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Background: Previous studies reported the negative impact of social isolation on mental health in people with dementia (PwD) and their caregivers, butlongitudinal studies seem scarcer. Objective: To describe a one-year follow-up impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on PwD and their caregivers in both Brazil and Chile. Methods: This study analyzed the impact of the pandemic on the psychological and physical health of PwD and their family caregivers after one year of follow-up in three outpatient clinics in Brazil (nâ=â68) and Chile (nâ=â61). Results: In both countries, PwD reduced their functional capacity after one year of follow-up (pâ=â0.017 and pâ=â0.009; respectively) and caregivers reported worse physical and mental health (pâ=â0.028 and pâ=â0.039). Only in Chile, caregivers reported more sadness associated with care (pâ=â0.001), and reduced time sleeping (pâ=â0.07). Conclusions: In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have had a long-lasting impact on PwD and their caregivers. However, it is essential to acknowledge that the inherent progression of dementia itself may also influence changes observed over a year.
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COVID-19 , Demencia , Humanos , Cuidadores/psicología , Pandemias , Salud Mental , Demencia/epidemiología , Demencia/psicología , Estudios de Seguimiento , Chile/epidemiología , Brasil/epidemiología , COVID-19/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
ANTECEDENTES Y OBJETIVO: La soledad es un factor de riesgo para el desarrollo de enfermedades físicas y mentales, causando disminución en la calidad de vida y un aumento de la mortalidad. El objetivo de este artículo fue determinar los factores predictores de soledad en personas cuidadoras informales de personas con demencia dentro de un contexto de crisis como fue la pandemia por COVID-19 con el fin de identificar e intervenir en dichos factores desde la atención primaria de salud. DISEÑO Y METODOLOGÍA: Este es un estudio cuantitativo de carácter transversal para el cual se realizó un muestreo de conveniencia no probabilístico. Ciento noventa y cinco personas cuidadores informales, por medio de una encuesta en línea, respondieron preguntas sociodemográficas y clínicas sobre ellos mismos (soledad, síntomas ansiosos y depresivos, actividades físicas y mentales, sobrecarga y apoyo psicosocial) y sobre la persona con demencia (cambios en la memoria y en los síntomas conductuales y psicológicos). Los datos fueron recolectados durante 6 meses y se hicieron análisis descriptivos, de correlación y de regresión. RESULTADOS: La baja escolaridad, disminución del ingreso económico, no mantener durante la pandemia las actividades físicas y mentales y la sobrecarga en el cuidador se relacionaron significativamente con mayor soledad, mientras que los factores predictores de la misma fueron la presencia de sintomatología ansiosa depresiva, la baja percepción de apoyo psicosocial y la convivencia de la persona cuidadora con la persona con demencia. CONCLUSIÓN: El riesgo de desarrollar soledad en los cuidadores informales de personas con demencia es alto. Los profesionales de enfermería, particularmente en atención primaria, deben estar alertas a identificar a aquellos cuidadores que conviven con la persona con demencia, que presentan síntomas ansiosos y depresivos y que reportan una baja percepción de apoyo psicosocial dado que son más vulnerables de experimentar soledad percibida.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Loneliness is a risk factor for the development of physical and mental illness, causing decreased quality of life and increased mortality. The aim of this article was to recognise predictors of loneliness in informal caregivers of people with dementia in the context of a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY: 195 informal caregivers, through an online survey, answered sociodemographic and clinical questions about themselves (loneliness, anxious and depressive symptoms, physical and mental activities, overload and psychosocial support) and about the person with dementia (changes in memory and behavioural and psychological symptoms). RESULTS: Low schooling, decreased income, failure to maintain physical and mental activities during the pandemic and caregiver overload were significantly related to increased loneliness, while predictors of loneliness were the presence of depressive anxiety symptoms, low perception of psychosocial support and the caregiver living with the person with dementia. CONCLUSION: The risk of developing loneliness in caregivers of people with dementia is high. Nursing professionals, particularly in primary care, should be on the alert for those caregivers within this group who live with the person with dementia, who present anxious and depressive symptoms and who report a low perception of psychosocial support, as they are more vulnerable to experiencing perceived loneliness.
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Nowadays, there is a broad range of methods for detecting and evaluating executive dysfunction ranging from clinical interview to neuropsychological evaluation. Nevertheless, a critical issue of these assessments is the lack of correspondence of the neuropsychological test's results with real-world functioning. This paper proposes serious games as a new framework to improve the neuropsychological assessment of real-world functioning. We briefly discuss the contribution and limitations of current methods of evaluation of executive dysfunction (paper-and-pencil tests, naturalistic observation methods, and Information and Communications Technologies) to inform on daily life functioning. Then, we analyze what are the limitations of these methods to predict real-world performance: (1) A lack of appropriate instruments to investigate the complexity of real-world functioning, (2) the vast majority of neuropsychological tests assess well-structured tasks, and (3) measurement of behaviors are based on simplistic data collection and statistical analysis. This work shows how serious games offer an opportunity to develop more efficient tools to detect executive dysfunction in everyday life contexts. Serious games provide meaningful narrative stories and virtual or real environments that immerse the user in natural and social environments with social interactions. In those highly interactive game environments, the player needs to adapt his/her behavioral performance to novel and ill-structured tasks which are suited for collecting user interaction evidence. Serious games offer a novel opportunity to develop better tools to improve diagnosis of the executive dysfunction in everyday life contexts. However, more research is still needed to implement serious games in everyday clinical practice.
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The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) is a screening test that measures executive functions. Although this instrument has been validated in several countries, its diagnostic utility in a Chilean population has not been studied yet. Objectives: This study aimed to (1) adapt FAB in a Chilean population; (2) study the psychometric properties of the FAB in a Chilean population; (3) assess the sociodemographic influence in the performance of the FAB in a sample of healthy controls (HC); and (4) develop normative data for this healthy group. Methods: A HC (n=344) and a group of patients with dementia (n=156) were assessed with the Chilean version of FAB. Results: FAB showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.79) and acceptable validity based on the relationship with other variables. Factor analysis showed the unidimensionality of the instrument. Significant differences were found in the total FAB value between the HC and dementia groups. With the matched sample, the established cutoff point was 13.5, showing a sensitivity of 80.8% and a specificity of 90.4%. Regression analysis showed that education and age significantly predicted FAB performance in the healthy group. Finally, normative data are provided. Conclusions: This study shows that FAB is a useful tool to discriminate between healthy people and people with dementia. However, further studies are needed to explore the capacity of the instrument to characterize the dysexecutive syndrome in people with dementia in the Chilean population.
A Bateria de Avaliação Frontal (FAB) é um teste de rastreio que mede as funções executivas. Embora esse instrumento tenha sido validado em vários países, sua utilidade diagnóstica em uma população chilena ainda não foi estudada. Objetivos: (1) Adaptar a FAB para uma população chilena; (2) estudar as propriedades psicométricas da FAB em uma população chilena; (3) avaliar a influência sociodemográfica no desempenho da FAB em uma amostra de controles saudáveis; e (4) desenvolver dados normativos para este último grupo. Métodos: Um grupo controle saudável (n=344) e um grupo de pacientes com demência (n=156) foram avaliados com a versão chilena da FAB. Resultados: A FAB apresentou boa consistência interna (alfa de Cronbach=0,79) e validade aceitável com base na relação com outras variáveis. A análise fatorial mostrou a unidimensionalidade do instrumento. Diferenças significativas foram encontradas no valor total da FAB entre os grupos controle saudável e demência. Com a amostra pareada, o ponto de corte estabelecido foi de 13,5, que apresentou sensibilidade de 80,8% e especificidade de 90,4%. A análise de regressão mostrou que a escolaridade e a idade predisseram significativamente o desempenho da FAB no grupo saudável. Finalmente, os dados normativos são fornecidos. Conclusões: O presente estudo mostrou que a FAB é uma ferramenta útil para discriminar entre pessoas saudáveis e aquelas com demência. No entanto, mais estudos são necessários para explorar a capacidade do instrumento para caracterizar a síndrome disexecutiva em pessoas com demência na população chilena.
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OBJECTIVE: Teleneuropsychology (teleNP) could potentially expand access to services for patients who are confined, have limited personal access to healthcare, or live in remote areas. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased the use of teleNP for cognitive assessments. The main objective of these recommendations is to identify which procedures can be potentially best adapted to the practice of teleNP in Latin America, and thereby facilitate professional decision-making in the region. METHOD: Steps taken to develop these recommendations included (1) formation of an international working group with representatives from 12 Latin American countries; (2) assessment of rationale, scope, and objectives; (3) formulation of clinical questions; (4) evidence search and selection; (5) evaluation of existing evidence and summary; and (6) formulation of recommendations. Levels of evidence were graded following the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine system. Databases examined included PubMed, WHO-IRIS, WHO and PAHO-IRIS, Índice Bibliográfico Español en Ciencias de la Salud (IBCS), and LILACS. RESULTS: Working group members reviewed 18,400 titles and 422 abstracts and identified 19 articles meeting the criteria for level of evidence, categorization, and elaboration of recommendations. The vast majority of the literature included teleNP tests in the English language. The working group proposed a series of recommendations that can be potentially best adapted to the practice of teleNP in Latin America. CONCLUSIONS: There is currently sufficient evidence to support the use of videoconferencing technology for remote neuropsychological assessments. These recommendations will likely contribute to the advancement of teleNP research and practice in the region.
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COVID-19 , Pandemias , Humanos , América Latina , Pruebas Neuropsicológicas , Neuropsicología/métodosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: People with dementia and their family caregivers may face a great burden through social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be manifested as various behavioral and clinical symptoms. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impacts of social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals with dementia and their family caregivers. METHODS: Two semi-structured questionnaires were applied via telephone to family caregivers of people diagnosed with dementia in three cities in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, in order to assess clinical and behavioral changes in people with dementia and in their caregivers. RESULTS: In general, 321 interviews were conducted. A significant decline in memory function has been reported among 53.0%of people with dementia. In addition, 31.2%of individuals with dementia felt sadder and 37.4%had increased anxiety symptoms. These symptoms of anxiety were greater in individuals with mild to moderate dementia, while symptoms of agitation were greater in individuals with severe dementia. Moreover, compulsive-obsessive behavior, hallucinations, increased forgetfulness, altered appetite, and increased difficulty in activities of daily living were reported more frequently among individuals with moderate to severe dementia. Caregivers reported feeling more tired and overwhelmed during this period and these symptoms were also influenced by the severity of dementia. CONCLUSION: Social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a series of negative behavioral repercussions, both for people with dementia and for their family caregivers in these three South American countries.
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COVID-19/psicología , Cuidadores/psicología , Demencia/psicología , Distanciamiento Físico , Aislamiento Social/psicología , Actividades Cotidianas , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Argentina , Brasil , Chile , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Pandemias , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is the third most common form of dementia across all age groups and is a leading cause of early-onset dementia. The Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) includes a spectrum of diseases that are classified according to their clinical presentation and patterns of neurodegeneration. There are two main types of FTD: behavioral FTD variant (bvFTD), characterized by a deterioration in social function, behavior, and personality; and primary progressive aphasias (PPA), characterized by a deficit in language skills. There are other types of FTD-related disorders that present motor impairment and/or parkinsonism, including FTD with motor neuron disease (FTD-MND), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and corticobasal syndrome (CBS). The FTD and its associated disorders present great clinical heterogeneity. The diagnosis of FTD is based on the identification through clinical assessments of a specific clinical phenotype of impairments in different domains, complemented by an evaluation through instruments, i.e., tests and questionnaires, validated for the population under study, thus, achieving timely detection and treatment. While the prevalence of dementia in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is increasing rapidly, there is still a lack of standardized instruments and consensus for FTD diagnosis. In this context, it is important to review the published tests and questionnaires adapted and/or validated in LAC for the assessment of cognition, behavior, functionality, and gait in FTD and its spectrum. Therefore, our paper has three main goals. First, to present a narrative review of the main tests and questionnaires published in LAC for the assessment of FTD and its spectrum in six dimensions: (i) Cognitive screening; (ii) Neuropsychological assessment divided by cognitive domain; (iii) Gait assessment; (iv) Behavioral and neuropsychiatric symptoms; (v) Functional assessment; and (vi) Global Rating Scale. Second, to propose a multidimensional clinical assessment of FTD in LAC identifying the main gaps. Lastly, it is proposed to create a LAC consortium that will discuss strategies to address the current challenges in the field.