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Promoting Alzheimer's disease AD information and awareness
Poster Presentations P3 P3-392
PROMOTING ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AD INFORMATION AND AWARENESS
Wainer Silva, Universidade Federal Fluminense University, Niteroi - RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil. Background: Alzheimer’s Disease can be more devastating than death itself for those affected and theirfamilies. However, AD information and education on items like prevention, socialand behavioral conditions can alleviate family and patient conditions. In developing areas, especially rural areas, this kind of information is hard to acquire, and often completely unavailable. Methods: This project is a joint effort among Federal Fluminense University professors and researchers (physicians, nurses, AD specialists) and Niteroi Norte Rotary Club members and community volunteers. After initial assessment of the need for information and awareness through interviews, a carefully organized program of activities, lectures and counseling on how to cope with AD is presented to patients and families. Results: Results have shown patients and their families trying to overcome their health condition. Further understanding has led patients and families to replace their initial anger for promoting valuable moments which make the patient feel safer and more comfortable. Conclusions: Improved awareness and the access to readily available information and counseling have shown that there can be a new way for facing the reality of Alzheimer’s disease, providing them with a better quality of life. P3-393
QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF ALZHEIMER’S EVALUATION UNITS (AEUS): A CENSUS OF ITALY’S LOMBARDY REGION UNITS
Carlotta Franchi, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy. Background: Very few studies have been conducted in Italy on the quality of care offered to patients with dementia. Objective: To evaluate quality standards of Alzheimer Evaluation Units (AEUs) in the Lombardy region, in northern Italy. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to 20 randomly selected AEUs out of the 81 in the Lombardy region. The units were compared using indicators related to structure, process and outcome. Results: The questionnaire was completed and returned by 18 AEUs. Quantitative and comparative analysis showed that for each indicator group there were several differences between the AEUs: 39% of EAUs did not reach half the maximum score for structure indicators, 72% for process indicators and 22% for outcome indicators. Grouping the scores for all three indicators, ten AEUs reached half the maximum score, only one scored about 63%, and one did not reach 40%. Conclusions: This system of indicators served to assess a representative sample of AEUs and, if used more extensively, could help set up measures to improve quality, to ensure the best service for patients and caregivers. P3-394
PROXY-RATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: A 3-YEAR LONGITUDINAL STUDY
Asmus Vogel1, Suvosree Bhattacharya2, Frans Waldorff2, Gunhild Waldemar2, 1Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; 2Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. Background: Few studies have investigated Quality of Life (QoL) in a longitudinal perspective in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and the majority of patients in these studies had moderate or severe dementia. The aim of this study was to investigate the change in proxy rated QoL in a large cohort of home living patients with AD over a period of 36 months. The association between change from baseline in QoL and changes in cognition, ADL and neuropsychiatric symptoms was also investigated. Methods: The sample consisted of 102 patients with mild AD and their primary caregivers from the Danish Alzheimer’s Diseas Intervention Study. QoL was assessed with the proxy-rated (primary caregivers) QOL-AD and the EQ-VAS scale. Cornell Scale for Depression in dementia (CSDD), ADCS-ADL, MMSE and NPI-Q were also applied. Evaluations were conducted at baseline and thereafter at 12 and 36 months follow-up visits. Results: There was a significant decline in mean QoL assessed by both the QOL-AD and the EQ-VAS (p < 0.001). However, there were vast individual differences in
S641
the QoL scores on both scales at 12 and 36 months follow-up. At the 12 months follow-up 48.3% of the sample had an improvement in their QOL-AD score and on EQ-VAS scale an improvement in QoL was for in 28.1% of the sample. On EQ-VAS 22.1% showed no change in QoL after 12 months. Mean change from baseline in QOL-AD scores showed significant correlations (p < 0.01) with change in CSDD, ADCS-ADL and MMSE scores at 12 months and with ADCS-ADL only at 36 months (p < 0.01). Mean change from baseline in EQ-VAS did not now significant correlations with change in the clinical variables. Conclusions: QoL is a subjective concept and may not be influenced by the degree of cognitive dysfunction. Future studies should investigate the factors for individual variations in order to understand the nature of change of QoL in AD. Using QoL as an efficacy parameter in intervention studies is questionable. P3-395
THE QUR’AN AND MEMORY A (STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF RELIGIOSITY AND MEMORIZING QUR’AN AS A FACTOR ON MEMORY)
Reem Al-Attas, Secondary School in KSA, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Background: Aim of the study: Find the relationship between religiosity "memorizing Qur’an"and the sharp healthy memory. Hypothesis: Assuming that the Quran is an influential factor on the strength of memory in two ways; religiosity and spirituality, and on the mental stimulation then the memory of those who memorized the Qur’an is stronger than those who didn’t and their probability to have memory problems and disorders is less. Methods: The study has been applied on 580 people from both genders aged from 20-40, half of them were religious who memorized the Qur’anand the other half weren’t. The test used in the study was a designed paper contained a questionnaire and two tests, the questionnaire asked normal questions about factor that may affect on memory. And the two tests were TYM (test your memory) translated into Arabic after taking the permission from the authors in Addenbrooke’sHospital, Cambridge, UK. and the 10 words test designed by Dr. Gary Small from his book (The memory Bible). The grades of the two test were between A-F. Results: Using the Qui-Square test to compare between the A result in both groups religious and non-religious all the result were significant and the religious group had more A grades in both tests. Conclusions: From the data collected the hypothesis were proved. P3-396
DIFFERENT EFFECTS OF MUSIC THERAPY ON LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS IN VASCULAR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT ASSOCIATED WITH FRONTAL GLUCOSE HYPOMETABOLISM
Kyoko Akanuma1, Masayuki Satoh2, Kimihiro Tezuka1, Yuriko Kato1, Masatoshi Itoh3, Kenichi Meguro1, 1Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; 2Department of Geriatric Behavioral Neurology, Sendai, Japan; 3Sendai Medical Imaging Center, Sendai, Japan. Background: Clinically we know that some aphasic patients can sing well despite their severe speech disturbances. We herein reported three patients with vascular dementia (VaD, ADDTC criteria) with different severity of symptoms, who had improved their speech function, especially word finding, after singing training. FDG-PET was performed to examine the relationship between glucose metabolism at baseline and the change in language Table Language lesion(MRI) hypometabolism Picture Picture disorder (PET) naming description Case1 severe
Putamen wBroca
Case2 moderate
Putamen wBroca
Case3 mild
Putamen wWernicke
temporal lobe posterior frontal lobe temporal lobe posterior frontal lobe temporal lobe anterior frontal lobe
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PROMOTING ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AD INFORMATION AND AWARENESS
Wainer Silva, Universidade Federal Fluminense University, Niteroi - RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil. Background: Alzheimer’s Disease can be more devastating than death itself for those affected and theirfamilies. However, AD information and education on items like prevention, socialand behavioral conditions can alleviate family and patient conditions. In developing areas, especially rural areas, this kind of information is hard to acquire, and often completely unavailable. Methods: This project is a joint effort among Federal Fluminense University professors and researchers (physicians, nurses, AD specialists) and Niteroi Norte Rotary Club members and community volunteers. After initial assessment of the need for information and awareness through interviews, a carefully organized program of activities, lectures and counseling on how to cope with AD is presented to patients and families. Results: Results have shown patients and their families trying to overcome their health condition. Further understanding has led patients and families to replace their initial anger for promoting valuable moments which make the patient feel safer and more comfortable. Conclusions: Improved awareness and the access to readily available information and counseling have shown that there can be a new way for facing the reality of Alzheimer’s disease, providing them with a better quality of life. P3-393
QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF ALZHEIMER’S EVALUATION UNITS (AEUS): A CENSUS OF ITALY’S LOMBARDY REGION UNITS
Carlotta Franchi, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy. Background: Very few studies have been conducted in Italy on the quality of care offered to patients with dementia. Objective: To evaluate quality standards of Alzheimer Evaluation Units (AEUs) in the Lombardy region, in northern Italy. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to 20 randomly selected AEUs out of the 81 in the Lombardy region. The units were compared using indicators related to structure, process and outcome. Results: The questionnaire was completed and returned by 18 AEUs. Quantitative and comparative analysis showed that for each indicator group there were several differences between the AEUs: 39% of EAUs did not reach half the maximum score for structure indicators, 72% for process indicators and 22% for outcome indicators. Grouping the scores for all three indicators, ten AEUs reached half the maximum score, only one scored about 63%, and one did not reach 40%. Conclusions: This system of indicators served to assess a representative sample of AEUs and, if used more extensively, could help set up measures to improve quality, to ensure the best service for patients and caregivers. P3-394
PROXY-RATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: A 3-YEAR LONGITUDINAL STUDY
Asmus Vogel1, Suvosree Bhattacharya2, Frans Waldorff2, Gunhild Waldemar2, 1Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; 2Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. Background: Few studies have investigated Quality of Life (QoL) in a longitudinal perspective in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and the majority of patients in these studies had moderate or severe dementia. The aim of this study was to investigate the change in proxy rated QoL in a large cohort of home living patients with AD over a period of 36 months. The association between change from baseline in QoL and changes in cognition, ADL and neuropsychiatric symptoms was also investigated. Methods: The sample consisted of 102 patients with mild AD and their primary caregivers from the Danish Alzheimer’s Diseas Intervention Study. QoL was assessed with the proxy-rated (primary caregivers) QOL-AD and the EQ-VAS scale. Cornell Scale for Depression in dementia (CSDD), ADCS-ADL, MMSE and NPI-Q were also applied. Evaluations were conducted at baseline and thereafter at 12 and 36 months follow-up visits. Results: There was a significant decline in mean QoL assessed by both the QOL-AD and the EQ-VAS (p < 0.001). However, there were vast individual differences in
S641
the QoL scores on both scales at 12 and 36 months follow-up. At the 12 months follow-up 48.3% of the sample had an improvement in their QOL-AD score and on EQ-VAS scale an improvement in QoL was for in 28.1% of the sample. On EQ-VAS 22.1% showed no change in QoL after 12 months. Mean change from baseline in QOL-AD scores showed significant correlations (p < 0.01) with change in CSDD, ADCS-ADL and MMSE scores at 12 months and with ADCS-ADL only at 36 months (p < 0.01). Mean change from baseline in EQ-VAS did not now significant correlations with change in the clinical variables. Conclusions: QoL is a subjective concept and may not be influenced by the degree of cognitive dysfunction. Future studies should investigate the factors for individual variations in order to understand the nature of change of QoL in AD. Using QoL as an efficacy parameter in intervention studies is questionable. P3-395
THE QUR’AN AND MEMORY A (STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF RELIGIOSITY AND MEMORIZING QUR’AN AS A FACTOR ON MEMORY)
Reem Al-Attas, Secondary School in KSA, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Background: Aim of the study: Find the relationship between religiosity "memorizing Qur’an"and the sharp healthy memory. Hypothesis: Assuming that the Quran is an influential factor on the strength of memory in two ways; religiosity and spirituality, and on the mental stimulation then the memory of those who memorized the Qur’an is stronger than those who didn’t and their probability to have memory problems and disorders is less. Methods: The study has been applied on 580 people from both genders aged from 20-40, half of them were religious who memorized the Qur’anand the other half weren’t. The test used in the study was a designed paper contained a questionnaire and two tests, the questionnaire asked normal questions about factor that may affect on memory. And the two tests were TYM (test your memory) translated into Arabic after taking the permission from the authors in Addenbrooke’sHospital, Cambridge, UK. and the 10 words test designed by Dr. Gary Small from his book (The memory Bible). The grades of the two test were between A-F. Results: Using the Qui-Square test to compare between the A result in both groups religious and non-religious all the result were significant and the religious group had more A grades in both tests. Conclusions: From the data collected the hypothesis were proved. P3-396
DIFFERENT EFFECTS OF MUSIC THERAPY ON LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS IN VASCULAR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT ASSOCIATED WITH FRONTAL GLUCOSE HYPOMETABOLISM
Kyoko Akanuma1, Masayuki Satoh2, Kimihiro Tezuka1, Yuriko Kato1, Masatoshi Itoh3, Kenichi Meguro1, 1Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; 2Department of Geriatric Behavioral Neurology, Sendai, Japan; 3Sendai Medical Imaging Center, Sendai, Japan. Background: Clinically we know that some aphasic patients can sing well despite their severe speech disturbances. We herein reported three patients with vascular dementia (VaD, ADDTC criteria) with different severity of symptoms, who had improved their speech function, especially word finding, after singing training. FDG-PET was performed to examine the relationship between glucose metabolism at baseline and the change in language Table Language lesion(MRI) hypometabolism Picture Picture disorder (PET) naming description Case1 severe
Putamen wBroca
Case2 moderate
Putamen wBroca
Case3 mild
Putamen wWernicke
temporal lobe posterior frontal lobe temporal lobe posterior frontal lobe temporal lobe anterior frontal lobe
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