Combination of intensive cognitive rehabilitation and donepezil therapy in Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Arch Gerontol Geriatr

Alzheimer Center, Division of Geriatrics, Ospedale Ingrassia, ASP di Palermo, Palermo, Via La Loggia 5, 90100 Palermo, Italy.

Published: March 2011

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AchEIs) are extensively used in Alzheimer's disease (AD) while reality orientation therapy (ROT) is a cognitive rehabilitation indicated for mentally deteriorated patients. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the combination of donepezil with an intensive ROT with active participation of the caregiver. Patients with AD (n=100, mean age 78.4±4.3 years) initiated treatment with donepezil, 5mg/day; 62 of them underwent a 3-week, daily ROT and physical reactivation training with the caregiver (Group A); 38 participants received only donepezil therapy (Group B). All subjects were tested for cognitive and functional abilities at baseline, at the end of the training program, and after 2 months of follow-up. There was a significant improvement in mini-mental state examination (MMSE) score (p<0.001) and the AD assessment scale-cognitive (ADAS-Cog) subscale (p<0.001), without changes in impaired activity of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) after intensive ROT training in Group A. MMSE was maintained after 2 months in-home ROT continuation. There were no significant changes in MMSE in drug-only treated patients (Group B) after 3 weeks, with a non-significant tendency to improvement in ADAS-Cog. Our results suggest benefit of an intensive ROT program in dementia patients receiving donepezil that seems to be maintained as far as ROT is continued by the caregiver.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2009.11.008DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

cognitive rehabilitation
8
donepezil therapy
8
alzheimer's disease
8
combination intensive
4
intensive cognitive
4
donepezil
4
rehabilitation donepezil
4
therapy alzheimer's
4
disease acetylcholinesterase
4
acetylcholinesterase inhibitors
4

Similar Publications

Sudden gains in internet cognitive therapy for social anxiety disorder in routine clinical practice.

Internet Interv

December 2024

Oxford Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma (OxCADAT), Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, The Old Rectory, Paradise Square, Oxford OX1 1TW, UK.

Background: Sudden gains are large symptom improvements between consecutive therapy sessions. They have been shown to occur in randomised controlled trials of internet-delivered psychological interventions, but little is known about their occurrence when such treatments are delivered in routine clinical practice.

Objective: This study examined the occurrence of sudden gains in a therapist-guided internet-delivered Cognitive Therapy intervention for social anxiety disorder (iCT-SAD) delivered in the UK NHS talking therapies for anxiety and depression (formerly known as IAPT services).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Hibernation, an adaptive mechanism to extreme environmental conditions, is prevalent among mammals. Its main characteristics include reduced body temperature and metabolic rate. However, the mechanisms by which hibernating animals re-enter deep sleep during the euthermic phase to sustain hibernation remain poorly understood.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

High blood pressure is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and is linked to an increased risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The lack of effective treatments for these conditions highlights the urgent need for novel therapeutic approaches. Recent research suggests that the gut microbiota-brain-gut axis plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of hypertension and MCI by regulating the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

[Purpose] Rehabilitation can improve physical function and quality of life in patients with advanced cancer. However, relevant studies on advanced lung cancers are limited. Differences in physical function and symptoms based on the treatment phase should be considered.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Training system for converting current visual information to bird's-eye view.

Front Psychol

December 2024

Faculty of Systems Information Science, Future University Hakodate, Hakodate, Japan.

Introduction: Effective decision-making in ball games requires the ability to convert positional information from a first-person perspective into a bird's-eye view. To address this need, we developed a virtual reality (VR)-based training system designed to enhance spatial cognition.

Methods: Using a head-mounted virtual reality display, participants engaged in tasks where they tracked multiple moving objects in a virtual space and reproduced their positions from a bird's-eye perspective.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!