsible) and depression in a large clinicopathologic study. We examined brains from people with PDD (N = 29), DLB (N = 27), and AD (N = 15) and comparison subjects without depression or dementia (N = 24). Individuals were categorized according to the presence and severity of depression (on a scale of 0-3) based on standardized assessments during life (principally Neuropsychiatric Inventory). Western blotting was used to determine ZnT3 levels in Brodmann area 9 (BA9), and regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between ZnT3 and depression. Reductions in ZnT3 in BA9 were significantly associated with elevated depression scores in the study cohort (β = -0.351, df = 93, t = -3.318 p = 0.0004). This association remained when only individuals with DLB, PDD, and no dementia or depression were examined (β = -0.347, df = 78, t = -3.271, p = 0.002) or only individuals with AD and no dementia or depression were examined (β = -0.433, df = 37, t = -2.924, p = 0.006). Although decreased zinc levels have been implicated in the genesis of depression in animal models and in major depressive disorder in humans, this study provides the first evidence of a role for zinc in depression in people with dementia and highlights zinc metabolism as a therapeutic target. Copyright © 2015 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Dementia, women and sexuality: How the intersection of ageing, gender and sexuality magnify dementia concerns among lesbian and bisexual women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westwood, Sue

    2016-11-01

    There is a growing appreciation of the significance of socio-cultural context for the experiences of an individual living with dementia. There is, too, an emergent awareness that dementia is a gendered issue, disproportionately affecting women compared with men. However, little attention has been given as yet to the experiences of lesbian and bisexual women living with dementia. This article addresses this gap in knowledge, exploring the significance of the intersection of ageing, gender and sexuality for lesbian and bisexual women with dementia. It suggests that stigma and social marginalisation associated with dementia and with ageing, gender and sexuality intersect to compound the social exclusion of lesbians and bisexual women. This has implications for early diagnosis and treatment. Moreover, community care policy, which is predicated on heterosexist norms fails to take into account older lesbians and bisexual women's support networks and so is less likely to be attuned to their needs. Residential care provision is perceived by older lesbians and bisexual women as being heteronormative at best and homophobic at worst. Services which do not recognise, validate and support their identities will compound their anxiety, confusion and distress. This may be contrary to Equality and Human Rights legislation and UK social policies. This paper draws upon, and analyses, extracts from a range of authorship, synthesising the material to present novel insights into the significance of gender and sexuality for the experience of dementia and dementia care. © The Author(s) 2014.

  2. Creativity with dementia patients. Can creativity and art stimulate dementia patients positively?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hannemann, Beat Ted

    2006-01-01

    Creative activities could be stimulating for dementia patients. This article gives a review of practical forms of treating dementia patients with art therapeutic indications. It is also a ground for long-term research objective: in brief, I take exception to such a view, contrary to the common belief in the society and some professionals in the healthcare of dementia patients, on the ground that the patients do not have the capacity to improve their own creativity. The theory of cognition tells us about the principle of being creative as a basis for human life. This specific principle is effective for the aged as well. In the long-term, the creative potential of old patients will be unblocked in individual and group therapy sessions. Creative activity has been shown to reduce depression and isolation, offering the power of choice and decisions. Towards the end of life, art and creativity offer a path of opening up the windows to people's emotional interiors. Creative- and art therapy provides possibilities that are mostly indicated to sharpen the capacity of the senses and the patients' propensity to act themselves. Nonverbal therapy methods, such as painting, music, etc., are able to influence the well-being of the patients positively, within the modern healthcare system in nursing homes. The elderly and some of the dementia patients take the initiative to combine creativity and arts and to define his/her feeling for aesthetical matters. Furthermore, group therapy sessions help against isolation and lack of life perspective and hope. Copyright 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  3. Validation of the Arabic Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (A-RUDAS) in elderly with mild and moderate dementia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chaaya, M; Phung, T.K.T.; El Asmar, K

    2016-01-01

    Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) was especially designed to minimize the effects of cultural learning and education. The aim of this study was to validate the RUDAS in the Arabic language (A-RUDAS), evaluate its ability to screen for mild and moderate dementia, and assess the effect of education, sex, age......OBJECTIVES: Validated screening tests for dementia in Arabic are lacking. Given the low levels of education among elderly in the Middle East and North Africa region, the commonly used screening instrument, the Mini Mental State Examination, is not best suited. Alternatively, the Rowland Universal......-RUDAS exhibited good sensitivity (83%) and specificity (85%) with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 83.95%. Adjusting for age, sex, education, depression, and recruitment site, A-RUDAS score demonstrated a high level of accuracy in screening for mild and moderate dementia against DSM...

  4. Smart wireless continence management system for persons with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wai, Aung Aung Phyo; Fook, Victor Foo Siang; Jayachandran, Maniyeri; Biswas, Jit; Nugent, Chris; Mulvenna, Maurice; Lee, Jer-En; Kiat, Philp Yap Lian

    2008-10-01

    Incontinence is highly prevalent in the elderly population, especially in nursing home residents with dementia. It is a distressing and costly health problem that affects not only the patients but also the caregivers. Effective continence management is required to provide quality care, and to eliminate high labor costs and annoyances to the caregivers resulting from episodes of incontinence. This paper presents the design, development, and preliminary deployment of a smart wireless continence management system for dementia-impaired elderly or patients in institutional care settings such as nursing homes and hospitals. Specifically, the mote wireless platform was used to support the deployment of potentially large quantities of wetness sensors with wider coverage and with dramatically less complexity and cost. It consists of an intelligent signal relay mechanism so that the residents are free to move about in the nursing home or hospital and allows personalized continence management service. Preliminary results from a trial in a local nursing home are promising and can significantly improve the quality of care for patients.

  5. Association of diabetes mellitus and dementia : The Rotterdam study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ott, A; Stolk, RP; Hofman, A; vanHarskamp, F; Grobbee, DE; Breteler, MMB

    1996-01-01

    Dementia and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) are highly prevalent disorders in the elderly. Diabetes has repeatedly been reported to affect cognition, but its relation with dementia is uncertain. We therefore studied the association between diabetes and dementia in the Rotterdam

  6. Dementia care mapping to support staff in the care of people with intellectual disability and dementia: a feasibility study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaap, Feija D; Fokkens, Andrea S; Dijkstra, Geke J; Reijneveld, Sijmen A; Finnema, Evelyn J

    2018-04-24

    The number of people with intellectual disability and dementia increases; this combination causes behavioural changes. Dementia Care Mapping (DCM) supports staff in dementia care in nursing homes and may be useful in intellectual disability-care. This qualitative study examines the feasibility of DCM for older people with intellectual disability and dementia. The present authors obtained data in focus groups and interviews with professional users and analysed using a framework for feasibility studies. With experts in dementia and intellectual disability researches, the present authors determined the overall feasibility. DCM was found to be feasible in intellectual disability-care, regarding five domains of feasibility. Staff reported DCM to be useful and valuable and addresses to their demand for skills and knowledge. All professional users found DCM feasible in intellectual disability-care, which was confirmed by experts. DCM is feasible in intellectual disability-care. When fully tailored to intellectual disability-care, DCM is useful and provides opportunities to assess its effectiveness. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Comparison of Alzheimer's disease with vascular dementia and non-dementia using specific voxel-based Z score maps

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishii, Shirou; Shishido, Fumio; Miyajima, Masayuki; Sakuma, Koutarou; Shigihara, Takeshi; Tameta, Tadanobu; Miyazaki, Makoto; Kuroda, Hiroshi

    2009-01-01

    We investigated the ability to discriminate between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD), and between AD and non-dementia using the program ''easy Z score imaging system'' (eZIS) developed by Matsuda et al., for the diagnosis of very early AD. Of 201 patients, we investigated 12 patients with AD, 10 with VaD, and 9 with non-dementia, who underwent brain perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography by technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer ( 99m Tc-ECD) between February 2005 and September 2006. The sensitivity and specificity of the indicators of specific volume of interest (VOI) analysis, namely, severity, extent, and ratio were evaluated for the distinction of AD from VaD and non-dementia. There was a significant difference in all the criteria for severity, extent, and ratio between AD and non-dementia cases and in the ratio between AD and VaD. Between AD and non-dementia, the sensitivity and specificity of severity were 100% and 45%, respectively, using the cutoff value of 1.19. When using the cutoff value of 14.2 for extent, the sensitivity and specificity were both 100%. Using the cutoff value of 2.22 for ratio, the sensitivity of 42% and specificity of 100% were demonstrated. When comparing AD with VaD, using the cutoff value of 2.22 for ratio, the sensitivity and specificity were 42% and 100%, respectively. Using the cutoff value of 1.5 for ratio, the sensitivity and specificity between AD and VaD were 92% and 80%, respectively, thereby showing the best results. The specific VOI analysis program of AD using specific voxel-based Z score maps is not influenced by interobserver differences among radiologists and is useful to discriminate AD from VaD and non-dementia. However, the setting of the cutoff value at each institution and comparison with original and eZIS images are suggested to distinguish better AD from VaD. (author)

  8. Eating Behaviors and Dietary Changes in Patients With Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cipriani, Gabriele; Carlesi, Cecilia; Lucetti, Claudio; Danti, Sabrina; Nuti, Angelo

    2016-12-01

    Eating problems and dietary changes have been reported in patients with dementia. The aim of this article is to explore the generalized problems with nutrition, diet, feeding, and eating reported among patients with dementia. Medline and Google Scholar searches were conducted for relevant articles, chapters, and books published before 2016. Search terms used included behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, dementia, dietary changes, eating behavior. Publications found through this indexed search were reviewed for further relevant references. Abnormal eating behaviors, eating problems, and dietary changes are present in most people with dementia, especially in the later stages of the condition. Individuals with dementia frequently develop serious feeding difficulties and changes in eating and dietary habits. The changes may be secondary to cognitive impairment or apraxia, or the result of insufficient caregiving, or the consequence of metabolic or neurochemical abnormalities occurring as part of the dementing process.

  9. Which Stratum of Urban Elderly Is Most Vulnerable for Dementia?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-01-01

    Many factors associated with a patient's lifestyle may disrupt timely access to dementia diagnosis and management. The aim of this study was to compare characteristics of lifestyle factors at the time of initial evaluation for dementia across degrees of dementia, and to identify risk factors relating to late detection of dementia, in order to understand the various lifestyle barriers to timely recognition of the disease. We reviewed medical records of 1,409 subjects who were diagnosed as dementia among 35,723 inhabitants of Gwangjin-gu. Dementia severity was divided into three degrees. Age, sex, education, income, smoking, heavy drinking, physical activity, religion, and living conditions were evaluated. There was a significantly greater proportion of individuals who were old age, female, less educated, who had never smoked or drank heavily, without physical activity, with no religious activity and living with family other than spouse in the severe dementia group. The lifestyle risks of late detection were old age, lower education, less social interactions, less physical activity or living with family. We can define this group of patients as the vulnerable stratum to dementia evaluation. Health policy or community health services might find ways to better engage patients in this vulnerable stratum to dementia. PMID:27550494

  10. Drawing Disorders in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Forms of Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trojano, Luigi; Gainotti, Guido

    2016-04-21

    Drawing is a multicomponential process that can be impaired by many kinds of brain lesions. Drawing disorders are very common in Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, and can provide clinical information for the distinction of the different dementing diseases. In our review we started from an overview of the neural and cognitive bases of drawing, and from a recollection of the drawing tasks more frequently used for assessing individuals with dementia. Then, we analyzed drawing disorders in dementia, paying special attention to those observed in Alzheimer's disease, from the prodromal stages of the amnesic mild cognitive impairment to the stages of full-blown dementia, both in the sporadic forms with late onset in the entorhino-hippocampal structures and in those with early onset in the posterior neocortical structures. We reviewed the drawing features that could differentiate Alzheimer's disease from vascular dementia and from the most frequent forms of degenerative dementia, namely frontotemporal dementia and Lewy body disease. Finally, we examined some peculiar aspects of drawing disorders in dementia, such as perseverations, rotations, and closing-in. We argue that a careful analysis of drawing errors helps to differentiate the different forms of dementia more than overall accuracy in drawing.

  11. Chronic disease self-management support for persons with dementia, in a clinical setting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ibrahim JE

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Joseph Elias Ibrahim,1 Laura J Anderson,1 Aleece MacPhail,2 Janaka Jonathan Lovell,2 Marie-Claire Davis,1 Margaret Winbolt3 1Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Southbank, 2Ballarat Health Services, Ballarat, 3Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia Abstract: The burden of chronic disease is greater in individuals with dementia, a patient group that is growing as the population is aging. The cornerstone of optimal management of chronic disease requires effective patient self-management. However, this is particularly challenging in older persons with a comorbid diagnosis of dementia. The impact of dementia on a person’s ability to self-manage his/her chronic disease (eg, diabetes mellitus or heart failure varies according to the cognitive domain(s affected, severity of impairment and complexity of self-care tasks. A framework is presented that describes how impairment in cognitive domains (attention and information processing, language, visuospatial ability and praxis, learning and memory and executive function impacts on the five key processes of chronic disease self-management. Recognizing the presence of dementia in a patient with chronic disease may lead to better outcomes. Patients with dementia require individually tailored strategies that accommodate and adjust to the individual and the cognitive domains that are impaired, to optimize their capacity for self-management. Management strategies for clinicians to counter poor self-management due to differentially impaired cognitive domains are also detailed in the presented framework. Clinicians should work in collaboration with patients and care givers to assess a patient’s current capabilities, identify potential barriers to successful self-management and make efforts to adjust the provision of information according to the patient’s skill set. The increasing prevalence of

  12. Dementia and assisted suicide and euthanasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Beaufort, Inez D; van de Vathorst, Suzanne

    2016-07-01

    The number of dementia patients requesting euthanasia in the Netherlands has increased over the past five years. The issue is highly controversial. In this contribution we discuss some of the main arguments: the nature of suffering, the voluntariness of the request and the role of the physician. We argue that society has a duty to care for patients who suffer from dementia and to make their lives as good and comfortable as possible. We also argue that it can be morally acceptable for those who do not want to continue their life with dementia to choose to die. The choice can be based on good reasons.

  13. Consensus statement on genetic research in dementia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rikkert, M.G. Olde; der, V van; Burns, A.

    2008-01-01

    In this article, the authors describe how the European Dementia Consensus Network developed a consensus on research ethics in dementia, taking into account the questions posed by the era of genetic research and its new research methods. The consensus process started with a Delphi procedure...... to analyze relevant stakeholders' positions by describing their statements on the possibilities and limitations of research into genetic determinants of Alzheimer disease and to describe and analyze the moral desirability of genetic research on Alzheimer disease. The conclusions drawn from the Delphi...... procedure fuelled the development of the consensus statement, which is presented in this paper. The consensus statement aims to stimulate ethically acceptable research in the field of dementia and the protection of vulnerable elderly patients with dementia from application of inadequate research methods...

  14. Dementia, Clinical Aspects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Docu Any Axelerad

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Disordered arousal leads to a confusional state with an incoherent line of thought, temporal disorientation, poor recall, visual illusions, hallucinations and disordered behavior. With the exception of dementia with Lewy bodies, which is characterized by fluctuating confusion, other disorders causing dementia persist and deteriorate over months or years, and are not characterized by fluctuations or confusional episodes, except when other medical or environmental perturbations disrupt the arousal systems of the brain (e.g. intercurrent infection, anoxia. Sometimes, their hallucinations are different, with a religious tendency, and maybe we must insist with anamnesis related to previous religious beliefs, to see if it is possible to correlate some damaged area than cause hallucinations, are reliable with our faith.

  15. Help seeking in older Asian people with dementia in Melbourne: using the Cultural Exchange Model to explore barriers and enablers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haralambous, Betty; Dow, Briony; Tinney, Jean; Lin, Xiaoping; Blackberry, Irene; Rayner, Victoria; Lee, Sook-Meng; Vrantsidis, Freda; Lautenschlager, Nicola; Logiudice, Dina

    2014-03-01

    The prevalence of dementia is increasing in Australia. Limited research is available on access to Cognitive Dementia and Memory Services (CDAMS) for people with dementia from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities. This study aimed to determine the barriers and enablers to accessing CDAMS for people with dementia and their families of Chinese and Vietnamese backgrounds. Consultations with community members, community workers and health professionals were conducted using the "Cultural Exchange Model" framework. For carers, barriers to accessing services included the complexity of the health system, lack of time, travel required to get to services, language barriers, interpreters and lack of knowledge of services. Similarly, community workers and health professionals identified language, interpreters, and community perceptions as key barriers to service access. Strategies to increase knowledge included providing information via radio, printed material and education in community group settings. The "Cultural Exchange Model" enabled engagement with and modification of the approaches to meet the needs of the targeted CALD communities.

  16. Online Education Improves Dementia Knowledge: Evidence From an International Intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Annear, Michael J

    2018-03-01

    Dementia education disseminated through massive open online courses (MOOCs) has the potential to improve knowledge and care provision among health professionals and lay people. The potential learning effects of a dementia MOOC were assessed using a reliable and valid measure with international volunteers ( N = 3,649) who completed the measure before and after online education. Evaluation of learning effects suggests that the MOOC significantly increased dementia knowledge by at least 17% across six cohorts. Knowledge was improved by the MOOC in three ways: it significantly improved overall understanding of dementia for diverse cohorts; it reduced knowledge disparity within occupational and lay cohorts; and it reduced knowledge disparity across occupational and lay cohorts. The capacity of a dementia MOOC to significantly improve knowledge and reach a wide audience may lead to population-level improvements in understanding about dementia. This may foster improvements in treatment and quality of care for people with dementia.

  17. Alzheimer’s and Dementia: An Overview | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... contents Alzheimer’s and Dementia: An Overview Follow us Alzheimer’s and Dementia: An Overview What is Dementia? Dementia ... for basic activities and daily living. What is Alzheimer’s disease? Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause ...

  18. Trajectories of cognitive decline in different types of dementia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Smits, L.L.; van Harten, A.C.; Pijnenburg, Y.A.L.; Koedam, E.L.G.E.; Bouwman, F.H.; Sistermans, N.; Reuling, I.E.W.; Prins, N.D.; Lemstra, A.W.; Scheltens, P.; van der Flier, W.M.

    2015-01-01

    Background. To investigate trajectories of cognitive decline in patients with different types of dementia compared to controls in a longitudinal study. Method. In 199 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), 10 with vascular dementia (VaD), 26 with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), 20 with behavioural

  19. Dementia in Palliative Care in the Seychelles´ Hospice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Armando Carlos Roca Socarrás

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Dementia presents a high prevalence both in developed and developing countries. It is one of the main causes of terminal stage for a non oncological illness. Objective: To determine the behaviour of some biological variables in terminal stage patients with dementia. Method: A descriptive study was conducted in 16 patients with a diagnostic of dementia in terminal stage. These patients were admitted in the Seychelles´ Hospice between February 2010 and February 2011. The behaviour of dementia in relation to patient’s age, type of dementia, responses to the Folstein´s cognitive mini-test, Charlson´s and Barthel´s indexes, presence of non communicable chronic diseases, and health settings responsible for the remission was analyzed. Results: 31,3 % of patients admitted in the Hospice presented  dementia. The age group with more cases was that from 75 to 84 years old. Vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease presented the same number of cases (37,5 % each. 56% of the patients died during the first 15 days of admission and only 12,5 % lived more than 6 months. Hypertension and cerebrovascular disease were the most common non communicable chronic diseases. 56% of cases had been remitted from hospitals. Conclusions: Dementia in terminal stages follows a behaviour that allows anticipating an appropriate strategy for palliative care in the Hospice.

  20. 'Sustaining Place' - a grounded theory of how informal carers of people with dementia manage alterations to relationships within their social worlds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daly, Louise; McCarron, Mary; Higgins, Agnes; McCallion, Philip

    2013-02-01

    This paper presents a theory explaining the processes used by informal carers of people with dementia to mange alterations to their, and people with dementias' relationships with and places within their social worlds. Informal carers provide the majority of care to people with dementia. A great deal of international informal dementia care research is available, much of which elucidates the content, impacts and consequences of the informal caring role and the coping mechanisms that carers use. However, the socially situated experiences and processes integral to informal caring in dementia have not yet been robustly accounted for. A classic grounded theory approach was used as it is designed for research enquiries that aim to generate theory illustrating social patterns of action used to address an identified problem. Thirty interviews were conducted with 31 participants between 2006-2008. The theory was conceptualised from the data using the concurrent methods of theoretical sampling, constant comparative analysis, memo writing and theoretical sensitivity. Informal carers' main concern was identified as 'Living on the fringes', which was stimulated by dementia-related stigma and living a different life. The theory of 'Sustaining Place' explains the social pattern of actions employed by informal carers to manage this problem on behalf of themselves and the person with dementia. The theory of 'Sustaining Place' identifies an imperative for nurses, other formal carers and society to engage in actions to support and enable social connectedness, social inclusion and citizenship for informal carers and people with dementia. 'Sustaining Place' facilitates enhanced understanding of the complex and socially situated nature of informal dementia care through its portrayal of informal carers as social agents and can be used to guide nurses to better support those who live with dementia. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.