scholarly journals Indian older adults and the digit span A preliminary report

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ravikesh Tripathi ◽  
Keshav Kumar ◽  
Srikala Bharath ◽  
Marimuthu P ◽  
Vikram Singh Rawat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Ecological Validity ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Low Literacy ◽  
Digit Span Test ◽  
Span Test ◽  
Low Education

ABSTRACT. The digit span test is widely used to assess attention and working memory. It is a portable, relatively culture-free and frequently used test. However, the cultural validity of this test, particularly in the Indian older population, is not well established. Objective: This study explores the usefulness of the digit span test for Indian older adults with different levels of education. Methods: Two hundred and fifty-eight community-dwelling healthy normal older adults formed the sample of this study. All study participants were screened using a semi-structured interview schedule, the modified MINI Screen, the Indian version of the Mini-Mental State Examination, a measure of activities of daily living and the digit span test administered verbally. Results: The results indicated that participants with higher educational level performed significantly better than low-educated participants on the digit span test. Participants with low education often struggled with the digit span test and resorted to guessing the digits. Conclusion: Our study clearly demonstrates that the digit span test can be useful for educated participants. However, its usefulness and ecological validity is questionable for those with low education and low literacy, warranting future research.

scholarly journals Effects of masticatory exercise on cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 125-131
Author(s):  
Tae-Hoon Kim
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Rehabilitation ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Stroop Test ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Digit Span Test ◽  
Span Test ◽  
Test Digit

BACKGROUND: Mastication improves cognitive function by activating cerebral cortical activity, and it is important to demonstrate the cognitive effects of masticatory training using a variety of different interventions. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of masticatory exercise on cognitive function in healthy older adults living in the community. METHODS: For six weeks, twelve participants performed a masticatory exercise using a NOSICK exerciser device, and thirteen subjects performed daily life without masticatory exercises. Trail Making Test, Digit Span Test, and Stroop test were used to measure the cognitive function. RESULTS: The participants in the experimental group showed significant improvements in TMT-A/B (p= 0.001 and 0.004), DST-forward (p= 0.001), and ST-word (p= 0.001). The effect sizes after the intervention were calculated as (1.2 and 0.8) for TMT-A/B, (0.8 and 0.2) for Digit Span Test forward/backward, and (0.6 and 0.2) for Stroop test color/word. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the masticatory exercises improve cognitive function in healthy older adults. Therefore, masticatory exercises can be used as a therapeutic exercise during cognitive rehabilitation.

Bias in discriminating very mild dementia for older adults with different levels of education in Hong Kong

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 995-1010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianfang Chang ◽  
Chi-Shing Tse ◽  
Grace Tak Yu Leung ◽  
Ada Wai Tung Fung ◽  
Kit-Tai Hau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Disease Assessment ◽  
Mild Dementia ◽  
Low Education ◽  
Education Groups ◽  
Different Levels

ABSTRACTBackground:Education has a profound effect on older adults’ cognitive performance. In Hong Kong, some dementia screening tasks were originally designed for developed population with, on average, higher education.Methods:We compared the screening power of these tasks for Chinese older adults with different levels of education. Community-dwelling older adults who were healthy (N = 383) and with very mild dementia (N = 405) performed the following tasks: Mini-Mental State Examination, Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscales, Verbal Fluency, Abstract Thinking, and Visual/Digit Span. Logistic regression was used to examine the power of these tasks to predict Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR 0.5 vs. 0).Results:Logistic regression analysis showed that while the screening power of the total scores in all tasks was similar for high and low education groups, there were education biases in some items of these tasks.Conclusion:The differential screening power in high and low education groups was not identical across items in some tasks. Thus, in cognitive assessments, we should exercise great caution when using these potentially biased items for older adults with limited education.

scholarly journals Alteração na atenção e o tratamento da dor do câncer

2008 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geana Paula Kurita ◽  
Cibele Andrucioli de Mattos Pimenta ◽  
José Oswaldo de Oliveira Júnior ◽  
Ricardo Caponeiro
Keyword(s):  
Digit Span ◽  
Trail Making Test ◽  
Digit Span Test ◽  
Span Test ◽  
Trail Making

Os danos à vida diária que a alteração cognitiva pode provocar motivaram a elaboração deste estudo, cujo objetivo foi analisar o impacto do tratamento da dor com opióides sobre a atenção. Os doentes foram divididos em grupos que recebiam (n=14) e não recebiam opióides (n=12). Foram feitas três entrevistas, utilizando-se o Trail Making Test e o Digit Span Test, que avaliam a atenção. Os grupos foram homogêneos nas variáveis sociodemográficas, dor e depressão; não foram homogêneos no índice de Karnofsky e no recebimento de analgésicos adjuvantes. Os doentes sem opióides tiveram melhor desempenho no Digit Span Test - ordem inversa, na segunda avaliação (p=0,29) e não foram observadas diferenças no Trail Making Test. As alterações observadas foram limitadas, mas, enquanto novos estudos não confirmem os achados, doentes, profissionais e cuidadores devem ser alertados dos possíveis efeitos deletérios dos opióides sobre a função cognitiva.

Dietary Intake of Older Adults in the Kingston Area

2003 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Dewolfe ◽  
Kristine Millan
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Dietary Intake ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Prescription Medications ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Diet Score

The objectives of this research were to describe the dietary intake and identify risk factors for poor dietary intake in communitydwelling older adults living in the Kingston, Frontenac, and Lennox & Addington Health Unit area. Dietary intake information was collected from a convenience sample of 105 relatively healthy, active older adults (84 women, 21 men) using 24-hour recalls from three non-consecutive days. Risk factors for poor dietary intake were identified through a structured interview. Multiple linear regression was used to generate a model to predict dietary intake, which was measured using a diet score based on Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. Group averages reflected reasonable diet quality, but some subjects had very low nutrient intakes, particularly of zinc and vitamins B6, B12, and C. On average, women had a lower-than-recommended intake from all food groups, while men consumed adequate amounts of all food groups except milk products. Higher scores indicated better overall diet quality, and the following were significant predictors of a high diet score: “almost always” preparing one’s own meals, food “almost always” or “sometimes/never” tasting good, eating lunch every day, and taking fewer prescription medications. This model requires validation with a larger and more diverse population of community-dwelling older adults.

scholarly journals Working Memory Impairment in Euthymic State of Bipolar Disorder

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-54
Author(s):  
A Jha ◽  
D Joshi ◽  
P Kattel ◽  
P Koirala
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Memory Impairment ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Case Group ◽  
Clinical Variables ◽  
Digit Span Test ◽  
Span Test ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Bipolar Patients

Introduction: Cognitive deficits in bipolar disorders persist after the subsidence of active symptoms. This study was carried out to assess the working memory of patients with bipolar disorder in euthymic state. Material And Method: Forty euthymic bipolar patients attending a tertiary care mental hospital with equal number of matched controls in terms of age, sex and education were included in the study. Working memory assessments was done using WAIS-III digit span subtest. Results: The mean of total digit span test for case group was 8.48±2.04 similarly it was 10.33±2.32 for the controls. The result showed that the mean digit span of cases and control groups are significantly different (p value of < 0.01). The Pearsons correlation between the clinical variables and working memory test in euthymic bipolar patients (case group) was found that the total score for digit span test was negatively correlated with all other clinical variables However, this correlation was found to be non-significant. Conclusion: The working memory impairment persists in remitted bipolar disorder patients and this may represent underlying trait abnormality not the state abnormality.

scholarly journals BROODING MODERATES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CEREBROVASCULAR BURDEN AND VASCULAR DEPRESSION

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S877-S878
Author(s):  
Manuel Herrera Legon ◽  
Daniel Paulson
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Late Life Depression ◽  
Vascular Depression ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Objective: The vascular depression hypothesis posits that cerebrovascular burden confers risk for late-life depression. Though neuroanatomical correlates of vascular depression (prefrontal white matter hyperintensities) are well established, little is known about cognitive correlates; the identification of which may suggest therapeutic targets. Aims of this study are to examine the hypothesis that the relationship between cerebrovascular burden and depressive symptoms is moderated by brooding, a type of rumination. Method: A sample of 52 community-dwelling, stroke-free, individuals over the age of 70, without history of severe mental illness or dementia completed the Ruminative Responses Scale, and provided self-report (cardiac disease, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol) CVB data. The Geriatric Depression Scale was used to assess depressive symptomatology. Results: Results of a bootstrapped model were that self-reported measures of CVB predicted depressive symptomatology. This relationship was significantly moderated by brooding. Among older adults, those who self-reported high CVB and medium to elevated levels of rumination experienced disproportionately more depressive symptomatology. Conclusions: These findings suggest that brooding rumination may be one correlate of the vascular depression syndrome. Future research should examine neuroanatomical correlates of rumination among older adults, and further explore brooding as a therapeutic target for those with late-life depression.

The Role of Pet Ownership and Attachment in Older Adults

2007 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deidre Watt ◽  
Nancy A. Pachana
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Companion Animals ◽  
Clinical Work ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Population Increase ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Pet Ownership ◽  
Pet Attachment ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

AbstractAustralia is preparing for a population increase in persons aged over 65 years, which will likely result in increased mental health needs for this group. Sub-clinical levels of depression, anxiety and loneliness are common in older adults. Older adults are also more likely than any other age group to live alone. Research has suggested that older adults living on their own often report companion animals as providing important social support. Thirty-two community-dwelling older adults, between 60 and 75+ years of age, took part in this study examining attachment to pets in an older cohort. Previous or current pet ownership was a requirement for inclusion in the study in order to account for possible bias of nonpet owners on reporting pets as a positive influence on wellbeing. Results found support for the psychometric properties of a relatively new attachment scale designed for older adults. Results also indicated limited support for a relationship between pet attachment and quality of life in the study group. Implications for clinical work with older adults and areas for future research are discussed.

Dosage and Efficacy in Behavioral Interventions With Community Dwelling Older Adults: Lifestyle Redesign Revisited

2020 ◽  
pp. 073346482091133
Author(s):  
David Schelly ◽  
Alisha Ohl ◽  
Ramona Nadres
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Group Treatment ◽  
Behavioral Interventions ◽  
Selection Effect ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Individual Treatment ◽  
Well Elderly ◽  
Intent To Treat ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Objectives: Behavioral interventions with community dwelling older adults often utilize multiple modes of treatment, which contributes to variation in participation and high rates of nonadherence. The objective of this report was to assess the treatment efficacy of one such study. Methods: We conducted an as-treated analysis of the Well Elderly II trial, where 322 individuals underwent 6 months of individual and group treatment and participated in community outings. We utilized inferential and graphical methods to assess the relationship between treatment received and depression change. Results: Individual treatment and community outings had similar small indirect effects on depressive symptoms, but a selection effect was present for individual treatment, where individuals with high baseline depression scores were the most likely to participate. Discussion: The results provide nuance that is unavailable using intent-to-treat. Future research should expand on our methods for as-treated analyses after intent-to-treat has shown aggregate improvements.

scholarly journals META-ANALYSIS OF INTERVENTIONS TO REDUCE SEDENTARY BEHAVIOR AMONG OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S867-S868
Author(s):  
Jennifer A Otmanowski ◽  
Sheri A Rowland ◽  
Pamela S Cooper ◽  
Jo-Ana D Chase
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Sedentary Behavior ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
High Risk Population ◽  
Significant Heterogeneity ◽  
Sedentary Population ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Post Test

Abstract ABSTRACT BODY Sedentary behavior (SB) is associated with substantial health risks such as increased risk of cardiovascular mortality, diabetes, and cognitive and physical functioning decline. Older adults are particularly at risk as they are the most sedentary population. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine the overall effects of interventions designed to reduce SB among older adults. A comprehensive literature search of online databases, bibliographies, and author searches located published and unpublished studies. Included studies tested interventions to reduce SB time, were written in English, and focused on community-dwelling adults age 60 years or older. Data were extracted on sample, study design, and intervention characteristics using an investigator-developed tool. Study effect sizes were synthesized using a random effects model. Heterogeneity of effects across studies was examined; however, moderator analyses were not conducted due to the small number of included studies. Of the 2,408 reviewed citations, 22 reports were included representing 17 distinct studies, eight of which were included in the two-group post-test meta-analysis (n= 1,024 participants). Interventions overall modestly reduced SB time among older adults (d=-.25, 95% CI [-.50, .00], p=.05); however, significant heterogeneity of effect size was observed across studies (Q=22.34, p&lt;.01). Our findings demonstrate a need for more research targeting SB reduction in this high-risk population. Future research should include measures of breaks in sedentary time and types of SB (e.g., watching TV, reading) which are also critical indicators of health risk. Moreover, further exploration of relationships between health outcomes and SB intervention effects is needed.

scholarly journals USEFUL FIELD OF VIEW AND DRIVING SIMULATION ACROSS TWO AGE GROUPS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S968-S969
Author(s):  
Rebecca A Dunterman ◽  
Robert C Intrieri ◽  
Marisa Guernsey
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Older Drivers ◽  
Field Of View ◽  
Driving Simulation ◽  
Risk Scores ◽  
Useful Field Of View

Abstract The Insurance Information Institute (2017) reports that drivers aged 65 and older have the second highest rate of fatal car crashes. Research with the useful field of view (UFOV) assessment has predicted crashes in older drivers (Ball, 2006). “UFOV is defined as the area from which an individual can extract information quickly without head or eye movement” (Posit Science, 2019). Research demonstrates that older drivers are limited by poorer vision, divided attention and the inability to ignore distractions, and slower reaction time to critical stimuli (Owsley et al. 1998). As a result UFOV is an effective variable in assessing driver safety. We hypothesized that older compared to younger drivers would be less likely to inhibit attention to task irrelevant visual stimuli while engaged in a simulated driving task. Participants were community dwelling older adults and students recruited from a research pool and through word of mouth. Participants completed a series of demographic and health questions, Snellen visual acuity test a series of cognitive measures (e. g., Trails 1 and 2, digit symbol, digit span) and the UFOV assessment. Participants completed a driving simulation task while information on driving performance: number of collisions, speed limit deviations, turn signal use, time spent tailgating another vehicle, and braking reaction times. ANOVA demonstrated that as hypothesized, younger participants had significantly lower UFOV risk scores (p = .000). Older adults’ (M = 2.15, SD = .945) and younger adults’ (M = 1, SD = 0).

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