Confrontation naming is impaired in neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's disease (AD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and corticobasal degeneration (CBD). Some behavioural observations suggest a common source of impaired naming across these patient groups, while others find partially unique patterns of naming difficulty. We hypothesized…

Cholinesterase inhibitors positively affect cognition in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other conditions, but no controlled functional MRI studies have examined where their effects occur in the brain. We examined the effects of donepezil hydrochloride (Aricept[Registered sign]) on cognition and brain activity in patients with amnestic mild cognitive…

A profound loss of cortical cholinergic innervation is a nearly invariant feature of advanced Alzheimer's disease (AD). The temporal course of this lesion and its relationship to other aspects of the disease have not yet been fully clarified. Despite assertions to the contrary, a review of the evidence suggests that a perturbation of cholinergic…

Background: Verbal intrusion errors are irrelevant responses made in the course of verbal memory retrieval or language production that have been associated with disruption of executive functions and the prefrontal cortex. They have been observed to occur more frequently both with normal aging and with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's…

This study was undertaken to evaluate a training program on understanding Alzheimer's disease for nursing home caregivers of those with the disease. A pretest/posttest design control group methodology was used to evaluate 81 staff members. Results of the study showed that: (1) staff satisfaction with working with mentally impaired and demented…

Describes assessment technique used by interdisciplinary staff on coed Alzheimer's disease unit to help determine patients' competencies to participate in intimate relationships. Two case studies are presented to highlight how assessment led to treatment decisions. (Author/NB)

Conducted study on Alzheimer's unit to test seven different visual barrier conditions for reducing patient exits. Findings indicated that exiting was eliminated under two conditions. Results suggest visual agnosia, the inability to interpret what the eye sees, may be used as tool in managing wandering behavior of Alzheimer's patients. (Author/NB)

Interviewed 50 older women who were caring at home for a husband suffering from dementia. Examined patient's illness, marital relationship, cognitive age and a variety of socio-demographic variables. Tested hypothesis that it is important for wives to care for sick husbands to maintain their own sense of well-being. (Author/BHK)

Describes a special grade-school program in which a group of fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students received answers to their questions about Alzheimer's Disease. (BB)

Examines two illness trajectories, Alzheimer's disease and stroke, to illustrate emerging changes in human development over each course of illness and the increasing importance of attachment behavior among ill elders and their family members. Argues that attachment links ailing older people to their environment, and that attachment is vital if…

Reviews existing studies of use of formal care by families of Alzheimer's sufferers with special attention to findings relevant to access, particularly perceptions of appropriateness and acceptability or consistency with other needs and values. Applied conceptual model represented by these findings to narrative that serves as proxy for real case.…

To elucidate differences between normal age-associated memory impairment (AAMI) and mild Alzheimer's disease (AD), batteries of traditional memory tasks and computer-simulated everyday memory tests were administered to 56 matched AAMI-AD pairs. Results demonstrate the feasibility of discriminating mild AD through these tests. (SLD)

Describes plans for Community Outreach Education Program (COEP), designed to provide educational interventions to disseminate information about diagnoses, assessment, management, and treatment of dementia to health care professionals, service providers, staff or volunteer and community agencies, and family members. Describes plans within context…

Asked 30 families who cared for family member with Alzheimer's disease to provide narratives of daily care over 18 months. Found that different family members experienced their relationship with Alzheimer's disease patient to be continuous, continuous but transformed, or radically discontinuous with their relationship prior to the disease.…

Contrary to dogma, the human brain does produce new nerve cells in adulthood. The mature human brain spawns neurons routinely in the hippocampus, an area important to memory and learning. This research can make it possible to ease any number of disorders involving neurological damage and death. (CCM)