Efficacy of cognitive-behavioural therapy interventions on reducing burden for caregivers of older adults with a neurocognitive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

By 2025, 34 million people worldwide will be living with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia (i.e., neurocognitive disorders). Symptoms of neurocognitive disorders have functional repercussions on daily activities. People with neurocognitive disorders often rely on a caregiver to alleviate the impact of their symptoms, but this help has consequences for the caregiver. Indeed, caregivers report subjective burden, depressive symptoms, stress, anxiety and a lower quality of life than non-caregivers. Multiple cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) trials have been conducted to reduce these symptoms for caregivers. No meta-analysis has been conducted to evaluate the efficacy of this type of intervention on reducing subjective burden. Articles were selected from PsycNet, MEDLINE, AgeLine and ProQuest Dissertation and Theses for the period from 2000 to 2017. Article selection, data extraction and bias analysis for individual studies were completed by two independent authors who used a consensus procedure when discrepancies occurred. A total of 20 articles were included in the systematic review. Ten studies evaluated the efficacy of CBT in reducing subjective burden, and the meta-analysis suggested a significant reduction in subjective burden following CBT. Additionally, 17 studies evaluated the efficacy in reducing depressive symptoms, and the meta-analysis revealed a significant reduction for these caregivers following CBT. CBT for caregivers of individuals with a neurocognitive disorder had no impact on stress, anxiety, or quality of life.

Biopsychosocial factors predict quality of life in thoracolumbar spine surgery.

PURPOSE: Surgical intervention is a treatment option for various spinal pathology but many patients report no improvement or even an exacerbation of symptoms like pain. This study examined the association of preoperative (pre-op) biopsychosocial risk factors with poor quality of life at 2 and 6 months using hierarchical models controlling demographic and medical variables. METHOD: Participants undergoing thoracolumbar spine surgery (N = 214) were provided with questionnaire packages to complete pre-op, at 2 and at 6-month postoperative clinical follow-ups (i.e., demographics, psychosocial measures, SF-12, medical, and clinical measures). The surgeon recorded surgical measures. RESULTS: Examining the pre-op period only, greater age and medication use (for back symptoms) were associated with poorer physical quality of life [physical component summary score (PCS)], while greater catastrophizing, depression, and lower social support were associated with poorer mental QoL [mental component summary score (MCS)]. Lower preoperative PCS, social support, and greater kinesiophobia were associated with diminished PCS at 2-month. Higher pre-op MCS and higher social support was associated with better MCS at 2-month. Poorer PCS at 6-month was associated with older age and low social support, while diminished MCS was associated with lower pre-op social support, MCS, and longer time in the operation room. Preoperative kinesiophobia partially mediated the relationship between pre-op PCS and 2-month PCS. Age partially mediated the relationship between pre-op PCS and at 6-month. For MCS, social support was the lone partial mediator of baseline MCS and both 2 and 6-month MCS. CONCLUSION: These results show that preoperative psychosocial variables are significantly associated with poorer postoperative health-related QoL outcomes following spinal surgeries, supporting a biopsychosocial pre-op care map.

Normative data for the 12-item Buschke memory task in the Quebec-French population aged 50 and over.

OBJECTIVE: The 12-item Buschke memory test is used to assess verbal episodic memory in adults and older adults. However, there is no normative data for this test adjusted to the older Quebec-French population. The aim of the study was to produce normative data for the 12-item Buschke for the Quebec-French population aged 50 and older. METHOD: The normative sample consisted of 172 healthy French-speaking participants aged 50-89 years, from the Province of Quebec (Canada). The influence of age, years of formal education, and sex on five 12-item Buschke scores were analyzed. Based on the distribution of scores, normative data were developed as Z-scores equation, regression equation, and percentiles. RESULTS: Age, years of formal education, and sex were all associated with performance. Equations to calculate Z-scores were provided for the free recall trial 1 and the free recall trials 1-3. Stratified percentiles were provided for the delayed free recall and total recall 1-3. CONCLUSIONS: The normative data for the 12-item Buschke improve the accuracy of clinicians to detect verbal episodic memory impairments in Quebec's aging population.

Reducing Burden for Caregivers of Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND/RATIONALE: This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy of the nonpharmacological interventions reducing burden, psychological symptoms, and improving quality of life of caregivers of individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). METHOD: Databases reviewed included Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase, PsycNet, AgeLine, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Studies using an experimental/quasi-experimental design including nonpharmacological intervention were included. Four studies were included, and no meta-analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Calendar training and note-taking (cognitive intervention) significantly decreased caregiver's depressive symptoms and prevented worsening of subjective burden 6 months posttreatment. Daily engagement of meaningful activity combined with problem-solving therapy and educational material reduced depressive symptoms 3 months posttreatment. Moreover, educational intervention and social conversation phone calls decreased caregiver burden 3 months posttreatment. CONCLUSION: Studies suggest that nonpharmacological interventions can support caregivers of older adults with MCI, but the few published articles present some bias and are inconclusive. Randomized-controlled trials targeting specifically caregivers are needed to determine the most efficient type of interventions for those individuals.

Biopsychosocial impact of prostate cancer and androgen-deprivation therapy.

INTRODUCTION: Prostate cancer is the most non-cutaneous malignancy in men, and androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) is a cornerstone of management in advanced disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of ADT with changes in depression and mental and physical quality of life (QoL) within a prospective patient cohort design. METHODS: Patients were prospectively recruited and consented at a single academic health sciences centre in Ontario, Canada. Inclusion criteria included those men with adenocarcinoma of the prostate and either on watchful waiting or initiating ADT as palliation or as an adjuvant therapy for high-risk localized disease. All three cohorts were followed in routine care and completed psychosocial evaluations, including depression, social support, anxiety, and QoL measures. RESULTS: In comparison to the control cohort of patients with prostate cancer on watchful waiting, initiation of ADT over a two-year period of time was not associated with any changes in depression or mental QoL. Instead, all patients, regardless of treatment cohort, showed increased depression scores and reduced mental QoL scores over time; however, for patients receiving ADT, a significant reduction in physical QoL compared to patients who did not receive ADT was demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: ADT does not appear to significantly impact depressive symptoms and mental QoL over a two-year period; however, the depressive symptoms in this limited sample of men with prostate cancer was higher than expected and monitoring for these may be advisable for those who care for such patients.