Search results for ‘Subject term:"alzheimers disease"’ Sort:
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Research and development network scoping study report for the Welsh Assembly Government: alzheimer's disease
- Author:
- WOODS Bob
- Publisher:
- University of Wales Bangor. Dementia Services Development Centre
- Publication year:
- 2005
- Pagination:
- 51p.
- Place of publication:
- Bangor
The conditions dementias and neurodegenerative disorders (including Alzheimer’s)’affect at least 47,000 people in Wales, a significant number of whom are of working age. Meeting their needs effectively continues to be one of the major challenges for health and social care services. This study has indicated that there is a strong basis for research in this area to continue to develop in Wales. Currently funded projects bring in external funds of over five million pounds, and over 200 publications with input from researchers in Wales have appeared in the scientific literature over the last five years. Current research covers the whole range from basic biochemical and genetic research to research on service delivery and policy. There is a wide geographical spread of the current research.
The relationship between severity of Alzheimer's disease and prevalence of comorbid depressive symptoms and depression: a systematic review
- Authors:
- VERKAIK Renate, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 22(11), November 2007, pp.1063-1086.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
A systematic literature review based on the Cochrane methodology was performed. PubMed, PsychINFO and EMBASE databases were searched for existing studies that fulfilled predefined inclusion criteria. The studies were divided into: (1) those that analysed the association between severity of AD and prevalence of depressive symptoms (continuous approach) and (2) those that investigated the association between severity of AD and diagnosed depression (categorical approach). The quality of existing studies was rated and the results were synthesized with a best evidence synthesis. Twenty-four studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Nineteen reported results for a continuous approach and seven for a categorical approach. Three of the four high quality studies within the continuous approach did not find a significant association between severity of AD and prevalence of depressive symptoms. None of the three high quality studies using the categorical approach found a significant association between the severity of AD and the prevalence of diagnosed depression. There is evidence for a lack of association between the severity of AD and the prevalence of comorbid depressive symptoms or diagnosed depression. Until new studies contradict this conclusion, prevention and intervention strategies for comorbid depression in AD should be aimed at all patients irrespective their disease severity.
Support groups for caregivers of Alzheimer patients: A historical review
- Authors:
- HORNILLOS Carlos, CRESPO Maria
- Journal article citation:
- Dementia: the International Journal of Social Research and Practice, 11(2), March 2012, pp.155-169.
- Publisher:
- Sage
This historical review looks at the use and study of support groups for family caregivers of Alzheimer patients. It describes their main features and variations, with special emphasis on information about their efficacy. Three different time periods were identified in the analysis: an initial stage (late 1970s – 1985) with studies based on subjective impressions and questionnaires showing high satisfaction among caregivers; a second stage (1985–1995) with more rigorous methodology, which led to doubts about SGs’ efficacy; and a third stage (1995 – present) in which qualitative methodology focused on group process has led to renewed interest. Proposals regarding future of research on caregiver SGs are discussed
The state and context of evidence production and knowledge translation in the rehabilitation of people with Alzheimer’s Disease
- Authors:
- KROLL Thilo, NAUE Ursula
- Journal article citation:
- Dementia: the International Journal of Social Research and Practice, 10(1), February 2011, pp.19-34.
- Publisher:
- Sage
To date, rehabilitation has played only a marginal role in the management and treatment of people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This literature review explores the potential for rehabilitative approaches in dementia care. Seventy six studies were included in the final review which focused on the current state of research evidence for rehabilitation related to Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). The article also sets out to critically appraise the concept of ‘evidence’ in the context of rehabilitation methodology. Implications for future research are discussed along with the challenges of translating the findings to the practical delivery of care. The tendency to marginalise rehabilitation in dementia care may reflect a fatalistic view of rehabilitation for people with advanced AD. However, the authors argue that with a greying population, and no cure as yet, rehabilitation approaches to AD care will become increasingly important. There are numerous definitions of rehabilitation but most focus on personalisation and include the concepts of personal autonomy, optimum well-being and participation. Preliminary evidence suggests that early and individualised cognitive rehabilitation interventions hold promise but are not often embedded in comprehensive rehabilitation programmes. Much research to date is cognition, drug and carer centric and does not fully include users; most studies focus on the milder stages of the disease.
QUALIDEM: development and evaluation of a dementia specific quality of life instrument-validation
- Authors:
- ETTEMA Teake P., et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 22(5), May 2007, pp.424-430.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
QUALIDEM is a quality of life measure for people with dementia within residential settings rated by professional caregivers. In a sample of 202 residents of nursing homes Spearman rank correlations were calculated between the QUALIDEM subscales and indices of convergent validity and discriminant validity, with dementia severity and need of care, with global QOL scores by the head nurse and family, and with self-report on COOP/WONCA Charts. The one-method multi-trait matrix showed 90.5% of the correlations to be in support for convergent and discriminant validity. Low to moderate correlations were observed with dementia severity and need of care, confirming that QOL is not merely disease severity. Support for concurrent validity was found in correlations with QOL ratings by the head nurse. The QUALIDEM did not correlate with most of the family ratings or with the COOP/WONCA Charts. The results of this validation study together with the obtained content validity through the method of construction provide sufficient support for validity of the QUALIDEM to be used for care evaluation and research in residential settings.
Dementia from the inside: how people with early-stage dementia evaluate their quality of life
- Author:
- KATSUNO Towoko
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 25(2), March 2005, pp.197-214.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
The purposes of this study were to explore the self-rated and objectively measured quality of life of people with early-stage dementia and to describe their personal experiences and reactions to the negative public view of dementia. Information was collected from 23 participants who lived in a mid-western United States metropolitan area. Self-ratings were collected by semi-structured and structured interviews, and the objective measures were the Quality of Life Index (QLI) and the Single Item Quality of Life Scale (SIQLS). It was found that 21 of the participants perceived their current QOL as ‘good’ or better, and that the mean scores for the QLI and the SIQLS were 22.8 and 7.3 respectively. Triangulation of the subjective and objective data established their congruence. The QLI scores suggested that people with early-stage dementia often perceived their current life as good and that the participants were as satisfied with their life as the general population. Their accounts also revealed that many had experienced stigma and that this appreciably affected their psychosocial wellbeing. The findings of this study provide new insights into the ways in which health-care professionals and the general public can and should view and treat people with dementia.
A longitudinal study of Alzheimer's disease: rates of cognitive and functional decline
- Authors:
- SUH Guk-Hee, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 19(9), September 2004, pp.817-824.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The aim was to measure rates of decline in cognition and function in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to investigate their accelerating risk factors in Korea. This study presents longitudinal data on a community-based sample of 107 patients with AD, followed at 6 months and 12 months. The cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog), the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Disability Assessment for Dementia Scale (DAD) were given. Mixed model analyses were conducted using the following independent variables: times of repeated assessment (0, 6 or 12 months), severity of dementia assessed by the Functional Assessment Staging (FAST) and individual indicators as covariates. Average annual rates of decline in the MMSE, the ADAS-cog and the DAD were 2.3, 11.4 and 15.1 points, respectively. Neither gender, duration of formal education, nor duration of AD since onset was significant predictors of cognitive and functional decline. Patterns of functional decline in total DAD, instrumental ADLs, planning and organization and performance subscale are linear as MMSE score declines, while those of the basic ADLs and the initiation are curvilinear. This naturalistic observational study measured rates of cognitive and functional decline in AD, and can provide reference data for further longitudinal studies or clinical trials. Further study will be necessary to determine whether linear or curvilinear pattern in functional decline is due to progression of AD itself or statistical artifact.
EEG and the Test for the Early Detection of Dementia with Discrimination from Depression (TE4D): a validation study
- Authors:
- BIRKMEYERJurgen, GRASS-KAPANKE Brigitte, IHL Ralf
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 19(8), August 2004, pp.748-753.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The Test for the Early Detection of Dementia with Discrimination from Depression (TE4D) was developed as a screening instrument for mild dementia. We investigated the convergent validity of the TE4D to EEG and other psychometric tests in patients suffering from dementia and depression. In 47 patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease (ICD-10 F.00) and 16 patients with affective disorders (F30-F39) the tests TE4D, ADAS-cog, SKT, BCRS, MMSE were performed and an EEG recorded. Group differences were compared by t-tests and a regression analysis was calculated. The inter-test-correlations varied between rs = 0.77 and rs = 0.91. Significant differences between the diagnostic groups were found for all tests as well as for the frequency bands and . For the qEEG, significant positive correlations were found between TE4D (Dementia subscore) and the mean frequency (r = 0.47), the peak frequency (r = 0.42), the frequency bands (r = 0.59) and (r = 0.56) as well as negative correlations in the frequency bands (r = -0.23) and (r = -0.42). The mean frequency and the activity in the frequency bands , 2, and contributed to the regression equation. The correlation between regression equation and the TE4D was rs = 0.87. The other tests also correlated with the TE4D: ADAS rs = -0.75, MMST rs = 0.82, SKT rs = -0.74, BCRS rs = -0.83. The TE4D showed convergent validity with the EEG parameters. Both the TE4D-score and the EEG-alterations correlated significantly with the degree of severity of Alzheimer's disease. This result underlines the assumption that the TE4D will be a useful instrument for the diagnostic process in dementia.
Syndromes of behavioural and psychological symptoms in mild Alzheimer's disease
- Authors:
- MORAN Maria, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 19(4), April 2004, pp.359-364.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are common in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and are associated with significant distress for patient and carer. Certain behavioural and psychological symptoms have been associated with each other, leading to the suggestion that differences in symptom patterns among patients with AD may represent different syndromes within AD. The purpose of this study is to see if patients with AD could be meaningfully classified into syndromes, based on the relationships between their BPSD. The sample was recruited through a memory clinic. Two hundred and forty first visit patients with a diagnosis of very mild to mild AD were included. BPSD were assessed using the BEHAVE-AD. Latent class analysis was used to assess for different classes or groups of patients within the sample, based on their behavioural and psychological symptoms. Three classes were identified; Class 1 with a low prevalence of behavioural and psychological symptoms; Class 2 an anxiety/depressive symptom class and Class 3 an aggressive symptom class. The three classes (or groups) of patients obtained by LCA in this sample may be explained by a latent, as yet, unidentified factor. Further research is required to determine if these classes are stable over time, and to identify possible latent variables.
Validity and reliability of the newly translated Hellenic Neuropsychiatric Inventory (H-NPI) applied to Greek outpatients with Alzheimer's disease: a study of disturbing behaviours among referrals to a memory clinic
- Authors:
- POLITIS Antonis, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 19(3), March 2004, pp.203-208.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
No rating scales of the neuropsychiatric symptoms of patients with dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) have previously been developed or translated. The aim was to develop a Hellenic translation of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), to evaluate it's reliability and validity, and to compare NPI results in Greek patients referred to a neuropsychiatry clinic for either of two reasons: disturbing behaviours evoking embarrassment and disturbing behaviours evoking fear in the caregiver. The Hellenic translations of the NPI, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), and Emotional Distress Scale (EDS) were compared in evaluating 29 consecutive referrals of patients with AD. The Hellenic NPI (H-NPI) demonstrated a high degree of internal consistency reliability, and of concurrent validity when compared to the BPRS or the EDS. Patients referred for behaviours evoking embarrassment presented with higher scores on NPI ratings of apathy. However, patients referred for behaviours evoking fear presented with higher scores on NPI ratings of aggression and irritability. These results indicate that the H-NPI is a reliable instrument, able to detect differences in clinically referred groups of AD patients.