scholarly journals Memory in Old Age: Current Scenario in India

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dr. K. Lalitha ◽  
Dr. D. Jamuna

One of the common concerns of older people is the complaint that their memory was not as good as it was. Empirical studies on memory have highlighted that memory losses are not uncommon in any age. According to statistics, 70% of older adults report that they have memory problems, but objective tests are needed to determine if they have mild cognitive impairment, which is also known as benign senescent forgetfulness (AAMD) and early dementia. Mild cognitive impairment is basically a transitional stage between normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Studies show that 17% to 34% of elderly people have mild cognitive impairment. One of the significant areas of contemporary gerontological researches is planning of systematic interventions in improving memory. This article focuses on the research carried out on memory and old age in India and discusses the need for further research.

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S277-S277
Author(s):  
Alexandra Nash ◽  
Jon Stone ◽  
Alan Carson ◽  
Craig Ritchie ◽  
Laura McWhirter

AimsThis study aimed to explore the terms used by old-age psychiatrists and psychologists to describe subjective and mild cognitive impairment and functional cognitive disorders (FCD) in clinical practice.MethodParticipants were selected from across the United Kingdom based on their clinical involvement in the assessment of cognitive complaints. 9 old-age psychiatrists and 4 psychologists were interviewed about their use of terminology in clinical practice and their awareness and understanding of FCD terminology via semi-structured interview questions and case vignettes. Interviews were conducted between December 2020 and February 2021 using online platforms Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Participants were recruited by email and Twitter. All questions were asked verbally; however, the four case vignettes were displayed via screen-share. All discussions and answers were transcribed and transcripts were coded manually using the exploratory case study methodology in order to identify themes in participants’ responses.ResultThis study has highlighted the variable use of terms used to describe and diagnose patients presenting with symptoms of cognitive disorders. The terms ‘mild cognitive impairment’, ‘subjective cognitive decline’ and ‘functional cognitive disorder’ were used most commonly amongst participants, though the terms ‘subjective cognitive impairment’ and ‘pseudodementia’ were also presented. This theme of language discontinuity is underscored by participants’ varying use of terminology when describing or presenting their diagnoses for the case vignettes. The data also reveals a sub-theme of variability in application of the term FCD. Whilst all participants gave similar definitions for this term, the application of FCD as a diagnosis in practice was inconsistent. Six participants described FCD as associated with or secondary to other functional or psychiatric conditions, four participants viewed FCD as an isolated diagnosis, and one participant considered FCD to be either part of another illness or a separate diagnosis. Two participants neither used nor recognised the term FCD.ConclusionIt is evident that there is varied use of terms describing or diagnosing forms of cognitive symptoms. The findings of this study highlight the need for a clear, adoptable definition of FCD in practice as well as implementable management plans for FCD patients. This is critical in order to avoid misdiagnosis and mismanagement, which may have harmful effects on patients living with debilitating cognitive symptoms.


Author(s):  
Charles Alessi ◽  
Larry W. Chambers ◽  
Muir Gray

Ageing is not a cause of major problems till the later nineties. The problems we fear—dementia, disability, and dependency are due to three other processes: loss of physical fitness, which starts long before old age, diseases, many of which are preventable, and pessimistic attitudes. Both lay people and our professional colleagues have difficulty with the meanings of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and cognitive ageing and use these terms in different ways, often incorrectly. Now is the time to use your assets—preserving and increasing your brain reserve to reduce your risk of dementia. The fitness gap can be closed at any age by increasing both physical and social activity. There is no upper age limit for prevention. The steps we recommend for reducing the risk of dementia will also help you reduce the risk of other diseases, keep you fitter, and help you feel better, and are equally relevant for people who have already developed mild cognitive impairment or dementia.


CNS Spectrums ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald C. Petersen ◽  
Selamawit Negash

ABSTRACTMild cognitive impairment (MCI) refers to the transitional state between the cognitive changes of normal aging and very early dementia. MCI has generated a great deal of research from both clinical and research perspectives. Several population- and community-based studies have documented an accelerated rate of progression to dementia and Alzheimer's disease in individuals diagnosed with MCI. Clinical subtypes of MCI have been proposed to broaden the concept and include prodromal forms of a variety of dementias. An algorithm is presented to assist the clinician in identifying subjects and subclassifying them into the various types of MCI. Progression factors, including genetic, neuroimaging, biomarker, and clinical characteristics, are discussed. Neuropathological studies indicating an intermediate state between normal aging and early dementia in subjects with MCI are presented. The recently completed clinical trials as well as neuropsychological and nutritional interventions are discussed. Finally, the clinical utility of MCI, and directions for future research are proposed.


2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 617-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Carretti ◽  
Erika Borella ◽  
Silvia Fostinelli ◽  
Michela Zavagnin

ABSTRACTBackground:A growing number of studies are attempting to understand how effective cognitive interventions may be for patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), particularly in relation to their memory problems.Methods:The present study aimed to explore the benefits of a working memory (WM) training program in aMCI patients. Patients (N= 20) were randomly assigned to two training programs: the experimental group practiced with a verbal WM task, while the active control group conducted educational activities on memory.Results:Results showed that the aMCI patients completing the WM training obtained specific gains in the task trained with some transfer effects on other WM measures (visuospatial WM) and on processes involved in or related to WM, e.g. fluid intelligence (the Cattell test) and long-term memory. This was not the case for the aMCI control group, who experienced only a very limited improvement.Conclusion:This pilot study suggests that WM training could be a valuable method for improving cognitive performance in aMCI patients, possibly delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease.


2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 561-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert S. Wilson ◽  
Patricia A. Boyle ◽  
Bryan D. James ◽  
Sue E. Leurgans ◽  
Aron S. Buchman ◽  
...  

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