bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Domestic Environment of Multisensory Stimulation based on Snoezelen principles pilot study
Authors: Mauricio Beatriz Zima Borsari , Novelli Marcia Maria Pires Camargo 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundMultisensory stimulation (MSS) aims to stimulate the senses such as vision, hearing, touch, taste, smell, vestibular and proprioceptive systems that may be areas affected by dementia. The 24‐hour Snoezelen spaces in home environments aim to offer a proposed MSS intervention for seniors with dementia syndromes. In addition, studies on this therapy, its benefits and effects both for the elderly living in the community and for their caregivers/family members, are scarce.ObjectiveTo understand and evaluate the benefits of Snoezelen sensory stimulation in home settings of community‐dwelling elderly.Materials and MethodsThe 24‐hour Snoezelen intervention will be conducted over three/four months, in 9 sessions. The sessions will be organized in stages: The 1st stage, involves the evaluation process, performed in the 1st week, which will consist of two evaluation sessions that include home assessment, establishment of sensory preferences and sensory profile of the elderly. The 2nd stage will be carried out from the 2nd to the 5th week with the implementation of the 24‐hour Snoezelen sessions that aim to teach caregivers how to use the Snoezelen space with two focuses: stimulation and relaxation. The initial session will be determined by the demands presented by the caregiver and the elderly regarding the need to start with a relaxation or stimulation session. The third stage involves the follow‐up of the implementation of the post‐training sessions for caregivers that will be developed from the 6th to the 9th week with 3 sessions. The interval between the 3 sessions will be 15 days so that the caregivers can practice what they have learned during the training. To analyze the impact of the Home Spaces of MRE the effect size will be used considering the averages in the NPI before and after the Intervention. Measures of variance will be applied to evaluate the impact of MRE home stimulation in relation to time (pre‐ and post‐intervention). The degree of significance was set to values of p<0.05Result: And ConclusionThe study in question is in progress and the results and conclusion will be presented at the congress.
Associations of Beta‐amyloid and Alzheimer’s Disease Risk with Patient Age in Over 2,000 Plasma Specimens Analyzed by LC‐MS/MS
Authors: Weber Darren M , Kim Jueun C , Goldman Scott , Clarke Nigel J , Racke Michael K 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundBeta‐amyloid (Aβ) plays an important role in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology with Aβ42/40 ratio being an indicator amyloid deposition. Measurements have been performed using cerebrospinal fluid specimens, but now plasma assays are available as less invasive options. Our objective was to evaluate associations of age with Aβ40, Aβ42, and AD risk assessed using the Aβ42/40 ratio in >2,000 plasma specimens measured by LC‐MS/MS.MethodResults from plasma specimens submitted to our laboratory for AD risk assessment were used for this analysis. Both peptides were quantitated using a CLIA‐validated LC‐MS/MS assay, and the ratio of Aβ42 to Aβ40 (Aβ42/40) was calculated. Using a ratio cutoff of 0.160, individuals were categorized as being at higher risk (HR) of developing AD (Aβ42/40 <0.160) or lower risk (LR) of developing AD (Aβ42/40 ≥0.160).ResultResults from 2,235 specimens (58% female) were analyzed. Overall, 987 (44.2%) individuals were classified as being at HR for AD. An inverse relationship between age and the Aβ42/40 ratio (Spearman’s rho = ‐0.249, p <0.001) was observed; on average, the Aβ42/40 ratio decreased 3% per decade of age. Individuals who were HR for AD were older than those who were at LR for AD (mean [SD] age, 74.4 [9.0] vs. 69.2 [12.6], p <0.001). Aβ42 values were lower in the HR group compared to the LR group (38.5 [11.4] pg/mL vs. 44.7 [11.1] pg/mL, p <0.001), whereas Aβ40 values were higher in the HR individuals compared to LR (267.3 [76.3] pg/mL, vs. 245.9 [57.8] pg/mL, p <0.001). Both Aβ40 and Aβ42 values increased with age: on average, Aβ40 increased 7% per decade (Spearman’s rho = 0.415, p < 0.001), and Aβ42 increased 4% per decade (Spearman’s rho = 0.213, p < 0.001).ConclusionIn this cohort, we found almost 45% of individuals were HR for AD based on Aβ42/40 ratio. With respect to patient age, we found significant associations with risk reflecting decreases in Aβ42/40 ratio in plasma. We also found increases of both Aβ40 and Aβ42 plasma concentrations with age but at different rates; the rate of increase was almost double for Aβ40 compared to Aβ42.
Non‐invasive kinetic modeling of [18F]‐florbetaben and [18F]‐PI‐2620 with total‐body dynamic EXPLORER PET
Authors: Holy Emily Nicole , Li Elizabeth , Alfaro Evelyn Rebekha , Fletcher Evan , Bhattarai Anjan , Spencer Benjamin A. , Cherry Simon R. , Decarli Charles , Fan Audrey 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundThis study aims to quantify amyloid and tau buildup in older individuals with kinetic models that leverage dynamics in aorta IDIFs and the brain utilizing [18F]‐Florbetaben and [18F]‐PI‐2620 total‐body EXPLORER PET.MethodFifteen adults (9 CU, 2 MCI, and 3 AD) aged 66‐86 underwent dynamic total‐body 18F‐florbetaben [110min] and PI‐2620 PET [90min] (United Imaging). 3 CU adults also underwent Tau PET for this initial analysis. IDIFs were derived from descending aorta ROIs. PET volumes were motion corrected (FSL‐MCFLIRT) and linearly registered (FSL‐FLIRT) to T1W image. The DKT ATLAS was used to segment brain cortical regions that are involved in neurodegeneration for PET SUVR measurements. PET SUVR means were calculated from 10 index regions and the cerebellar gray matter as the reference. Dynamic time activity curves were fit to the two‐tissue compartment model (2TCM) using joint estimation and population metabolite‐corrected IDIFs (Li, JNM 2021). The Multi‐linear Reference Tissue Model (MRTM) to calculate distribution volume ratio (DVR) with reference to cerebellar gray (Ichise, JCBFM 2003).Result[18F]‐Florbetaben Aβ+/Tau‐ SUVR was the highest in each brain index region, while PI‐2620 showed elevated SUVR in brain regions associated with early Braak stages I‐III in both Aβ‐/Tau‐ and Aβ+/Tau‐ (Fig 2). In our tau‐negative cohort, PI‐2620 signal in both cortical and reference regions, as expected, had low specific distribution volume (Vs) values (1.43 ±0.56) in both HC and AD. [18F]‐Florbetaben cortical Vs values were roughly 4 times higher than cerebellum in the Aβ+/Tau‐ (AD) individual and PI‐2620 cortical Vs values were 3.5 times higher compared to the cerebellum in both HC and AD. Mean k₁ values, which reflect regional blood flow, were similar in both AD and HC in both [18F]‐florbetaben and PI‐2620 PET analyses (Table 1). SUVR and DVR from MRTM kinetic models were correlated for each tracer; with slight overestimation of SUVR compared to DVR.ConclusionAbsolute quantification of amyloid and tau binding from total‐body PET data is feasible using aorta IDIFs and enables high quality kinetic modeling for accurate measures in clinical research of aging and dementia.
Use of Inflammatory Panels to Distinguish Alzheimer’s Disease in a Down Syndrome Population
Authors: Petersen Melissa , Zhang Fan , Hall James , Mapstone Mark , O'Bryant Sid E. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundProteomic profiles conducted among adults with Down Syndrome (DS) have shown to be strongly driven by inflammatory markers particularly for models conducted among those with Alzheimer’s Disease (DS‐AD). This corresponds to other work that has suggested inflammatory markers could serve as non‐A/T/N blood based biomarkers for DS‐AD. To date, no work has examined the utility of specific panels of inflammatory proteins in their ability to distinguish between cognitively unimpaired (CU), mild cognitive impairment (MCI‐DS) and AD dementia (DS‐AD) among adults with DS.MethodData were analyzed on n = 598 participants (n = 431 CU, n = 73 MCI‐DS, and n = 94 DS‐AD) from the Alzheimer’s Biomarker Consortium‐ Down Syndrome (ABC‐DS) cohort. Inflammatory blood biomarkers were derived using the Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) platform with ECL. Inflammatory biomarkers were group as follows: Pro‐Inflammatory Panel (Interleukin [IL]‐18, IL‐5, IL‐6, IL‐7, SAA, sICAM1, TARC, TNC, TNFa) and General Inflammatory Panel (A2M, B2M, CRP, Eotaxin3, I‐309). Statistical analyses were conducted using support vector machine (SVM) models with inflammatory blood biomarkers entered as the predictor variable and diagnostic classification entered as the outcome variable.ResultIn distinguishing CU from DS‐AD, the pro‐inflammatory panel produced an area under the curve (AUC) of 88%, sensitivity (SN) of 91%, specificity (SP) of 68%, and negative predictive power (NPV) of 94% with age and gender. The general inflammation panel produced a similar AUC of 88%, SN of 89%, SP of 75%, and NPV of 97% with age and gender. When applied to distinguish CU from DS‐AD and MCI‐DS combined, the pro‐inflammatory panel produced an AUC of 86%, SN of 89%, SP of 67%, and NPV of 94% with age and gender. The general inflammatory panel also distinguished the same groups with an AUC of 85%, SN of 88%, SP of 69%, and NPV of 93%.ConclusionBoth the pro‐inflammatory and general inflammatory panels produced similar AUCs ranging from 85‐88% in distinguishing either DS‐AD or MCI‐DS and DS‐AD from CU with NPVs ranging from 93‐97%. As most screening tools rely on high NPVs, results support the potential application of an inflammatory driven panel in distinguishing diagnostic cases in this specific population.
Crime, Dementia, and Caregivers: Keeping individuals with dementia out of the criminal justice system
Authors: Morgado Lillian , Arias Jalayne J. , Tyler Ana 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundThe care and management of justice‐involved persons living with dementia (PLWD) are understudied. Yet emerging data indicate that PLWD may experience symptoms and behaviors which may lead to encounters with the criminal justice system. Consistent with the Sequential Intercept Model (SIM), community and social resources may affect outcomes for justice‐involved PLWD, including formal and informal caregiver resources. This presentation aims to characterize the relevance of community and social resources for criminal justice system outcomes (e.g., risk of arrest, pre‐trial options, and sentencing alternatives for PLWD).MethodsSynthesis of two semi‐structured interview studies with stakeholders. Study 1: the “Caregiver Study” collected experiences/perspectives from caregivers of persons with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) on social and legal decision‐making. Study 2: the “Legal Stakeholder Study” collected experiences/perspectives from legal professionals on managingement of PLWD within the criminal justice system. Transcribed interviews were analyzed applying the Framework Method (an inductive review of transcripts to develop a singular codebook for both studies’ transcripts) before charting data for comparison between participants and studies. Data from both studies were used to uncover potential relationships between social and community resources and justice system outcomes for PLWD.ResultCaregiver Study: 13 caregivers. Caregivers reported caregiver burden, safety, and patient behaviors that could lead to encounters with law enforcement. Legal Stakeholder Study: 15 participants with a range of experience (5‐25 years). Participants reported the relevance of community and social resources at preventing arrest, pre‐trial release options, and sentencing alternatives. When these data are synthesized with caregivers’ experiences and perspectives the studies generated a fuller narrative of how PLWD experience criminal justice encounters.ConclusionData from the complimentary studies elucidate insight on the relevance of social and community resources for criminal justice related outcomes for PLWD. These data uncover potential relationships between family involvement, financial resources, access to public benefits, and community understanding of dementia as factors relevant to outcomes associated with justice‐involved and potentially justice involved PLWD. These data are consistent with the SIM. These data provide a foundation for research that harnesses the SIM to drive important policy and systemic changes to improve support for PLWD who are justice‐involved.
Multisensory Stimulation Intervention for elderly people with dementia pilot study
Authors: Pilon Gabriella Pereira , Novelli Marcia Maria Pires Camargo 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundMultisensory Stimulation interventions (MSI) are actions that stimulate the senses such as vision, hearing, touch, taste, smell, vestibular and proprioceptive systems. MSI interventions for people with dementia syndromes can offer stimuli that facilitate sensory modulation and capitalize on these individuals' residual sensorimotor skills. There are still few studies that point to the benefits of MSI Interventions in elderly people living in the Brazilian community.ObjectiveTo evaluate the benefits of an MSI Intervention proposal based on the principles of Snoezelen for elderly people with dementia syndromes.Materials and MethodsThe MSI Intervention will be developed in 12 individual sessions, lasting 45 minutes, with a weekly frequency. Sensory sensations such as vision, hearing, touch, taste, smell and proprioception will be stimulated and will be applied to 10 elderly people with dementia, considering that it is a pilot study. The study will be carried out at the Dementia Care Service (SADe) at the Baixada Santista campus of the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP). The benefits of the MSI Intervention will be evaluated by objective measures (blood pressure and heart rate) and changes in behavior and by subjective measures of perceived benefits of MSI that will be applied before and after the intervention and comparative analysis considering pre‐ and post‐intervention and the effect size of the intervention.Result: and ConclusionThe study in question is in progress and the reults and conclusions will be presented at the congress.
Race, Purpose and Meaning of Life, and Markers of Brain Health for Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Mukundan Aishwarya , Rosso Andrea L , Cisneros Geraldine , Huppert Theodore , Laymon Charles M , Lopresti Brian J. , Potopenko Katey , Reese Alexandria C. , Roush Rebecca E. , Snitz Beth E. , Becker James T , Cohen Ann D. , Shaaban C. Elizabeth 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundMeaning and purpose in life (M&P) represents goal direction and meaning for an individual. Literature has shown associations between higher M&P and better global cognition. However, papers included either predominantly White or Black samples. We aim to replicate these results in a sample with roughly equal Black and White participants and assess racial differences in the association between M&P and markers of brain health (global cognition and amyloid). We hypothesize that higher M&P scores will be associated with better markers of brain health and that the association will be stronger among Black compared to White individuals.Methods263 adults aged 50‐89 years (Table 1) from the Pittsburgh Human Connectome Project were included. M&P was measured by the NIH Toolbox questionnaire. Brain health was characterized as general cognitive function by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and amyloid burden from positron emission tomography with Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) using a global region of interest. Race was self‐reported as either White or Black/African American; individuals of other races (n = 6) were not included in these analyses. The association of M&P with brain outcomes was assessed by linear regression adjusted for years of education, sex, and age. Effect modification by race was assessed with inclusion of an interaction term in the models. Analyses were conducted in the whole sample and then again, in only those considered cognitively normal.ResultsThere was no association between M&P and either marker of brain health (global amyloid: β = 0.0008, p = 0.52; cognition: β = 0.019, p = 0.28). There was no statistically significant effect modification by race for either outcome (all p for interaction>0.1). When restricting to those considered cognitively normal, results remained the same.ConclusionIn contrast to prior findings, we found no association between M&P and markers of brain health in contrast to other studies. This difference is not likely due to racial composition as we found no differences by race but may be due to differences in measurements used. Further research should explore potential differences in associations based on cognitive domain.
The effect of age and years of schooling on CERAD‐MX performance of Mexican preclinical carriers and non‐carriers’ relatives of the V717I APP mutation
Authors: Reyes Angélica Zuno , Pérez‐Rubio Karina , Berumen‐Ocegueda Isaac Enrique , Cornejo‐Loera Geovany , Ringman John M , Flores‐González Martín Alonso , Matute Esmeralda 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundIn a previous study in a sample of young neurotypical adults (18 to 59 years), we found that years of schooling (YoS) have a greater effect than age on the tasks included in the neuropsychological protocol of the Mexican adaptation of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease (CERAD‐MX).MethodThirty‐eight participants (Mage = 31.08 years; MYoS = 8.27 years), from Jalisco State in Mexico, identified as first‐degree relatives of symptomatic autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease (ADAD) carriers of the V71 7I APP mutation were divided into two groups, MC (n = 15) and NC (n = 23). Eight CERAD‐MX tasks were used: the Mini‐mental State Examination (MMSE), Semantic Verbal Fluency (SVF), Verbal Boston Naming (VBN), Word List Memory (WLM) with delayed recall (WLD) and recognition (WLR), as well as Constructional Praxis copy (CPC) and recall (CPR). We used z‐scores, then defined random vectors with Sklar’s theorem and a Gaussian dome from simulations of new samples obtained by inverse transform sampling.ResultIn both groups, YoS had a greater positive effect on the MMSE, WLM, WLD z‐scores. In the MC group only, this same effect was evident in the SVF and CPR scores, while in the NC group this effect was seen in the VBN, and CPC z‐scores. Age effect was more pronounced that YoS in MC performance on the CPC, while in NC, on SVF performance.ConclusionFor both groups, YoS has a greater effect than age on several tasks, showing that YoS is a confounding variable when analyzing performance on CERAD‐MX tasks. Moreover, in the MC group, age has a positive effect on CPC task performance suggesting that graphic abilities are not vulnerable to the presence of V717I APP mutation at the preclinical stage.
The prevalence and experience of loneliness in persons with cognitive impairment on an Inpatient Geriatric Unit
Authors: Elmi Sarah 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundOlder adults who experience loneliness are at a heightened risk for mortality. There are two distinct types of loneliness: social, in which social interactions and networks are reduced, as can result from social isolation and lack of social integration; and emotional, in which a meaningful attachment bond with another is absent. We examined the prevalence and experience of loneliness in cognitively impaired older adults receiving treatment in a mental healthcare facility.MethodFourteen participants with mild cognitive impairment or mild/moderate dementia (mean MoCA 17, range 12‐22; mean age 76, range 65‐92) completed a demographic survey, DeJong Gierveld 6‐Item Loneliness Scale, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and a semi‐structured interview. Basic thematic analysis was used to extract major themes from the interview data. Differences in the prevalence of loneliness between low (MOCA 18 or greater) and high (MOCA 17 or less) cognitive impairment groups and correlations between cognitive impairment and loneliness were examined.ResultParticipants experienced moderate or severe loneliness (86%), emotional (79%) and social (57%) loneliness. Themes emerging from interviews included limited social networks, lack of connection or social engagement, loss of role, need for meaningful activities, missing families, dependency, and stigma. No significant differences were found in loneliness between low vs. high cognitive impairment groups. Correlational analysis suggested a negative association between social loneliness and cognitive impairment, with individuals with lower cognitive impairment scoring higher on social loneliness (r = , p = ).ConclusionLoneliness is prevalent and multifactorial in individuals with cognitive impairment receiving care in a mental health care facility.
Cognitive Intervention in Community Older Adults of Rural Nebraska: A Pilot Study
Authors: Saidi Ladan Ghazi , Hill Toni , Kelly Christopher , McKelvey Miechelle 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundOlder adults living in rural counties of Nebraska have little access to social and healthcare services to maintain their cognitive health due to geographic limitations, shortage of professional services, and the high cost of such services. The Area Agencies on Aging provide services to underserved older adults in rural areas may lack specialized cognitive health services such as cognitive‐communication interventions.In this pilot study, we used technology (telepractice) and intergenerational bonding approaches (IGB) to provide an innovative intervention to improve the cognitive health of underserved older adults in rural Nebraska.MethodWe tested the effectiveness of a cognitive communication intervention via telepractice using iPads to support communication, cognitive stimulation, and interaction through an IGB program delivered by students of Speech Language Pathology (SLP) to improve the cognitive health of older adults. Our intervention included eight evidence‐based cognitive communication techniques tested in multiple studies.ResultThe average MoCA scores of the participants was below the cut ‐off (M = 25; SD = 3.9). Pre‐post comparison of cognitive measures (semantic and phonemic fluency, working memory, executive functions) showed a maintenance or improvement of cognitive health, reflecting the effectiveness of our IGB intervention. Precisely, a paired‐t‐test showed a significant increase in some of the measures but not all. However, no measure scores declined. The following measures showed a significant positive difference pre/post intervention: Phonemic fluency: T1 (M = 11, SD = 4.3), and T2 (M = 11, SD = 5); t(8) = 0.508, p = 0.003, semantic fluency: T1 (M = 19.8, SD = 45.8), and T2 (M = 20.2, SD = 5.1); t(8) = ‐0.292, p = 0.004, Stroop test, incongruent trials response time: T1 (M = 1054, SD = 134), and T2 (M = 1057, SD = 147); t(8) = ‐1.191, p = 0.003, Simon task, incongruent trials Accuracy Rate: T1 (M = 65%, SD = 40%), and T2 (M = 74%, SD = 37%); t (8) = ‐0.770, p = 0.05.ConclusionOur pilot results are in line with evidence from the literature on positive effects of cognitive stimulation, showing that intergenerational interaction rich with cognitive stimulation can have positive effects on cognitive health.The preliminary results of this study support the effectiveness of an accessible and cost‐effective approach to promote cognitive health in community older adults in underserved rural areas in the comfort of their homes.