Project description:BackgroundBehavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD) can be a prodrome of dementia, and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) is widely used for BPSD evaluation.ObjectiveTo compare the prevalence of BPSD according to cognitive status, and to determine NPI cutoffs that best discern individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia from those without dementia.MethodsWe included 1,565 participants (mean age = 72.7±12.2 years, 48% male). BPSD and cognitive status were assessed with the NPI and the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR). We used multivariable logistic regression models to investigate the association of BPSD with cognitive status. The area under the curve (AUC) was used to assess model discrimination, and to determine the best NPI cutoff for MCI and dementia.ResultsParticipants were cognitively normal (CDR = 0; n = 1,062), MCI (CDR = 0.5; n = 145), or dementia (CDR≥1.0, n = 358). NPI symptoms were more frequent in dementia and MCI when compared to cognitively normal. Higher odds for delusions, hallucinations, disinhibition, and psychomotor alterations were found among participants with dementia and MCI than in those who were cognitively normal. The best NPI cutoff to discern participants with dementia from those cognitively normal was 11 (AUC = 0.755). Poor discrimination (AUC = 0.563) was found for the comparison of MCI and those cognitively normal.ConclusionsWe found an increase in BPSD frequencies across the continuum of cognitive impairment. BPSD severity and frequency in MCI was more similar to individuals cognitively normal than with dementia. NPI scores≥to 11 in individuals with no diagnosis of dementia can support the decision for further investigation of dementia.
Project description:To examine awareness of memory abilities by groups (healthy control, suspected dementia/mild cognitive impairment, MCI, and diagnosed dementia/MCI), and to describe group differences in the relationship between awareness and cognitive performance in a community sample.In a cross-sectional design, 183 subjects were evaluated in a community setting and categorized into 3 groups based on their cognitive performance and reported medical history. Awareness of memory abilities was quantified using a published anosognosia ratio (AR) comparing the estimated to the objective memory performance by subjects. Each group was further categorized into 'overestimators', 'accurate estimators', and 'underestimators' based on their AR scores.The suspected and diagnosed dementia/MCI groups had significantly higher AR scores than the controls. The suspected group also had a significantly larger proportion (96.2%) of overestimators than the diagnosed (73.3%) and control groups (26.1%). Impaired awareness in overestimators of the suspected and diagnosed groups was correlated with deficits in executive function, language or global cognition.Impaired awareness of memory abilities was prevalent in community-dwelling older adults with suspected and diagnosed dementia or MCI. Those with suspected dementia or MCI were more likely to overestimate their memory abilities than their diagnosed counterparts, suggesting that limited awareness of deficits may hinder utilization of dementia diagnostic services.
Project description:High-level depressive symptoms have been reported in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), resulting in increased risk of progression to dementia. However, studies investigating the correlates of depressive symptoms among this population are scarce. This study aimed to investigate the significant socio-demographic, lifestyle-related and disease-related correlates of depressive symptoms among this cohort. Cross-sectional data were obtained from a sample of 154 Chinese community-dwelling older adults with MCI. MCI subjects were screened by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Depressive symptoms were measured by the Geriatric Depression Scale. Possible correlates of depressive symptoms in individuals with MCI were explored by multiple linear regressions. The prevalence of depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults with MCI was 31.8%. In multiple regression analysis, poor perceived positive social interaction, small social network, low level of physical activity, poor functional status, subjective memory complaint, and poor health perception were correlated with depressive symptoms. The findings highlight that depressive symptoms are sufficient to warrant evaluation and management in older adults with MCI. Addressing social isolation, assisting this vulnerable group in functional and physical activities, and cultivating a positive perception towards cognitive and physical health are highly prioritized treatment targets among individuals with MCI.
Project description:BACKGROUND:The public health emergency of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is rapidly evolving worldwide; some countries, including Spain, have implemented restrictive measures. Populations that are vulnerable to this outbreak and its physical and mental health effects include community-dwelling older adults with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia. Telehealth is a potential tool to deliver health care and decrease exposure risk. OBJECTIVE:The aims of this study were to explore the impact of confinement on the health and well-being of community-dwelling older adults with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia, to provide television-based and telephone-based health and social support, and to study the effects of a television-based assistive integrated technology, TV-AssistDem (TeleVision-based ASSistive Integrated Service to supporT European adults living with mild DEMentia or mild cognitive impairment). METHODS:A telephone-based survey was administered in Spain to 93 participants in the TV-AssistDem clinical trial from March 25 to April 6, 2020. RESULTS:Of the respondents, 60/93 (65%) were women. The mean age was 73.34 (SD 6.07), and 69/93 (74%) lived accompanied. Lockdown measures forced 17/93 respondents (18%) to change their living arrangements. Health status was found to be optimal in 89/93 respondents (96%), with no COVID-19 symptoms. Grocery and pharmacy outings were performed by family members of 68/93 participants (73%); 57 (61%) reported overall well-being, and 65 (70%) maintained their sleep quality. However, participants living alone reported greater negative feelings and more sleeping problems. Regarding leisure activities, 53/93 respondents (57%) took walks, 32 (35%) played memory games, 55 (60%) watched television, and 91 (98%) telephoned relatives. 58/93 (64%) respondents reported accessing moderate or too much COVID-19 information, 89 (97%) received it from television, and 56 (62%) stated that their understanding of the information was extreme. 39/93 (39%) respondents had contacted health and social services, while 29 (31%) requested information regarding these services during the telephone call. There were no significant differences in health and well-being between the intervention and control groups. Respondents with TV-AssistDem performed more memory exercises (24/93, 52% vs 8/93, 17.4%; P<.001) than control respondents. CONCLUSIONS:Our findings suggest that during COVID-19 confinement, the physical and mental health and well-being was optimal for the majority of our vulnerable population. However, those living alone reported greater negative psychological effects and sleeping problems. Measures adopted to address the negative experiences of confinement included keeping informed about the situation, accessing health and social services, having a support network that prevents risk of exposure to COVID-19 and guarantees food and medical supplies, a daily routine with maintained sleeping habits and leisure activities, staying physically and mentally active with cognitive stimulation exercises, and ensuring social connectedness using technology. Television sets were preferred technological devices to access COVID-19 information, watch television as a recreational activity, and perform memory exercises as an intellectual activity. Television-based telehealth support using TV-AssistDem demonstrated potential for cognitive stimulation. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03653234; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03653234.
Project description:Background: The interaction between neuropsychiatric symptoms, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia is complex and remains to be elucidated. An additive or multiplicative effect of neuropsychiatric symptoms such as apathy or depression on cognitive decline has been suggested. Unraveling these interactions may allow the development of better prevention and treatment strategies. In the absence of available treatments for neurodegeneration, a timely and adequate identification of neuropsychiatric symptom changes in cognitive decline is highly relevant and can help identify treatment targets. Methods: An existing memory clinic-based research database of 476 individuals with MCI and 978 individuals with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) was reanalyzed. Neuropsychiatric symptoms were assessed in a prospective fashion using a battery of neuropsychiatric assessment scales: Middelheim Frontality Score, Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease Rating Scale (Behave-AD), Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory, Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD), and Geriatric Depression Scale (30 items). We subtyped subjects suffering from dementia as mild, moderate, or severe according to their Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score and compared neuropsychiatric scores across these groups. A group of 126 subjects suffering from AD with a significant cerebrovascular component was examined separately as well. We compared the prevalence, nature, and severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms between subgroups of patients with MCI and dementia due to AD in a cross-sectional analysis. Results: Affective and sleep-related symptoms are common in MCI and remain constant in prevalence and severity across dementia groups. Depressive symptoms as assessed by the CSDD further increase in severe dementia. Most other neuropsychiatric symptoms (such as agitation and activity disturbances) progress in parallel with severity of cognitive decline. There are no significant differences in neuropsychiatric symptoms when comparing "pure" AD to AD with a significant vascular component. Conclusion: Neuropsychiatric symptoms such as frontal lobe symptoms, psychosis, agitation, aggression, and activity disturbances increase as dementia progresses. Affective symptoms such as anxiety and depressive symptoms, however, are more frequent in MCI than mild dementia but otherwise remain stable throughout the cognitive spectrum, except for an increase in CSDD score in severe dementia. There is no difference in neuropsychiatric symptoms when comparing mixed dementia (defined here as AD + significant cerebrovascular disease) to pure AD.
Project description:OBJECTIVES:Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) have been recognized to increase the risk of dementia among individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, it is unclear whether the risk is shared across the various NPS or driven primarily by selected few symptoms. This study sought to provide confirmatory evidence on the comparative risk of dementia across the various NPS in MCI. DESIGN:Cohort study (median follow-up 4.0 years; interquartile range 2.1-6.4 years). SETTING:Alzheimer's Disease Centers across the United States. PARTICIPANTS:Participants ≥60 years of age and diagnosed with MCI at baseline (n = 8530). MEASURES:Participants completed the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire at baseline and were followed up almost annually for incident dementia. Symptom clusters of NPS, as identified from confirmatory factor analyses, were included in Cox regression to investigate their comparative risks of dementia. RESULTS:Three symptom clusters of NPS were identified among participants with MCI, namely hyperactivity, affective, and psychotic symptoms. The risk of dementia was present among participants with affective symptoms [hazard ratio (HR) 1.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4-1.9] and psychotic symptoms (HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2-2.2), but not among those with hyperactivity symptoms (HR 1.1, 95% CI 0.9-1.3). The risk was higher when affective symptoms and psychotic symptoms co-occurred (HR 2.5, 95% CI 2.0-3.2), with one-half of the participants in this group developing dementia within 2.7 years of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS:The findings illustrate the potential usefulness of NPS as a convenient prognostic tool in the clinical management of MCI. They also suggest the need for future research to focus on affective/psychotic symptoms in MCI when studying the neurobiological links between NPS and neurodegenerative processes.
Project description:BackgroundEpidemiological studies of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and subtypes of MCI have rarely focused on rural residents in China.MethodsThis population-based study included 5068 participants (age ≥60 years) who were living in rural communities. We defined MCI, amnestic MCI (aMCI), and non-amnestic MCI (naMCI) following the Petersen's criteria that integrated neuropsychological assessments with in-person clinical evaluations.ResultsThe overall prevalence of MCI, aMCI, and naMCI was 26.48%, 22.30%, and 4.18%, respectively. The prevalence of MCI increased with age. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) of MCI was 0.71 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.61 to 0.82) for primary school (vs. illiteracy), 0.30 (0.24 to 0.39) for middle school or above, 1.35 (1.09 to 1.67) for being farmers, 0.65 (0.54 to 0.78) for alcohol consumption, 1.43 (1.20 to 1.70) for stroke history, and 1.14 (0.95 to 1.36) for any apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele (vs ε3/ε3).ConclusionsMCI affects over one-fourth of rural older adults in China. Overall MCI was associated with demographic factors, non-alcohol consumption, and stroke, but not with APOE genotype and cardiometabolic factors.
Project description:IntroductionCirculating tryptophan (Trp) and its downstream metabolites, the kynurenines, are potentially neuroactive. Consequently, they could be associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognitive prognosis in patients with dementia.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to assess associations between circulating kynurenines, cognitive prognosis, and neuropsychiatric symptoms.MethodsWe measured baseline serum Trp, neopterin, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP), and 9 kynurenines in 155 patients with mild dementia (90 with Alzheimer's disease, 65 with Lewy body dementia). The ratios between kynurenine and Trp and kynurenic acid (KA) to kynurenine (KKR) were calculated. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) were administered at baseline and annually over 5 years. Associations between baseline metabolite concentrations with MMSE and the NPI total score were assessed using a generalized structural equation model (mixed-effects multiprocess model), adjusted for age, sex, current smoking, glomerular filtration rate, and PLP. Post hoc associations between KKRs and individual NPI items were assessed using logistic mixed-effects models. False discovery rate (0.05)-adjusted P values (Q values) are reported.ResultsKynurenine had a nonlinear quadratic relationship with the intercept of the MMSE scores over 5 years (Q < 0.05), but not with the slope of MMSE decline. Kynurenine was associated with a higher NPI total score over time (Q < 0.001). Post hoc, both KKR and KA were associated with more hallucinations (Q < 0.05).ConclusionsKynurenine has a complex relationship with cognition, where both low and high levels were associated with poor cognitive performance. A higher KKR indicated risk for neuropsychiatric symptoms, especially hallucinations.
Project description:BackgroundThailand is experiencing a rapid increase in the number of older people with dementia (PWD). We examined the frequency, severity, and correlates of dementia neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) among community-dwelling Thai older adults.MethodsThis study was based on analysis of baseline data from a larger clinical trial comparing two different implementation approaches of an evidence-based exercise intervention for people with dementia. To be eligible, participants needed to be age 60 and above, have probable dementia, have one or more NPS, be ambulatory, and have an adult (age 18+) family caregiver. In the 353 eligible participants, we examined the correlation between NPS severity and caregiver distress (assessed by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire or NPI-Q) and used ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to examine associations between PWD and caregiver characteristics and NPS severity.ResultsNPS frequency varied from 18% for appetite and/or eating changes to 42% for delusions. NPS severity was significantly (p <0.05) associated with caregiver stress for all individual NPS. Among PWD characteristics, higher ADL score (less functional impairment) was inversely associated with NPS total severity (b = -0.16, p <0.05). More physical role limitation was significantly associated with higher NPS total severity (b = 0.77, p <0.001). Among caregivers' characteristics, higher burden was significantly associated with higher NPS total severity (b = 0.19, p <0.001).ConclusionOur study found NPS to be common among community-dwelling PWD in Thailand and have adverse impacts on both PWD and family caregivers. These findings highlight the clinical importance of NPS symptoms among Thai older adults.