Development and validation of the Ascertain Dementia 8 (AD8) Thai version.

Background: The Ascertain Dementia 8 (AD8) is a brief informant-based questionnaire which reliably distinguishes patients with neurocognitive disorder (NCD) and normal cognition. Our objective was to translate the AD8 into Thai and test its validity as a potentially useful measure to detect patients with the mild stage of major NCD due to Alzheimer disease (major NCD-AD).

Methods: Evaluations of 144 informant-patient dyads were made.

Rate of conversion from mild cognitive impairment to dementia in a Thai hospital-based population: A retrospective cohort.

Introduction: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the state between normal cognition and dementia. This study objective was to estimate an average 1-year rate of conversion from MCI to dementia and explore the associated factors of conversion in a hospital-based cohort.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of participants with MCI was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Thailand.

Sleep quality problems in Thai medical students.

Objective: To explore sleep quality and daytime sleepiness problems in medical students at Ramathibodi Hospital.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Data were collected using questionnaires.

Drug treatment for panic disorder with or without agoraphobia: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Objective: To identify drug classes and individual selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) with high rates of remission and low risk of adverse events in the treatment of panic disorder with or without agoraphobia.

Design: Systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Data Sources: Embase, Medline, and ClinicalTrials.

Depressive disorders in Thai medical students: an exploratory study of institutional, cultural, and individual factors.

Objectives: This exploratory qualitative study conducted among Thai medical students aimed to investigate factors related to the development of medical students' depression and how these factors interact in contributing to depressive disorders.

Methods: Forty-three undergraduate medical students of the six-year Doctor of Medicine program were identified as having moderate to severe depression on an annual depression screening. From these, eighteen students agreed to participate in individual in-depth interviews.

Development and validation of a screening instrument for cognitive fluctuation in patients with neurocognitive disorder with Lewy bodies (NCDLB): the Mayo Fluctuations Scale-Thai version.

Background: Prevalence of neurocognitive disorder with Lewy bodies (NCDLB) is low in Asian populations, which may partially reflect its diagnostic difficulty. The Mayo Fluctuations Scale, a short questionnaire that evaluates cognitive fluctuation, has been shown to significantly differentiate NCDLB from Alzheimer's disease.

Aim: This study aimed to develop the Mayo Fluctuations Scale-Thai version and assess its validity to screen NCDLB in an elderly population.

Application of the European quality indicators for psychosocial dementia care in long-term care facilities in the Asia-Pacific region: a pilot study.

Objectives: An Asia-Pacific regional collaboration group conducted its first multi-country research project to determine whether or not European quality indicators (QIs) for psychosocial care in dementia could be implemented as a valid tool in residential aged care across seven Asia-Pacific sites (Australia, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mainland China, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand).

Method: Following the European QI protocol, auditing and data extraction of medical records of consenting residents with dementia were conducted by trained auditors with relevant health care backgrounds. Detailed field notes by the auditors were also obtained to describe the characteristics of the participating care facilities, as well as key issues and challenges encountered, for each of the 12 QIs.

Cholinesterase Inhibitors and Behavioral & Psychological Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease.

Objective: Examine the effect of cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) on behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and compared the dosages of antipsychotics and SSRIs or SNRIs used to treat BPSD in patients with and without ChEIs.

Material And Method: The cross-sectional study of Alzheimer patients who had been taking ChEls for at least six months (ChEI+) or had never been on any ChEIs (ChEI-) were enrolled from the Memory Clinic, Ramathibodi hospital between September 1, 2014 and February 28, 2015. All of these patients were evaluated with Mini-Mental Status Exam (MMSE) for cognitive function, Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire (NPI-Q) for BPSD, and psychotropic dosage used.

Active versus receptive group music therapy for major depressive disorder-A pilot study.

Objectives: To compare the effects of 1) active group music therapy and 2) receptive group music therapy to group counseling in treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).

Design & Setting: On top of standard care, 14 MDD outpatients were randomly assigned to receive 1) active group music therapy (n=5), 2) receptive group music therapy (n=5), or 3) group counseling (n=4). There were 12 one-hour weekly group sessions in each arm.

Psychiatric comorbidities in patients with major depressive disorder.

Background: Psychiatric comorbidities are common in major depressive disorder (MDD). They may worsen outcome and cause economic burden. The primary objective was to examine the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in MDD.

Use of medical foods and nutritional approaches in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia, has a high global economic impact. To date, there is no curative treatment; therefore, many efforts are directed not only at novel potential disease-modifying treatments and interventions, but also to develop alternative symptomatic and supportive treatments. Examples of these efforts include the medical foods.

Capgras syndrome in Dementia with Lewy Bodies.

Background: Capgras syndrome is characterized by the recurrent, transient belief that a person has been replaced by an identical imposter. We reviewed clinical characteristics of Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) patients with Capgras syndrome compared to those without Capgras.

Methods: We identified 55 consecutive DLB patients (11 cases with Capgras syndrome (DLB-C) and 44 cases without evidence of Capgras (DLB).

Memantine ER, a once-daily formulation for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Importance Of The Field: Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative brain disease. As the disease progresses, patients and caregivers face increasing problems with medication adherence. Given its relentlessly progressive nature, newer and more effective therapies for Alzheimer's disease are needed.

Atypical antipsychotics and the risk of diabetes in an elderly population in long-term care: a retrospective nursing home chart review study.

Objectives: Although atypical antipsychotics (AA) are associated with weight gain and diabetes mellitus (DM) in younger patients, it is not known whether these drugs would have a detrimental effect on weight gain or diabetes in a long-term care elderly population.

Design: Retrospective chart review.

Setting: Two community nursing homes (NH).