American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Impact of Noncaregiving-Related Stressors on Informal Caregiver Outcomes
Conclusion: Results can be used to develop targeted intervention and support strategies for spouse caregivers experiencing non-caregiving related stressorsas well as the traditional challenges with caregiving related issues. (Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias)
Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias - July 15, 2014 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Austrom, M. G., Lu, Y. Y.-F., Perkins, A. J., Boustani, M., Callahan, C. M., Hendrie, H. C. Tags: Current Topics in Care Source Type: research

The Potential Role of Chemokines in Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder and leading cause of dementia, which begins with impaired memory. The neuropathological hallmarks of AD include destructive alterations of neurons by neurofibrillary tangles, neuritic amyloid plaques, and neuroinflammatory process in the brain. Chemokines have a major role in inflammatory cell attraction and glial cell activation and/or modulation in the central nervous system. Moreover, the clinical and immunopathological evidence could show dual key role of chemokines in their pro- and anti-inflammatory properties in AD. However, their effects in neurodegener...
Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias - July 15, 2014 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Azizi, G., Khannazer, N., Mirshafiey, A. Tags: Reviews Source Type: research

Role of Medium Chain Triglycerides (Axona(R)) in the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease
Treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors or N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists provides symptomatic relief but do not prevent its progression. Thus, additional approaches aimed at slowing the progression of the disease have been investigated. Reports detailing reduced brain glucose metabolism in the early stages of AD led to the hypothesis that alternate energy sources aimed at increasing neuronal metabolism may protect neurons and thus benefit patients with AD. Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are metabolized to ketone bodies that serve as an alternative source of ene...
Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias - July 15, 2014 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Sharma, A., Bemis, M., Desilets, A. R. Tags: Reviews Source Type: research

Research Brief: A Literature Review of Frontotemporal Dementia and Driving
There is a growing body of research on Alzheimer’s disease and driving, but much less is known about less common dementias, such as frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The purpose of this study was to review the empirical literature about FTD and driving. A study was included if it met the following criteria: published from 1992 to 2013 in English, research involving humans, and included both FTD and driving data. We searched the following electronic databases: EBSCOhost, PubMed, Google Scholar, Proquest, Web of Knowledge, and Publishing Connect. A total of 367 abstracts were reviewed; however, only 4 articles satisfied t...
Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias - July 15, 2014 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Turk, K., Dugan, E. Tags: Reviews Source Type: research

Nasal NSAIDs for Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer’s disease may result from low-grade inflammation of the brain, and the characteristic amyloid β may be a protective response. Epidemiological observation indicates that long-term oral administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen to patients having rheumatoid arthritis results in reduced risk and delayed onset of Alzheimer's disease. However, oral ibuprofen, flurbiprofen, and other NSAIDs are not an effective treatment. The NSAIDs may work as an Alzheimer’s preventive but not a treatment because the oral dose to the brain is too small, 1% to 2% of the total pla...
Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias - July 15, 2014 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Lehrer, S. Tags: Thoughts, Opinions, and Controversies Source Type: research

Reactions and Interventions for Delusions in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia
This is a qualitative and quantitative study examining institutional staff members’ reactions to delusions experienced by nursing home residents. Participants were 38 nursing home residents aged 65 and older, diagnosed with dementia. Data were collected from 8 nursing homes in Israel between June 2007 and January 2009. Assessments included Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer’s Disease Rating Scale, Neuropsychiatric Inventory: Nursing Home version, Etiological Assessment of Psychotic Symptoms In Dementia, Activities of Daily Living, and Mini-Mental State Examination. A wide variety of interventions with dementia-r...
Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias - June 18, 2014 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Cohen-Mansfield, J., Golander, H., Arnheim, G., Cohen, R. Tags: Current Topics in Research Source Type: research

An Exploratory Study of Grief and Health-Related Quality of Life for Caregivers of People With Dementia
The aim of this qualitative study was to explore key positive and negative factors that impact on grief resolution and health outcomes of caregivers who were caring, or had cared, for a family member with dementia who had died. The study was a scoping study and involved face-to-face interviews with these family caregivers (N = 13). Results indicated a complex interaction of issues (many unique to dementia caregiving) which in different combinations acted as protective or risk factors for caregiver outcomes. Interaction of individual characteristics, role appraisal, value of intrinsic and extrinsic resources, and experience...
Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias - June 18, 2014 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Shuter, P., Beattie, E., Edwards, H. Tags: Current Topics in Research Source Type: research

The Impact of Exercise, Cognitive Activities, and Socialization on Cognitive Function: Results From the National Long-Term Care Survey
This study examines possible associations between cognitive impairment and exercise, cognitive activities, and socialization. Cognitive activities, socialization, and exercise were assessed at baseline, and cognitive function was measured at baseline, 5-year, and 10-year follow-up. Controlling for baseline cognitive function, age, sex, education, diabetes, and hypertension, linear regression was performed. Engagement in cognitive activities was inversely associated with the onset of cognitive impairment at 5-year follow-up but was no longer significant at 10-year follow-up. Exercise was associated with a lower risk of cogn...
Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias - June 18, 2014 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Jedrziewski, M. K., Ewbank, D. C., Wang, H., Trojanowski, J. Q. Tags: Current Topics in Research Source Type: research

Functional Decline Predicts Emergency Department Use in Veterans With Dementia
Conclusions: Functional status most strongly predicted ER use, highlighting the promise of home-based interventions to improve activities of daily living. Number of chronic conditions and caregiver-reported relationship strain are potential targets of intervention during discharge process. (Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias)
Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias - June 18, 2014 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Ng, S., Morgan, R. O., Walder, A., Biswas, J., Bass, D. M., Judge, K. S., Snow, A. L., Wilson, N., Kunik, M. E. Tags: Current Topics in Research Source Type: research

Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease: The Role of Caregiver Burden and Coping Strategies
This study was conducted to obtain data regarding the association of caregiver burden (CB) and neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. We conducted a series of multiple linear regressions to determine the relationship between CB and NPSs and whether the caregiver coping strategies mediated this relationship. The NPSs were assessed using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, and caregivers were evaluated with the Caregiver Burden Interview and the Inventory and the Coping Strategies Inventory. Results show that patients with more frequent and severe NPS were more likely to be cared for by more...
Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias - June 18, 2014 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Garcia-Alberca, J. M., Lara, J. P., Garrido, V., Gris, E., Gonzalez-Herero, V., Lara, A. Tags: Current Topics in Research Source Type: research

Social Representation of Dementia and Its Influence on the Search for Early Care by Family Member Caregivers
Conclusion: The presence of dementia in the family creates interpersonal dilemmas that caregivers experience. The solutions are framed in the sociocultural context. (Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias)
Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias - June 18, 2014 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Juarez-Cedillo, T., Jarillo-Soto, E. C., Rosas-Carrasco, O. Tags: Current Topics in Research Source Type: research

Musical Training and Late-Life Cognition
This study investigated the effects of early- to midlife musical training on cognition in older adults. A musical training survey examined self-reported musical experience and objective knowledge in 237 cognitively intact participants. Responses were classified into low-, medium-, and high-knowledge groups. Linear mixed models compared the groups’ longitudinal performance on the Animal Naming Test (ANT; semantic verbal fluency) and Logical Memory Story A Immediate Recall (LMI; episodic memory) controlling for baseline age, time since baseline, education, sex, and full-scale IQ. Results indicate that high-knowledge pa...
Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias - June 18, 2014 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Gooding, L. F., Abner, E. L., Jicha, G. A., Kryscio, R. J., Schmitt, F. A. Tags: Current Topics in Research Source Type: research

Basic Physical Capability Scale: Psychometric Testing With Cognitively Impaired Older Adults
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Basic Physical Capability Scale when used with older adults having moderate to severe cognitive impairment and consider the utility of the measure in establishing function-focused care (FFC) goals for these individuals. The study was a secondary data analysis using data from 2 intervention studies testing FFC interventions in older adults with moderate to severe cognitive impairment in nursing homes and assisted living settings. Participants included 96 recruited from 4 assisted living facilities and 103 older adults from 4 nursing homes. There w...
Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias - June 18, 2014 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Resnick, B., Galik, E., Boltz, M. Tags: Current Topics in Research Source Type: research

The Use of Visual Analog Scales to Compare Pain Between Patients With Alzheimer's Disease and Patients Without Any Known Neurodegenerative Disease and Their Caregivers
This study also points to the need of, when evaluating patients with ADalways measure their pain degree using appropriate scales, instead of relying only on the caregiver. (Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias)
Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias - June 18, 2014 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Santos, S., Castanho, M. Tags: Current Topics in Care Source Type: research

Exploring the Influence of Environment on the Spatial Behavior of Older Adults in a Purpose-Built Acute Care Dementia Unit
Limited research explores the experience of individuals with dementia in acute care geriatric psychiatry units. This observational case study examines the influence of the physical environment on behavior (wandering, pacing, door testing, congregation and seclusions) among residents in a traditional geriatric psychiatry unit who were then relocated to a purpose-built acute care unit. Purpose-built environments should be well suited to the needs of residents with dementia. Observed trends revealed differences in spatial behaviors in the pre- and post- environments attributable to the physical environment. Person-centred mod...
Source: American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias - June 18, 2014 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Mazzei, F., Gillan, R., Cloutier, D. Tags: Current Topics in Care Source Type: research