Supporting daily activities and indoor travel of persons with moderate Alzheimer's disease through standard technology resources.

These two studies were aimed at evaluating standard technology resources for supporting activity and travel among patients with moderate Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, Study I assessed a pictorial instruction program relying on the use of a portable computer and a commercially available and inexpensive video editing software for supporting the performance of daily activities with three patients. Study II assessed the indoor travel performance of four patients (i.

Persons with Alzheimer's disease make phone calls independently using a computer-aided telephone system.

This study assessed whether four patients with a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease could make independent phone calls via a computer-aided telephone system. The study was carried out according to a non-concurrent multiple baseline design across participants. All participants started with baseline during which the telephone system was not available, and continued with intervention in which such system was used.

Technology-aided pictorial cues to support the performance of daily activities by persons with moderate Alzheimer's disease.

We developed a technology-aided intervention strategy relying on pictorial cues alone or in combination with verbal instructions and assessed these two versions of the strategy with three persons with moderate Alzheimer's disease. In Section I of the study, the strategy version with pictorial cues plus verbal instructions was compared with an existing technology-based strategy with verbal instructions. Each strategy was used with one specific activity.

Technology-aided verbal instructions to help persons with mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease perform daily activities.

These two studies extended previous research on the use of verbal instructions and support technology for helping persons with mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease perform daily activities. Study I included seven participants who were to carry out one of two previously targeted activities (i.e.

Central sleep apnoea in Rett syndrome.

Breathing disturbances in Rett syndrome were reported almost entirely during wakefulness, with normal respiration during sleep. We studied a case of a proven MECP2 mutation in a girl, whose videopolygraphic and polysomnographic monitoring suggested the evidence of central apnoeas not only during awake, but also during sleep. Apart from prevalent awake respiratory dysfunction, central apnoeas in Rett syndrome may be also present during sleep.

Myoclonic status misdiagnosed as movement disorders in Rett syndrome: a video-polygraphic study.

Myoclonic jerks and myoclonic status (MS) are sometimes difficult to distinguish clinically from movement disorders such as hand stereotypies, tremor, and dystonia in Rett syndrome. We describe a rare and complete video-polygraphic study of a girl with Rett syndrome (MECP2 mutation) and MS misdiagnosed as movement disorders and disclosed after video-polygraphic recordings. Corresponding to closely recurring activity of diffuse spike and polyspikes-wave-type paroxysms, rhythmic and, especially, arrhythmic myoclonias, usually asymmetrical and asynchronous, involving mainly right muscle deltoid and rarely followed by an inhibitory phenomenon, appeared.

Persons with moderate Alzheimer's disease improve activities and mood via instruction technology.

Background: Three studies assessed the (a) effectiveness of verbal instructions presented via technology in helping persons with moderate Alzheimer's disease perform daily activities and (b) impact of activity engagement on mood.

Methods: The 3 studies targeted coffee preparation with 2 women, use of make-up with 2 women, and use of make-up and tea preparation with 3 women. Intervention effects on activity performance were assessed through nonconcurrent multiple baseline designs across participants or multiple baseline designs across activities.

Persons with mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease managing daily activities via verbal instruction technology.

Four studies assessed the effectiveness of verbal instructions presented via technology in helping persons with mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease perform daily activities. The first 2 studies were replication efforts concerning morning bathroom routine and table setting and included 4 and 2 participants, respectively. The third study targeted coffee preparation with 3 participants.

Helping persons with mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease recapture basic daily activities through the use of an instruction strategy.

Purpose: The present three pilot studies assessed the effectiveness of verbal instructions, presented automatically through simple technology, in helping persons with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease recapture basic daily activities. The activities were morning bathroom routine, dressing, and table-setting.

Method: The studies that focused on morning bathroom routine and on table-setting included three participants each, while the study that focused on dressing involved four participants.

Adult epileptic spasms: a clinical and video-polygraphic study.

Purpose: To analyse the video-polygraphic features of two patients with adult epileptic spasms (ES).

Methods: Two patients with epileptic encephalopathy related to different cortical malformation; epileptic spasms had been present since the age of 18 and 25 years respectively. The patients underwent a clinical and neurophysiological examination (awake and sleep video-polygraphic monitoring).

Immunomodulatory properties of increased levels of liver X receptor beta in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from multiple sclerosis patients.

Liver X receptors (LXRalpha and LXRbeta) are nuclear transcription factors that inhibit transcription of genes of inflammation while inducing HMGCoA reductase. In this paper we demonstrate increased mRNA levels of LXRbeta in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from multiple sclerosis patients with respect to other neurological patients and healthy controls (HC) (p<0.01).