Participation sociale et personnes ayant des atteintes cognitives et centre communautaire de loisir : une équation possible?

Author(s):  
Sophie Éthier ◽  
Hélène Carbonneau ◽  
Karyne Joseane Bettencourt ◽  
Karine Verreault

ABSTRACTValidating support of social participation for people with cognitive impairment (CI) plays a predominant role in maintaining identity, autonomy, sense of belonging and social bonding. Yet what restricts this participation—intervention methods, cognitive impairment, or other individuals in the participant’s environment? This study documents stakeholders’, volunteers’ and users’ perceptions of people with CI in community recreation centres (CRC). Six focus groups (n = 44) in Montreal, Quebec City and Drummondville highlighted some issues concerning this subject. Although sympathetic to a society where people with multiple weaknesses coexist, participants are not convinced of the need to include those whose memory and judgment are failing. The integration of people with CI includes relational and organizational challenges and questions our relationship to cognitive aging and performance values in an inclusive environment.

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  

Strategies to improve cognitive aging are highly needed. Among those, promotion of exercise and physical activity appears as one of the most attractive and beneficial intervention. Indeed, results from basic and clinical studies suggest that exercise and physical activity have positive effects on cognition in older persons without cognitive impairment, as well as in those with dementia. Despite inconsistent results, aerobic exercise appears to have the strongest potential to enhance cognition. However, even limited periods of walking (45 minutes, three times a week, over a 6-month period) have also been shown to enhance cognition, particularly executive functions. Changing long-term lifestyle habits in these older persons remains a critical challenge and attractive programs susceptible to gain adherence are needed to succeed in achieving improved cognitive aging.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 292-293
Author(s):  
Lydia Nguyen ◽  
Shraddha Shende ◽  
Daniel Llano ◽  
Raksha Mudar

Abstract Value-directed strategic processing is important for daily functioning. It allows selective processing of important information and inhibition of irrelevant information. This ability is relatively preserved in normal cognitive aging, but it is unclear if mild cognitive impairment (MCI) affects strategic processing and its underlying neurophysiological mechanisms. The current study examined behavioral and EEG spectral power differences between 16 cognitively normal older adults (CNOA; mean age: 74.5 ± 4.0 years) and 16 individuals with MCI (mean age: 77.1 ± 4.3 years) linked to a value-directed strategic processing task. The task used five unique word lists where words were assigned high- or low-value based on letter case and were presented sequentially while EEG was recorded. Participants were instructed to recall as many words as possible after each list to maximize their score. Results revealed no group differences in recall of low-value words, but individuals with MCI recalled significantly fewer high-value words and total number of words relative to CNOA. Group differences were observed in theta and alpha bands for low-value words, with greater synchronized theta power for CNOA than MCI and greater desynchronized alpha power for MCI than CNOA. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that more effortful neural processing of low-value words in the MCI group, relative to the CNOA group, allowed them to match their behavioral performance to the CNOA group. Individuals with MCI appear to utilize more cognitive resources to inhibit low-value information and might show memory-related benefits if taught strategies to focus on high-value information processing.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Anoop Sheshadri ◽  
Piyawan Kittiskulnam ◽  
Cynthia Delgado ◽  
Rebecca L. Sudore ◽  
Jennifer C. Lai ◽  
...  

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> A randomized, controlled trial of a pedometer-based walking intervention with weekly activity goals led to increased walking among dialysis patients. We examined whether impairment per cognitive function screening is associated with adherence and performance in the intervention. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Thirty dialysis patients were randomly assigned to a 3-month pedometer-based intervention with weekly goals. Participants were administered the Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status (TICS), a test of global mental status. We examined the association of levels of impairment on the TICS (≥33: unimpaired, 26–32: ambiguous impairment, 21–25: mild cognitive impairment [MCI]) with adherence, achieving weekly goals, and increasing steps, physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery, SPPB), and self-reported physical function (PF) through multivariable linear mixed-model and logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, BMI, dialysis modality, baseline steps, baseline SPPB, and stroke status. <b><i>Results:</i></b> One-third of participants were unimpaired, and 13% had MCI. Participants with worse results on cognitive function screening missed more calls and completed fewer weekly goals than participants with better results. During the intervention, a worse result on cognitive function screening was associated with smaller increases in steps compared to those without impairment: (ambiguous: −620 [95% CI −174, −1,415], MCI: −1,653 [95% CI −120, −3,187]); less improvement in SPPB (ambiguous: −0.22 points [95% CI −0.08, −0.44], MCI: −0.45 [95% CI −0.13, −0.77]); and less improvement in PF (ambiguous: −4.0 points [95% CI −12.2, 4.1], MCI: −14.0 [95% CI −24.9, −3.1]). During the postintervention period, a worse result on cognitive function screening was associated with smaller increases in SPPB (ambiguous: −0.54 [95% CI −1.27, 0.19], MCI: −0.97 [95% CI −0.37, −1.58]) and PF (ambiguous: −3.3 [95% CI −6.5, −0.04], MCI: −10.5 [95% CI −18.7, −2.3]). <b><i>Discussion/Conclusion:</i></b> Participants with worse results on cognitive function screening had worse adherence and derived less benefit from this pedometer-based intervention. Future exercise interventions should be developed incorporating methods to address cognitive impairment, for example, by including caregivers when planning such interventions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 259-260
Author(s):  
Laura Curtis ◽  
Lauren Opsasnick ◽  
Julia Yoshino Benavente ◽  
Cindy Nowinski ◽  
Rachel O’Conor ◽  
...  

Abstract Early detection of Cognitive impairment (CI) is imperative to identify potentially treatable underlying conditions or provide supportive services when due to progressive conditions such as Alzheimer’s Disease. While primary care settings are ideal for identifying CI, it frequently goes undetected. We developed ‘MyCog’, a brief technology-enabled, 2-step assessment to detect CI and dementia in primary care settings. We piloted MyCog in 80 participants 65 and older recruited from an ongoing cognitive aging study. Cases were identified either by a documented diagnosis of dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or based on a comprehensive cognitive battery. Administered via an iPad, Step 1 consists of a single self-report item indicating concern about memory or other thinking problems and Step 2 includes two cognitive assessments from the NIH Toolbox: Picture Sequence Memory (PSM) and Dimensional Change Card Sorting (DCCS). 39%(31/80) participants were considered cognitively impaired. Those who expressed concern in Step 1 (n=52, 66%) resulted in a 37% false positive and 3% false negative rate. With the addition of the PSM and DCCS assessments in Step 2, the paradigm demonstrated 91% sensitivity, 75% specificity and an area under the ROC curve (AUC)=0.82. Steps 1 and 2 had an average administration time of &lt;7 minutes. We continue to optimize MyCog by 1) examining additional items for Step 1 to reduce the false positive rate and 2) creating a self-administered version to optimize use in clinical settings. With further validation, MyCog offers a practical, scalable paradigm for the routine detection of cognitive impairment and dementia.


Autism ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136236132110206
Author(s):  
Vanessa H Bal ◽  
Ellen Wilkinson ◽  
Megan Fok

It is essential to recognize the strengths and talents of autistic individuals. Previous studies of extraordinary talents (i.e. skills that stand out relative to the general population) have combined individuals with different skills (e.g. calendrical calculation, drawing) into one group. There has been limited investigation of talents in specific areas and even less consideration of personal strengths (i.e. skills that stand out relative to that person’s other abilities, but not the general population). We extend this literature by examining the relationship between parent-reported talents and strengths and performance on standardized cognitive tests in 1470 children (4–18 years) from the Simons Simplex Collection with autism and IQ above 70. Almost half (46%) had at least one parent-reported talent and an additional 23% without extraordinary talents had at least one personal strength. Children with parent-reported talents and strengths had different cognitive profiles than children with no reported skill in visuospatial, drawing, computation, or music. Those highlighted for their memory abilities had somewhat more even verbal and nonverbal abilities, relative to children whose memory was not emphasized as a special skill. These results emphasize the importance of exploring strengths separately by domain and a need for more research in this area. Lay abstract Previous research has suggested that focusing on impairments can be detrimental to the well-being of autistic individuals, yet little research has focused on strengths and positive qualities in autism. Some studies explored “savant skills” (herein referred to as “extraordinary talents”), that is, skills that stand out compared to the general population. These often group everyone who has a specific talent, rather than exploring subgroups with strengths in specific areas. There has been even less research focused on personal strengths (i.e. skills that stand out relative to the individual’s other abilities, but not the general population). To expand this research, we use a sample of 1470 children (ages 4–18 years) from the Simons Simplex Collection without cognitive impairment to examine the relationship between having a parent-reported skill in a specific area and performance on a standardized cognitive test. Almost half (46%) had at least one parent-reported talent and an additional 23% without extraordinary talents had at least one personal strength. Children with these parent-reported skills had different patterns of performance on these standardized tests than children without skills in that area (i.e. visuospatial, drawing, computation, reading, and memory). Specific skills in computation or reading were associated with higher overall performance on the standardized tests. These results emphasize the importance of considering strengths separately by area, rather than combining individuals with different types of strengths. The high number of children with skills in this study underscores the need for more research in this area, particularly using instruments focused on understanding the nuances of these strengths. It is important for future studies to consider these skills in children with cognitive impairment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 1023-1023
Author(s):  
Amanda M Wisinger ◽  
Matthew S Phillips ◽  
Dustin A Carter ◽  
Kyle J Jennette ◽  
Joseph W Fink

Abstract Objective Studies that have used semantic fluency tasks to guide differential diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (ad) and vascular dementia (VaD) typically only examine the total number of words produced, which has yielded conflicting results. The present study examined whether other indices of semantic fluency (i.e., clustering and switching), which are thought to better isolate the components of semantic memory and executive functioning abilities, would discriminate among ad, VaD, and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Method A retrospective sample of 156 patients (mean age = 78.64; 76.3% female, 23.7% male; 26.9% White, 71.2% Black, 1.9% Other) who completed a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation as part of a workup related to memory concerns and were diagnosed with ad, VaD, or MCI was utilized. Separate univariate analyses of variance were used to examine group differences on three indices of semantic fluency (animals): total words, mean cluster size, and number of switches. Results There was a significant main effect of group for total words [F(2,153) = 7.09, p = 0.001], mean cluster size [F(2, 153) = 3.44, p = 0.035] and number of switches [F(2,153) = 3.36, p = 0.037]. Bonferroni post-hoc tests revealed that the ad and VaD groups produced significantly fewer total words than the MCI group, the ad group produced significantly smaller clusters than the VaD group, and the VaD group produced significantly fewer switches than the MCI group. Conclusion Observed group differences suggest that clustering and switching may aid in discriminating between dementia etiologies. Future studies may benefit from examining the association between these fluency indices and performance on executive functioning and semantic knowledge tasks to better understand these findings.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 810-810
Author(s):  
Karpouzian-Rogers T ◽  
Peipert D ◽  
Slotkin J ◽  
Ustsinovich V ◽  
Wortman K ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Early detection of cognitive decline in older individuals can be accomplished with brief, computerized measures in diverse settings. The goal of the ARMADA study is to validate the NIH Toolbox for Assessment of Neurological and Behavioral Function (NIHTB) in the neurological aging spectrum from cognitively normal to dementia, and to extend the age range to allow for longitudinal assessment of the oldest individuals. Here, we present baseline data from general population individuals over 85 years of age without cognitive impairment compared with those 65 to 85. Method ARMADA is a multi-site study recruiting participants from established research cohorts. Participants included cognitively average-for-age individuals between the ages of 65–85 (n = 82) and another group 86 and older (n = 105). Baseline characteristics and preliminary data are presented for the Cognition, Emotion, Motor and Sensation modules of the NIHTB. Results Analysis of preliminary baseline data revealed that mean uncorrected standard scores of most cognitive, motor, and sensation measures differed among the groups in the expected direction, such that individuals 65–85 had better performance than individuals 86 and older. Conversely, group scores were similar on most emotion measures. Conclusions This analysis of preliminary baseline data from ARMADA provides initial evidence for the utility of the NIHTB in individuals over age 85 without cognitive impairment, who, as a group, scored lower than those from age 65–85. These results demonstrate the importance of establishing cohort-specific norms relevant to the oldest age group. Longitudinal follow-ups over two years will track cognitive, motor, emotion, and sensory functioning in this group.


2010 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. S79-S79
Author(s):  
Tina M. Kruger ◽  
Erin Abner ◽  
Frederick A. Schmitt ◽  
Gregory A. Jicha

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