American journal of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias
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Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen · Nov 2012
Review Case ReportsAgitation and psychosis associated with dementia with lewy bodies exacerbated by modafinil use.
Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is commonly associated with excessive daytime somnolence (EDS). Modafinil is a wakefulness-promoting agent that is considered to have limited interaction with the dopaminergic system. ⋯ In both cases, psychotic symptoms emerged concomitantly with modafinil administration and remitted following its discontinuation. Although definitive data regarding the benefits and adverse effects of modafinil for the treatment of EDS in DLB await controlled prospective randomized studies, our observations warrant caution regarding its use in this context.
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At this time there are no effective methods to alter the disease course in Alzheimer's disease. All FDA approved interventions are for symptomatic relief only. ⋯ Some agents have failed while others still provide hope. Since amyloid is the peptide most closely linked to disease pathogenesis, it is possible that some of the anti-amyloid agents will impact the disease progression in a meaningful way.
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Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen · Jun 2012
Can Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) replace Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) for dementia screening in a Thai geriatric outpatient setting?
Mini-mental-State Examination (MMSE) is a widely used tool for dementia screening. However, several limitations are found and the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) appears to be an alternative test. The objective in this study was to compare the performance of MMSE-Thai 2002 and RUDAS-Thai for dementia screening, and to determine their performances and identify their optimal cut-off points. ⋯ A score of 24 or lower provided an optimal cut-off point. Our finding supports that the RUDAS-Thai can be an effective alternative test for dementia screening. For both test scores, a score of 24 or lower is an optimal cut-off point to provide an indication of developing dementia.
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Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen · Mar 2012
Prevalence of dementia and mild cognitive impairment in a Bulgarian urban population.
Prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia has not been studied in Bulgaria up to date. A 2-phase cross-sectional study was designed in order to determine the prevalence of dementia, its subtypes, and mild cognitive impairment in a Bulgarian population. ⋯ Our results support the hypothesis that prevalence of vascular cognitive impairment may be higher in Bulgaria than in most European countries.
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Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen · Feb 2012
ReviewInterventions for Hispanic caregivers of patients with dementia: a review of the literature.
The number of Hispanics/Latinos living with dementia in the United States is expected to rise from 200,000 to 1.3 million by 2050, which will result in large numbers of Hispanics/Latinos assuming the role of caregiver. The demands of caregiving can negatively impact caregivers' health. The purpose of this review was to identify intervention strategies that can help Hispanics/Latinos deal with the burden associated with providing care for older adults with dementia. ⋯ Future studies should consider culturally tailoring interventions for Hispanic/Latino caregivers from differing subcultures, utilizing relevant technology in studies, and evaluating the functional level of the care receiver and assess where he/she is in the disease process continuum. A better understanding of within-group differences among Hispanic/Latino caregivers, especially with respect to acculturation, could lead to better tailoring of interventions. Future research should consider the possibility of discovery-based participatory approaches. Few studies have addressed these areas of concern in this population.