Awareness and cognitive rehabilitation in Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia.

Introduction: Awareness influences the evolution of neurodegenerative dementias. We gathered participants' and caregivers assessments of dependence in daily activities and we studied how each score would be related to next year participant autonomy, independently of other explicative variables.

Method: We retrospectively analyzed data from mildly demented participants with a clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD, = 186) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD, = 29) and their relatives.

Efficacy of Cognitive Rehabilitation Versus Usual Treatment at Home in Patients With Early Stages of Alzheimer Disease.

Introduction: Assessing the benefit of cognitive rehabilitation (CR) remains difficult.

Method: An observational study was conducted in 33 patients with early-stage Alzheimer disease and their caregiver included in a clinical CR program at home, compared to 17 patients who received usual treatment. Evaluation of patient's dependence and objective and subjective caregiver's burden was performed by the caregiver with a research tool focusing on impairment in daily activities related to cognitive deficits.

Efficacy of Cognitive Rehabilitation in Alzheimer Disease: A 1-Year Follow-Up Study.

Introduction: The benefit of cognitive rehabilitation (CR) for patients with early-stage Alzheimer disease (AD) remains difficult to assess.

Method: An observational, prospective study was conducted in a sample of 52 patients with AD included in a clinical, individualized CR program. Cognitive rehabilitation consisted of 1 weekly session during 3 months at home, followed by 1 monthly contact for 9 months.

Apathy and executive dysfunction in Alzheimer disease.

Apathy, defined as a reduction in voluntary goal-directed behaviors, is one of the most common behavioral symptoms encountered in Alzheimer disease (AD). However, the processes underlying the different components of apathy are still unclear. The aim of this study was to explore a particularly important aspect of executive function in daily life: multitasking [assessed with the Modified Six Elements Task (MSET)], and its relationship with apathy in AD.