Cardiovascular risk and hippocampal thickness in Alzheimer's disease.

Cardiovascular risk factors influence onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease. Among cognitively healthy people, changes in brain structure and function associated with high blood pressure, diabetes, or other vascular risks suggest differential regional susceptibility to neuronal damage. In patients with Alzheimer's disease, hippocampal and medial temporal lobe atrophy indicate early neuronal loss preferentially in key areas for learning and memory.

Interview for Deterioration in Daily Living Activities in Dementia: construct and concurrent validity in patients with mild to moderate dementia.

Background: The purpose of the study was to translate the Interview for Deterioration in Daily Living Activities in Dementia (IDDD) into German and to evaluate the construct and concurrent validity in people with mild to moderate dementia.

Methods: IDDD data of two pooled samples (n = 301) were analyzed regarding ceiling and bottom effects, internal consistency, factor reliability and correlations with corresponding scales on cognition and activities of daily living.

Results: We found minimal bottom (< 5%) and ceiling (≤ 2%) effects, good internal consistency (Cronbach's α > 0.