The effect of intentionality on verbal memory assessment over days.

Background: Intentionality to remember is associated with better performances in episodic memory retrieval. The practice effect has better performance in memory retrieval. However, little is known about the effect of intentionality on memory over days and the influence of age, gender, and level of education on it as well as on practice effect.

Effect of caregiver characteristics on dementia management strategies.

Unlabelled: Caregiving has an important influence on the prognosis of dementia, particularly regarding the management strategy implemented. Therefore, evaluating which characteristics of caregivers can influence the choice of a particular strategy for managing dementia is needed.

Objective: To evaluate the association between characteristics of caregivers and their management strategies as applied to patients with dementia.

Effects of the Staff Training for Assisted Living Residences protocol for caregivers of older adults with dementia: A pilot study in the Brazilian population.

Aim: To investigate the effects of the Staff Training for Assisted Living Residences administered to formal caregivers of older adults with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in the institutional environment.

Methods: The project was developed in two long-term care institutions in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, with 25 formal caregivers and 46 older adults with dementia. The training was carried out over 6 weeks.

Validation of the Brazilian Portuguese Version of Geriatric Anxiety Inventory--GAI-BR.

Background: The Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) is a recently developed scale aiming to evaluate symptoms of anxiety in later life. This 20-item scale uses dichotomous answers highlighting non-somatic anxiety complaints of elderly people. The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brazilian Portuguese version GAI (GAI-BR) in a sample from community and outpatient psychogeriatric clinic.

Differential diagnosis between dementia and psychiatric disorders: Diagnostic criteria and supplementary exams. Recommendations of the Scientific Department of Cognitive Neurology and Aging of the Brazilian Academy of Neurology.

In 2005, the Scientific Department of Cognitive Neurology and Aging of the Brazilian Academy of Neurology published recommendations for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease These recommendations were updated following a review of evidence retrieved from national and international studies held on PUBMED, SCIELO and LILACS medical databases. The main aims of this review article are as follows: 1) to present the evidence found on Brazilian (LILACS, SCIELO) and International (MEDLINE) databases from articles published up to May 2011, on the differential diagnosis of these psychiatric disorders and dementia, with special focus on Dementia due to Alzheimer's and vascular dementia, including a review of supplementary exams which may facilitate the diagnostic process; and2) to propose recommendations for use by clinicians and researchers involved in diagnosing patients with dementia. Differential diagnosis between dementia and other neuropsychiatric disorders should always include assessments for depression, , and use of psychoactive substances, as well as investigate the use of benzodiazepines, anti-epileptics and pattern of alcohol consumption.