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.

Gait speed or gait variability, which one to use as a marker of risk to develop Alzheimer disease? A pilot study.

Background: Previous literature demonstrates the interest of gait analysis to predict cognitive decline in old people.

Aims: This pilot study aims to determine if gait speed or gait variability is a marker able to early identify, among mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects, those at risk to develop Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the future.

Methods: 13 MCI subjects were included in 2007.

Apathy in aging: are lack of interest and lack of initiative dissociable?

Apathy is common in aging and generally defined on the basis of three dimensions: lack of initiative, lack of interest and emotional blunting. Curiously, no study until now has examined the associations and dissociations between these dimensions in elderly people (with or without dementia). These questions were addressed in two studies.