Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Frontotemporal Dementia: More Than Just Noise?

Background: Neuropsychiatric symptoms cause significant suffering and poor quality of life for patients and their caregivers. They are not considered specific to frontotemporal dementia (FTD); therefore, their clinical role and impact might be underestimated. Objective: The aims of the present study are to: 1) describe the prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in FTD starting from the prodromal stage, 2) define their association with disease severity, 3) identify symptoms which are unrelated to FTD-specific symptoms, and 4) assess their association with clinical features and outcomes. Results: In this retrospective study, we analyzed data of 461 FTD patients, including behavioral variant of FTD (bvFTD, n = 318) and primary progressive aphasia (PPA, n = 143). Neuropsychiatric symptoms were assessed using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, and patients' staging and global disease severity were estimated using the Clinical Dementia Rating plus NACC FTLD. Results: The most common neuropsychiatric symptoms in prodromal FTD were irritability (48%), depression (35%), and anxiety (34%); delusions were reported in 6%of prodromal bvFTD cases. The severity of most neuropsychiatric symptoms increased with global disease severity. Psychosis (delusions and hallucinations) and mood symptoms (depression and anxiety) were mostly independent from FTD-specific symptoms. Psychosis was associated with older age, higher disease severity, shorter survival rate, and was higher in bvFTD than in PPA. Conclusions: Neuropsychiatric symptoms are common in patients with FTD, also in the prodromal phase. Psychosis might be unrelated to FTD pathology, and be associated with worse clinical outcomes. The prompt detection and treatment of these symptoms might improve patient's management and quality of life.

The relationship between social media use and psychosocial outcomes in older adults: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: Social isolation and loneliness are prevalent in older adults and are detrimental to physical and mental health. Social media use has been shown to be effective in maintaining social connections and improving older adults' psychosocial outcomes. This study aimed to systematically review and synthesize current research on this topic. DESIGN: Searches were conducted in November 2021 (and updated in October 2023) in PsycINFO, PubMed, and CINAHL. Inclusion criteria: (1) participants ≥ 65 years (mean, median, or minimum age) and (2) reported impact of social media use on psychosocial outcomes (including loneliness, depression, anxiety, social connectedness, wellbeing, life satisfaction, and quality of life). Quality appraisal tools were utilized, and results were synthesized using narrative synthesis. RESULTS: Sixty-four papers met inclusion criteria, including cross-sectional (n = 38), observational longitudinal (n = 6), interventional (n = 9), mixed-methods (n = 4), and qualitative (n = 7) studies. Participant numbers ranged from 6 to 16,925. While associations between social media use and positive psychosocial outcomes were generally reported in cross-sectional studies, the impact of social media use over time from longitudinal studies was mixed and inconclusive. CONCLUSIONS: While social media use is associated with positive psychosocial outcomes, casual conclusions cannot be drawn. Few longitudinal and randomized controlled trial studies existed, and these reported mixed findings. Large variations in study methodology including participants, measurement of social media use, and outcome measures contributed to the inconsistencies of findings. Addressing this heterogeneity through standardized approaches and more rigorous research may enhance understanding.

Impact of psychotropic medications on cognition among older adults: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic review is to examine the cognitive impact of psychotropic medications including benzodiazepines, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, or a combination of these drugs on older adults. DESIGN: Systematic review. SETTING: We searched Medline, PsycINFO, and Embase through the Ovid platform, CINAHL through EBSCO, and Web of Science. PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: Randomized control trials (RCTs) and cohort studies that used a validated scale to measure cognition with a follow-up period of at least six months were included. MEASUREMENT: The primary outcome of interest was cognitive change associated with psychotropic medication use. RESULTS: A total of 7551 articles were identified from the primary electronic literature search across the five databases after eliminating duplicates. Based on full-text analysis, 27 articles (two RCTs, 25 cohorts) met the inclusion criteria. Of these, nine each examined the impact of benzodiazepines and antidepressants, five examined psychotropic combinations, three on antipsychotic drugs, and one on the effects of mood stabilizers. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first systematic review to examine the cognitive impact of multiple psychotropic drug classes in older adults over an extended follow-up period (six months or more) using robust sample sizes, drug-free control groups, and validated cognitive instruments. We found evidence to indicate cognitive decline with the cumulative use of benzodiazepines and the use of antidepressants, especially those with anticholinergic properties among older adults without cognitive impairment at baseline. Further, the use of antipsychotics and psychotropic combinations is also associated with cognitive decline in older adults.

[The tradeoff between an open or closed unit for residents with dementia: a qualitative study]. / De afweging tussen een open of gesloten afdeling voor bewoners met dementie: een kwalitatieve studie.

BACKGROUND: There is growing attention for freedom of movement as part of person-centred dementia care. Although a closed door can reduce safety risks, it also reduces quality of life. Care organization tanteLouise strives for maximum responsible freedom for residents with dementia. Nevertheless, residents are sometimes transferred from an open to a closed psychogeriatrics (PG) department. AIM: To explore healthcare professionals' considerations in transferring residents from an open to a closed psychogeriatrics [PG] ward within tanteLouise. METHOD: Semi-structured in-depth interviews with carers and nurses from open and closed PG and a multidisciplinary focus group. The data has been analyzed thematically. FINDINGS: According to the participants, both open and closed PG can provide a suitable living environment, depending on individual residents. Open PG facilitates freedom and self-direction, and closed PG offers security, structure and expert guidance. Before a transfer, the multidisciplinary team discusses possibilities and risks on open PG. Despite this, residents regularly move to closed PG without a valid reason. Participants strive for more freedom for residents with dementia, for which they believe preconditions are still lacking. CONCLUSION: The provided structure and expert guidance on closed PG must also be present on open PG to maintain freedom for residents with dementia. In addition, a culture change and preconditions from the organization are necessary.

Delirium and the risk of developing dementia: a cohort study of 12 949 patients.

BACKGROUND: Delirium is an important risk factor for subsequent dementia. However, the field lacks large studies with long-term follow-up of delirium in subjects initially free of dementia to clearly establish clinical trajectories. METHODS: We undertook a retrospective cohort study of all patients over the age of 65 diagnosed with an episode of delirium who were initially dementia free at onset of delirium within National Health Service Greater Glasgow & Clyde between 1996 and 2020 using the Safe Haven database. We estimated the cumulative incidence of dementia accounting for the competing risk of death without a dementia diagnosis. We modelled the effects of age at delirium diagnosis, sex and socioeconomic deprivation on the cause-specific hazard of dementia via cox regression. RESULTS: 12 949 patients with an incident episode of delirium were included and followed up for an average of 741 days. The estimated cumulative incidence of dementia was 31% by 5 years. The estimated cumulative incidence of the competing risk of death without dementia was 49.2% by 5 years. The cause-specific hazard of dementia was increased with higher levels of deprivation and also with advancing age from 65, plateauing and decreasing from age 90. There did not appear to be a relationship with sex. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reinforces the link between delirium and future dementia in a large cohort of patients. It highlights the importance of early recognition of delirium and prevention where possible.

Religious delusions in Dutch older adults in treatment for psychosis: a follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: The course over time of religious delusions (RDs) in late-life schizophrenia and psychotic depression may be relevant to know how long certain aspects of RDs may affect treatment. The present study examines (1) the 1-year follow-up of RDs and other prevalent delusions, (2) the association between RDs and the clinical course of psychotic depression and schizophrenia compared to those without RDs, and (3) associations of RDs and other prevalent delusions with "indicators of complexity" (e.g., suicidality, refusing medication). DESIGN: Prospective study (half year and 1-year follow-up combined). SETTING: Outpatients and inpatients in Geriatric Psychiatry Institution of Yulius, South-Holland, the Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and thirty seven older adult patients, mean age 76.3 (s.d. 8.1). INTERVENTION: Natural follow-up study. MEASUREMENTS: Diagnostic interview measures included Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN 2.1), positive psychosis items of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences-42 (CAPE), and the 20-item measures from the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). RESULTS: Although RDs in older adults decline in the clinical course of psychotic depression, the course is unfavorable compared to psychotic depression without RDs with regard to depressive symptom severity as measured by CES-D. No significant differences were noted in relation to clinical course of positive psychotic symptoms for both psychotic depression and schizophrenia. In schizophrenia, RDs persist more frequently compared to the most prevalent delusions. No significant difference was observed between patients with RDs compared to patients without RDs regarding indicators of clinical complexity. CONCLUSIONS: RDs predicting a less favorable course over time in psychotic depression. In schizophrenia, RDs appears to be relatively pervasive.

Mild anxiety and depression disorders: Unusual reactions to COVID-19 lockdown in caregivers of older adults attending a psychogeriatric clinic in Southwest Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Many sub-Saharan African countries have fragile healthcare systems and the mental health care of older adults is in a precarious state. The lockdown that accompanied COVID-19 infection was another monumental event. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effect of the restriction and lockdown on the mental health of the caregivers of older patients attending a psychogeriatric clinic in Ibadan, Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected 178 dyads of patients and their caregivers. These caregivers were administered a semi-structured questionnaire that collected demographic information and asked questions on effect of COVID-19 on caregiving. In addition, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and generalised anxiety disorder-7 item scale were administered. Participants were interviewed through telephone. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-eight patients' caregivers' dyads were interviewed. About 62.4% of the caregivers were children of the patients. More importantly, 97.2% and 93.8% had neither depressive nor anxiety symptoms and the caregivers expressed little worry about COVID-19. There was no significant difference in the mean depressive and anxiety scores in caregivers of patients with and without dementia (F = 0.28, P = 0.60). Caregivers who were lesser than 50 years in age had significantly higher mean score compared with those who were 50 years and above (F = 5.54, P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The rate of anxiety and depressive symptoms was very low in this cohort as the lockdown during the pandemic produced little distress to caregivers including those caring for patients with dementia and cognitive impairment. This is a deviation from reports of some other countries and cultures which described psychological implications of COVID-19 on caregivers as severe.

Factors associated with depression across age groups of older adults: The Singapore Chinese health study.

OBJECTIVES: We studied sociodemographic and health factors associated with depression across three age groups of community-dwelling older adults. METHODS/DESIGN: We used data from 16,785 participants from the third follow-up of the Singapore Chinese Health Study (mean age: 73, range: 61-96 years). We defined depression as having a score of ≥5 using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. We used regression splines to examine the pattern of depression risk with age and applied multivariable logistic regression to study factors associated with depression. RESULTS: Increasing age was associated with depression in an inverted J-shape relationship with the highest odds ratio (OR) at age 75. Compared to the youngest-old (<70 years), the middle-old (70-80 years) had higher odds of depression [OR = 1.20, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.09-1.31], while the oldest-old (>80 years) had no increased risk (OR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.89-1.15). We also found demographic (men, lower education, unemployment), social (living alone, poor social support, no social activity) and health factors (instrumental limitations, poor physical function, function-limiting pain, chronic diseases, cognitive impairment, poor sleep quality, poor self-rated health) associated with depression. In stratified analysis by age groups, the OR estimates for lower education level, instrumental limitations and cognitive impairment decreased with age, whereas the risk of depression for men increased with age (all p-values for interaction<0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the youngest-old, the likelihood of depression was highest among middle-old adults and decreased to null in the oldest-old. The associations between some factors and depression were attenuated with age, suggesting a coping mechanism among oldest-old survivors.

Assessing suicide ideation among older adults: a systematic review of screening and measurement tools.

OBJECTIVES: Rates of suicide in older adults may be higher than reported due to poor understandings of presentation of suicide ideation in this group. The objectives of this paper were to (i) review current measurement tools designed for older adults to detect suicide ideation and (ii) assess their psychometric properties. DESIGN: We used a systematic review approach to identify measurement tools developed specifically for older adults without cognitive decline or impairment. RESULTS: Ten articles that reported on a total of seven different measurement tools were identified. These included tools that focused on resiliency to suicide and those that measured risk of suicide behavior. There was wide variation across the articles: some were adaptations of existing scales to suit older populations, others were developed by authors; they varied in length from four to 69 items; a range of settings was used, and there was a mix of self-report and clinician-administered measures. Most displayed good psychometric properties, with both approaches showing similar quality. Limitations in terms of samples, settings, and measurement design are discussed. CONCLUSION: The case for specific measures for older adults is clear from this review. There appear to be unique factors that should be considered in understanding suicide ideation and behavior among older adults that may not be directly assessed in non-specific measurements. However, there is a need to expand the diversity of individuals included in measurement development to ensure they are appropriate across gender, culture and minority status, and for the views of professionals to be considered.

Frailty in geriatric psychiatry inpatients: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the prevalence, clinical determinants, and consequences (falls and hospitalization) of frailty in older adults with mental illness. DESIGN: Retrospective clinical cohort study. SETTING: We collected the data in a specialized psychogeriatric ward, in Boston, USA, between July 2018 and June 2019. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred and fourty-four inpatients aged 65 years old and over. MEASUREMENTS: Psychiatric diagnosis was based on a multi-professional consensus meeting according to DSM-5 criteria. Frailty was assessed according to two common instruments, that is, the FRAIL questionnaire and the deficit accumulation model (aka Frailty Index [FI]). Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the association between frailty and sample demographics (age, female sex, and non-Caucasian ethnicity) and clinical characteristics (dementia, number of clinical diseases, current infection, number of psychotropic, and non-psychotropic medications in use). Multiple regression between frailty assessments and either falls or number of hospital admissions in the last 6 and 12 months, respectively, were analyzed and adjusted for covariates. RESULTS: Prevalence of frailty was high, that is, 83.6% according to the FI and 55.3% according to the FRAIL questionnaire. Age, the number of clinical (somatic) diseases, and the number of non-psychotropic medications were independently associated with frailty identified by the FRAIL. Dementia, current infection, the number of clinical (somatic) diseases, and the number of non-psychotropic medications were independently associated with frailty according to the FI. Falls were significantly associated with both frailty instruments. However, we found only a significant association for the number of hospital admissions with the FI. CONCLUSION: Frailty is highly prevalent among geriatric psychiatry inpatients. The FRAIL questionnaire and the FI may capture different forms of frailty dimensions, being the former probably more associated with the phenotype model and the latter more associated with multimorbidity.

Screening tools for common mental disorders in older adults in South Asia: a systematic scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: Common mental disorders (CMDs), particularly depression, are major contributors to the global mental health burden. South Asia, while diverse, has cultural, social, and economic challenges, which are common across the region, not least an aging population. This creates an imperative to better understand how CMD affects older people in this context, which relies on valid and culturally appropriate screening and research tools. This review aims to scope the availability of CMD screening tools for older people in South Asia. As a secondary aim, this review will summarize the use of these tools in epidemiology, and the extent to which they have been validated or adapted for this population. DESIGN: A scoping review was performed, following PRISMA guidelines. The search strategy was developed iteratively in Medline and translated to Embase, PsychInfo, Scopus, and Web of Science. Data were extracted from papers in which a tool was used to identify CMD in a South Asian older population (50+), including validation, adaptation, and use in epidemiology. Validation studies meeting the criteria were critically appraised using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies - version 2 (QUADAS-2) tool. RESULTS: Of the 4694 papers identified, 176 met the selection criteria at full-text screening as relevant examples of diagnostic or screening tool use. There were 15 tool validation studies, which were critically appraised. Of these, 10 were appropriate to evaluate as diagnostic tests. All of these tools assessed for depression. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)-based tools were predominant with variable diagnostic accuracy across different settings. Methodological issues were substantial based on the QUADAS-2 criteria. In the epidemiological studies identified (n = 160), depression alone was assessed for 82% of the studies. Tools lacking cultural validation were commonly used (43%). CONCLUSIONS: This review identifies a number of current research gaps including a need for culturally relevant validation studies, and attention to other CMDs such as anxiety.

Depressive symptoms in older adults: the role of physical activity and social support

Abstract Objective To evaluate the role of social support in the association between physical activity (PA) in its various domains and depressive symptoms in older adults. Methods This was a cross-sectional study involving 399 older adults seen at basic health units in the municipality of Recife, state of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil. Linear regression was implemented using the forward method to assess the association between PA and its domains and depressive symptoms, as well as to test the possible moderating component of social support in this association. Results Of the total sample, 17.6% reported not practicing PA; 6.7% presented depressive symptoms, with a mean score of 1.59 points. A total of 18.6% of the older adults assessed reported not having social support. Older adults who did not practice total, transportation or domestic PA showed increased scores of depressive symptoms when compared to older adults who practiced PA in these domains. Older adults with social support also had fewer depressive symptoms. Practicing domestic, leisure and total PA, and/or having social support, decreased depressive symptoms in older adults. Having social support or practicing PA decreased depressive symptoms in older adults in a similar way. Conclusions Older adults with social support and who practiced PA, especially domestic and total PA, presented the lowest scores of depressive symptoms. The data showed the importance of providing elements to strengthen social support and PA practice in older adults living in poor communities as a strategy to prevent and reduce depressive symptoms.

Patients with higher vitamin D levels show stronger improvement of self-reported depressive symptoms in psychogeriatric day-care setting.

Depression is a common psychiatric disorder among geriatric patients that decreases the quality of life and increases morbidity and mortality. Vitamin D as a neuro-steroid hormone might play a role in the onset and treatment of depression. In the present study, the association between depressive symptoms and vitamin D concentration in serum was evaluated. 140 patients of a psychogeriatric day-care unit were included. The geriatric depression scale (GDS) and the Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS) were assessed at the beginning and end of treatment, GDS scores additionally 6 weeks after discharge from the day-care unit. Vitamin D levels were measured at the beginning of the treatment, routinely. Patients with levels below 30 µg/L were treated with 1000 IU vitamin D per day. There was no association between the severity of depressive symptoms and the concentration of vitamin D at the beginning of the treatment. Patients with higher vitamin D levels showed a stronger decline of depressive symptoms measured by the GDS during their stay in the day-care unit. We provide evidence that vitamin D serum levels might influence antidepressant therapy response in a geriatric population. Prospective studies are necessary to determine which patients may profit from add-on vitamin D therapy.

[The use of videoconferencing in psychogeriatrics, a pilot experiment]. / L'utilisation de la vidéoconférence en psychogériatrie.

The Alzheimer's plans have led to significant progress in the care management of elderly people suffering from Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia, but the medical and social network remains fragmented in geriatrics. We have proposed to caregivers a monthly videoconference combining expert presentations and discussion of clinical cases. Several health professions were represented. The main positive point was the time saved. The videoconferencing improved multidisciplinary exchanges, especially for patients with complex problems and their families.

The roles of study setting, response bias, and personality in subjective memory complaints of cognitively normal older adults.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated subjective memory complaints in older adults and the roles of setting, response bias, and personality. DESIGN: Cognitively normal older adults from two settings completed questionnaires measuring memory complaints, response bias, and personality. SETTINGS: (A) Neuroimaging study with community-based recruitment and (B) academic memory clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Cognitively normal older adults who (A) volunteer for research (N = 92) or (B) self-referred to a memory clinic (N = 20). MEASUREMENTS: Neuropsychological evaluation and adjudication of normal cognitive status were done by the neuroimaging study or memory clinic. This study administered self-reports of subjective memory complaints, response bias, five-factor personality, and depressive symptoms. Primary group differences were examined with secondary sensitivity analyses to control for sex, age, and education differences. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in over-reporting response bias between study settings. Under-reporting response bias was higher in volunteers. Cognitive complaints were associated with response bias for two cognitive complaint measures. Neuroticism was positively associated with over-reporting in evaluation-seekers and negatively associated with under-reporting in volunteers. The relationship was reversed for Extraversion. Under-reporting bias was positively correlated with Agreeableness and Conscientiousness in volunteers. CONCLUSION: Evaluation-seekers do not show bias toward over-reporting symptoms compared to volunteers. Under-reporting response bias may be important to consider when screening for memory impairment in non-help-seeking settings. The Memory Functioning Questionnaire was less sensitive to reporting biases. Over-reporting may be a facet of higher Neuroticism. Findings help elucidate psychological influences on self-perceived cognitive decline and help seeking in aging and may inform different strategies for assessment by setting.

Mental Health Status of Psychogeriatric Patients During the 2019 New Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic and Effects on Caregiver Burden.

Introduction: There is a growing awareness about the noxious effects of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic on the mental health of the elderly. However, there is limited information from clinically driven research. The objectives of the present study were to examine the magnitude of psychiatric symptoms and to determine their association with caregiver distress, in a cross-section of community-dwelling older adults and a subsample of aging adults with Down syndrome (DS) attending a psychogeriatric service in São Paulo, Brazil. Method: Telephone-based interviews and electronically filled self-assessment questionnaires were used to collect information from patients and caregivers, addressing their impressions and concerns about the pandemic and related effects on the patient's emotional state and behavior. Clinical information was obtained from hospital charts, medical records, and psychometric tests administered through telephone interviews [Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q)]. Results: We included 100 consecutive participants, comprising 71 older adults with psychogeriatric/neurocognitive disorders and 29 aging adults with DS. Higher HADS and NPI-Q scores were significantly associated with caregiver distress (p < 0.05) in both groups. Correlation analyses indicated strong, positive associations between caregiver burden and scores in HADS anxiety (HADS-A) and HADS depression (HADS-D) scales in the subsamples of euploid and DS subjects. Higher NPI-Q scores in the former group were also correlated with caregiver distress, with stronger associations for neuropsychiatric symptoms. Similar findings were observed among DS subjects. ANOVA tests indicated significant associations between NPI-Q scores and caregiver distress among dementia patients, as well as with HADS scores. Similar results were found after multiple linear regressions; as such, among the elderly subsample, higher scores in HADS-A (p = 0.002) and HADS-D (p = 0.001) predict a significant impact on caregiver burden (p < 0.00001, R 2 0.46); taking into consideration caregiver burden as a dependent variable and NPI-Q total score as an independent variable, we obtained significant strong prediction values for either DS (p < 0.00001, R 2 0.95) or elderly adults (p < 0.00001, R 2 0.88). Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, patients with neurocognitive disorders present with clinically relevant neuropsychiatric symptoms, with significant impact on caregiver distress. Apathy, aberrant motor behavior, sleep disorders, and psychoses were the main psychopathological domains, which had determined caregiver burden worsening.

Is Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry 'Getting Old'? How Psychiatry Referrals in the General Hospital Have Changed over 20 Years.

There is an ever-growing awareness of the health-related special needs of older patients, and Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Services (CLPS) are significantly involved in providing such age-friendly hospital care. CLPS perform psychiatric assessment for hospitalized patients with suspected medical-psychiatric comorbidity and support ward teams in a bio-psycho-social oriented care management. Changes in features of the population referred to a CLPS over a 20-year course were analysed and discussed, especially comparing older and younger referred subjects. Epidemiological and clinical data from all first psychiatric consultations carried out at the Modena (North of Italy) University Hospital CLPS in the period 2000-2019 (N = 19,278) were included; two groups of consultations were created according to the age of patients: OV65 (consultations for patients older than 64 years) and NONOV65 (all the rest of consultations). Consultations for OV65 were about 38.9% of the total assessments performed, with an average of approximately 375 per year, vs. the 589 performed for NOV65. The number of referrals for older patients significantly increased over the 20 years. The mean age and the male/female ratio of the sample changed significantly across the years in the whole sample as well as both among OV65 and NOV65. Urgent referrals were more frequent among NOV65 and the rate between urgent/non urgent referrals changed differently in the two subgroups. The analysis outlined recurring patterns that should guide future clinical, training and research activities.

Interventions to foster family inclusion in nursing homes for people with dementia: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Family inclusion in nursing homes is central to the provision of individualized care for people with dementia. Although positive effects can be recognized, barriers have been identified that hamper family inclusion in nursing homes. Specifically for people with dementia, insight into the content of interventions to foster family inclusion is lacking. METHODS: A systematic review was performed by systematically searching the databases PubMed, Cinahl, PsycInfo and Embase. Studies were eligible if they examined (1) nursing home settings, (2) interventions to foster the inclusion of family members from people with dementia, (3) were original research articles in which effects/experiences of/with these interventions were evaluated, and (4) were written in English, Dutch or German. Findings were summarized systematically. RESULTS: Twenty-nine studies were included. Two interventions were targeted at creating family-staff partnerships from a two-way perspective. Other interventions focused on single components, such as including family members in formal decisions (n = 9), enabling them to make better informed decisions and/or participate more actively (n = 7), or providing psychoeducation for family members (n = 3). Within the interventions, family and staff members are often treated differently. Effects on actual increase in family inclusion remain unclear. CONCLUSIONS: Very few interventions exist that try to enhance equal family-staff partnerships in nursing homes. Future interventions should pay specific attention to mutual exchange and reciprocity between family and staff. As little is known about promising (components of) interventions to foster family inclusion in nursing homes for people with dementia, more effectiveness research is needed.

Catatonia in elderly psychiatric inpatients is not always associated with intense anxiety: Factor analysis and correlation with psychopathology.

OBJECTIVE: Catatonic stupor has been linked to extreme fear. Whether the underlying phenomenology of every catatonic dimension is intense anxiety or fear remains unknown. METHODS: One hundred and six patients aged ≥64 years were assessed for catatonia and clinical variables during the first 24 hours of admission. Two-sample t test were used to test for group differences. A principal component analysis was developed. Analysis of variance was performed to assess for differences in the diagnostic groups. Correlation coefficients were used to examine the association between catatonic dimensions and psychopathological variables. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences between catatonic and non-catatonic patients in the Hamilton and NPI scores. The three factor-model accounted for 52.23% of the variance. Factor 1 loaded on items concerned with "excitement," factor 2 on "inhibition" items, and factor 3 on "parakinetic" items. There was a significant effect for factor 1 (F [5.36] = 2.83, P = .02), and not significant for factor 2 and factor 3. Compared with patients with depression, patients with mania scored significantly higher on factor "excitement" (P < .05). Factor 2 showed a moderate correlation with Hamilton total score (r = .346, P = .031) and Hamilton psychic score (r = .380, P = .017). CONCLUSIONS: Catatonic patients experienced more anxiety and hyperactivity. A three-factor solution provided best fit for catatonic symptoms. Patients with mania scored highest on Excitement, patients with depression on Inhibition, and patients with schizophrenia on Parakinetic. The main finding in this study was a positive moderate correlation between the Hamilton psychic score and the Inhibition factor score, meaning that not every catatonic dimension is associated to intense anxiety.