scholarly journals Performance of patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration on artistic tasks: A pilot study

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Cristina Anauate ◽  
Valéria Santoro Bahia ◽  
Ricardo Nitrini ◽  
Marcia Radanovic
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration ◽  
Cognitive Assessment ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Visual Observation ◽  
Executive Skills ◽  
Visuospatial Perception

ABSTRACT Several studies have addressed visuospatial and executive skills in artistic activities in Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Objective: To investigate the performance of FTLD patients compared to controls on two artistic tasks. Methods: Four FTLD patients with mean age of 57 (8.7) years and schooling of 12.2 (4.5) years plus 10 controls with mean age of 62.9 (8.6) years and schooling of 12.3 (4.6) years, were assessed using the Lowenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (LOTCA) and by a three-stage artistic protocol including visual observation, copying and collage, based on a Sisley painting. Results: FTLD patients had lower scores than controls on Visuospatial Perception, Copy, Collage, Examiner's Observation, and Total, showing distinct patterns of performance according to FTLD sub-type: semantic PPA, nonfluent PPA and bvFTD. Conclusion: FTLD patients presented impairment in the visuospatial and executive skills required to perform artistic tasks. We demonstrated that the application of the instrument as a complimentary method for assessing cognitive skills in this group of patients is possible. Further studies addressing larger and more homogeneous samples of FTLD patients as well as other dementias are warranted.

scholarly journals Short and Long-term Effects of rTMS Treatment on Alzheimer's Disease at Different Stages: A Pilot Study

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. JEN.S24004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grant Rutherford ◽  
Brian Lithgow ◽  
Zahra Moussavi
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Cognitive Assessment ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Second Stage ◽  
Resting Motor Threshold

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) uses a magnetic coil to induce an electric field in brain tissue. As a pilot study, we investigated the effect of rTMS treatment on 10 volunteers with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a two-stage study. The first stage consisted of a double-blind crossover study with real and sham treatments. Each treatment block consisted of 13 sessions over 4 weeks. During each session, 2000 TMS pulses at 90%-100% of resting motor threshold were applied to dorsolateral prefrontal cortex bilaterally, and the patients were kept cognitively active by object/action naming during the treatment. The second stage was an open-label study, in which the same treatments were performed in 2-week blocks (10 sessions) approximately every 3 months as follow-up treatments on six of the volunteers, who completed the first stage of the study. Primary outcome measures were the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) and the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale. The secondary outcome measures were the Revised Memory and Behavior Checklist as well as our team's custom-designed cognitive assessments. The results showed a noticeably stronger improvement on all assessments during the real treatment as compared to the sham treatment. The changes in MOCA scores as well as our designed cognitive assessment were found to be statistically significant, with particularly strong results in the six volunteers who were in the early stages of the disease. The long-term trends observed in the second stage of the study also showed generally less decline than would be expected for their condition. It appears that rTMS can be an effective tool for improving the cognitive abilities of patients with early to moderate stages of AD. However, the positive effects of rTMS may persist for only up to a few weeks. Specific skills being practiced during rTMS treatment may retain their improvement for longer periods.

Different Morphology of Neuritic Plaques in the Archicortex of Alzheimer’s Disease with Comorbid Synucleinopathy: A Pilot Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikol Jankovska ◽  
Tomas Olejar ◽  
Jaromir Kukal ◽  
Radoslav Matej
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Clinical Course ◽  
Lewy Bodies ◽  
Dystrophic Neurites ◽  
Neuritic Plaques ◽  
Structural Differences ◽  
Lewy Body Variant

Background: Bulbous neuritic changes in neuritic plaques have already been described, and their possible effect on the clinical course of the disease has been discussed. OBJECTIVE: In our study, we focused on the location and density of these structures in patients with only Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and patients with AD in comorbidity with synucleinopathies. Methods: Utilizing immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy, we evaluated differences of neocortical and archicortical neuritic plaques and the frequency of bulbous changes in the archicortex of 14 subjects with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), 10 subjects with the Lewy body variant of Alzheimer's disease (AD/DLB), and 4 subjects with Alzheimer's disease with amygdala Lewy bodies (AD/ALB). Also, the progression and density of neuritic changes over the time course of the disease were evaluated. Results: We found structural differences in bulbous dystrophic neurites more often in AD/DLB and AD/ALB than in pure AD cases. The bulbous neuritic changes were more prominent in the initial and progressive phases and were reduced in cases with a long clinical course. Conclusion: Our results indicate that there is a prominent difference in the shape and composition of neocortical and archicortical neuritic plaques and, moreover, that bulbous neuritic changes can be observed at a higher rate in AD/DLB and AD/ALB subjects compared to pure AD subjects. This observation probably reflects that these subacute changes are more easily seen in the faster clinical course of AD patients with comorbidities.

Evaluating Thrombin Inhibition in Alzheimer’s Disease (The BEACON Trial): Protocol for a Pilot Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cláudia Yang Santos ◽  
Christine Getter ◽  
John Stoukides ◽  
Brian Ott ◽  
Stephen Salloway ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Thrombin Inhibitor ◽  
Placebo Control ◽  
Open Label ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Thrombin Inhibition ◽  
Approved Drugs

BACKGROUND The precise mechanisms whereby cardiovascular risk factors increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have not been delineated. We reported that microvessels isolated from AD brains overexpress a diverse array of neurotoxic and inflammatory proteins, which is consistent with the process of vascular activation. In pre-clinical studies using AD animal models we showed that a vascular activation inhibitor reduced vascular-derived neuroinflammation and improved cognitive performance. Thrombin is a key mediator of cerebrovascular activation in AD. OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the safety and potential efficacy of the direct thrombin inhibitor dabigatran, in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild AD to decrease vascular-derived neuroinflammation and improve cognitive performance. METHODS Participants will be enrolled then evaluated quarterly throughout the 24-month study. This is a 24-month randomized-control, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, delayed-start, pilot study evaluating thrombin inhibition in people with biomarker-confirmed MCI probably due to AD or mild AD. 40 - 60 participants will be recruited between 50 - 85 years old. In the initial 9-months of study, either dabigatran or placebo will be orally administered to patients at a dose of 150 mg per day. After 9 months of the placebo-control (Phase I), the placebo arm will cross-over to an active, open-label (Phase II) where all patients will be treated with a 150 mg daily dose of dabigatran orally for an additional 12 months. A 3-month non-treatment follow-up period will assess duration of effects. RESULTS Beginning in July 2019, and concluding in August 2022, this study is expected to publish final results in January 2023. CONCLUSIONS BEACON is a first-in-kind randomized clinical trial targeting thrombin activation in AD therapeutics. This trial will stimulate translational investigations of an FDA-approved drugs in a newly defined therapeutic areas. CLINICALTRIAL Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03752294

CCL8/MCP-2 association analysis in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration

2009 ◽  
Vol 256 (8) ◽  
pp. 1379-1381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Villa ◽  
Eliana Venturelli ◽  
Chiara Fenoglio ◽  
Francesca Clerici ◽  
Alessandra Marcone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Association Analysis ◽  
Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration

Evaluation of the efficacy of animal-assisted therapy based on the reality orientation therapy protocol in Alzheimer's disease patients: a pilot study

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 240-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucia Francesca Menna ◽  
Antonio Santaniello ◽  
Federica Gerardi ◽  
Annamaria Di Maggio ◽  
Graziella Milan
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Animal Assisted Therapy ◽  
Reality Orientation ◽  
Therapy Protocol

Anticipatory and Reactive Grip Force Control in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease: A Pilot Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Anna Gabriel ◽  
Carolin T. Lehner ◽  
Chiara Höhler ◽  
Thomas Schneider ◽  
Tessa P.T. Pfeiffer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Force Control ◽  
Grip Force ◽  
Object Manipulation ◽  
Step Test ◽  
Grip Force Control ◽  
Potential Biomarker ◽  
Neurological Conditions

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects several cognitive functions and causes altered motor function. Fine motor deficits during object manipulation are evident in other neurological conditions, but have not been assessed in dementia patients yet. Objective: Investigate reactive and anticipatory grip force control in response to unexpected and expected load force perturbation in AD. Methods: Reactive and anticipatory grip force was investigated using a grip-device with force sensors. In this pilot study, fifteen AD patients and fourteen healthy controls performed a catching task. They held the device with one hand while a sandbag was dropped into an attached receptacle either by the experimenter or by the participant. Results: In contrast to studies of other neurological conditions, the majority of AD patients exerted lower static grip force levels than controls. Interestingly, patients who were slow in the Luria’s three-step test produced normal grip forces. The timing and magnitude of reactive grip force control were largely preserved in patients. In contrast, timing and extent of anticipatory grip forces were impaired in patients, although anticipatory control was generally preserved. These deficits were correlated with decreasing Mini-Mental State Examination scores. Apraxia scores, assessed by pantomime of tool-use, did not correlate with performance in the catching task. Conclusion: We interpreted the decreased grip force in AD in the context of loss of strength and lethargy, typical for patients with AD. The lower static grip force during object manipulation may emerge as a potential biomarker for early stages of AD, but more studies with larger sample sizes are necessary.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document