Religiosity and quality of life of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and of caregivers: Relationship with clinical aspects.

There are few studies on the religiosity of people with Alzheimer's disease (PwAD) and caregivers, relation with quality of life (QoL) and clinical aspects. OBJECTIVE: To assess the religiosity and QoL of 39 PwAD and their caregivers; to compare perceived QoL and religiosity of the PwAD with those of their caregivers; to associate QoL and religiosity with the presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms, and depression with cognitive performance of PwAD. RESULTS: Organizational religiosity was greater in caregivers. The AD patients had poorer perceived QoL than their caregivers. Caregiver religiosity correlated with that of the AD patients. Higher intrinsic religiosity was associated with lower occurrence of neuropsychiatric symptoms. Better caregiver QoL correlated with cognitive performance. Lower occurrence of depression correlated with better QoL of the caregivers and AD patients. CONCLUSION: The religiosity of caregivers was correlated with that of the AD patients. Better QoL and lower religiosity were observed in caregivers when compared with the AD patients. Caregiver religiosity and QoL were associated with neuropsychiatric and cognitive aspects and depression.

São poucos os estudos da religiosidade de indivíduos com doença de Alzheimer (AD) e de cuidadores e as relações com a qualidade de vida (QV) e aspectos clinicos. OBJETIVO: Relacionar os dados do Duke University Religion Index e da Quality of life in Alzheimer's disease scale de 39 idosos (AD: leve ou moderada) e do cuidador com aspectos clínicos, cognitivos e comportamentais. RESULTADOS: religiosidade organizacional é maior nos cuidadores. Idosos com AD percebem pior QV do que o cuidador. Religiosidade do cuidador correlacionou-se com a dos idosos. Maior religiosidade intrínseca relacionou-se com menor ocorrência de sintomas neuropsiquiátricas. Melhor QV dos cuidadores correlacionou-se com desempenho cognitivo. Menor ocorrência de depressão correlacionou-se a melhor QV dos cuidadores e dos idosos. CONCLUSÃO: A religiosidade dos cuidadores relaciona-se com a dos idosos. Melhor QV e menor religiosidade foi observada nos cuidadores quando comparadas a dos idosos. Religiosidade e QV dos cuidadores associam-se com aspectos neuropsiquiátricos, cognitivos e com a ocorrência de depressão.

Religiosity and quality of life of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and of caregivers: Relationship with clinical aspects / Religiosidade e qualidade de vida do individuos com doença de alzheimer e do cuidador: relações com aspectos clínicos e cognitivos

ABSTRACT There are few studies on the religiosity of people with Alzheimer's disease (PwAD) and caregivers, relation with quality of life (QoL) and clinical aspects. Objective: To assess the religiosity and QoL of 39 PwAD and their caregivers; to compare perceived QoL and religiosity of the PwAD with those of their caregivers; to associate QoL and religiosity with the presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms, and depression with cognitive performance of PwAD. Results: Organizational religiosity was greater in caregivers. The AD patients had poorer perceived QoL than their caregivers. Caregiver religiosity correlated with that of the AD patients. Higher intrinsic religiosity was associated with lower occurrence of neuropsychiatric symptoms. Better caregiver QoL correlated with cognitive performance. Lower occurrence of depression correlated with better QoL of the caregivers and AD patients. Conclusion: The religiosity of caregivers was correlated with that of the AD patients. Better QoL and lower religiosity were observed in caregivers when compared with the AD patients. Caregiver religiosity and QoL were associated with neuropsychiatric and cognitive aspects and depression.

RESUMO São poucos os estudos da religiosidade de indivíduos com doença de Alzheimer (AD) e de cuidadores e as relações com a qualidade de vida (QV) e aspectos clinicos. Objetivo: Relacionar os dados do Duke University Religion Index e da Quality of life in Alzheimer's disease scale de 39 idosos (AD: leve ou moderada) e do cuidador com aspectos clínicos, cognitivos e comportamentais. Resultados: religiosidade organizacional é maior nos cuidadores. Idosos com AD percebem pior QV do que o cuidador. Religiosidade do cuidador correlacionou-se com a dos idosos. Maior religiosidade intrínseca relacionou-se com menor ocorrência de sintomas neuropsiquiátricas. Melhor QV dos cuidadores correlacionou-se com desempenho cognitivo. Menor ocorrência de depressão correlacionou-se a melhor QV dos cuidadores e dos idosos. Conclusão: A religiosidade dos cuidadores relaciona-se com a dos idosos. Melhor QV e menor religiosidade foi observada nos cuidadores quando comparadas a dos idosos. Religiosidade e QV dos cuidadores associam-se com aspectos neuropsiquiátricos, cognitivos e com a ocorrência de depressão.

The relationship between dysphagia and clinical and cognitive aspects in elderly patients presented with dementia

ABSTRACT Objective: to relate the risk of dysphagia and aspects of eating behavior to the cognitive aspects of elderly people with dementia. Methods: 35 elderly patients with Alzheimer or vascular dementia were submitted to clinical and cognitive assessments as well as to a questionnaire for assessing appetite/eating disorder and the Dysphagia Risk Evaluation Protocol (DREP). Appropriate statistical tests were applied adopting a significance level lower than 0.05. Results: mild dementia occurred in 16 cases, moderate, in 14, and severe, in 5. Complaints of choking/coughing in the medical history, and signs of dysphagia in the DREP, occurred in 9 and 25 elderly patients, respectively, with no differences regarding the type and severity of dementia. Patients presented with dysphagia and alterations in the oral and pharyngeal phases of DREP, were older. Alterations in the pharyngeal phase were associated with poorer performance in the Mini-Mental State Examination (total score, attention/calculation, language). Changes in appetite/weight/eating habits were associated with signs of dysphagia, increasing severity of dementia and functional impairment. Conclusion: choking/coughing and signs of dysphagia were high. Changes in appetite/weight/eating habits were related to the severity of dementia and presence of dysphagia, and cognitive disorders and old age were associated with dysphagia.

Correlations Between Cognitive Aspects and Quantitative EEG in Adults With Epilepsy.

Introduction. Cognitive impairment frequently occurs in adult patients with epilepsy (PWE), but its pathophysiological basis is not well known. This study assessed cognition and its correlations with quantitative EEG coherence (QEEG) of patients with epilepsy. Method. Eighty PWE seen consecutively in the clinic and 40 normal subjects (NC) were assessed by neurological evaluation, Mini Mental State Examination, immediate and delayed recall of 10 simple figures, phonemic verbal fluency (FAS), category fluency test (VF animals), clock drawing, and QEEG. The mean global inter- and intrahemispheric coherences for the delta, theta, alpha, and beta bands were calculated. Cognitive functions and QEEG coherence of the PWE and the NC were compared, and logistic regression analysis determined the factors associated with impaired cognitive functions in PWE. The significance level was set at P < .05. Results. Regression analysis showed that FAS impairment (14.5 ± 8.6 vs 24.3 ± 15.7, respectively) and delayed recall of figures in PWE (7.3 ± 2.07 vs 8.6 ± 1.48) differed significantly between the PWE and the NC (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.266). Absolute power was greater in all the frequency bands in PWE. Interhemispheric and intrahemispheric beta coherences in the theta frequency was higher in the PWE than in the NC. Logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between interhemispheric delta coherence and VF animal impairment (cutoff point of 12), and between an interhemipheric beta coherence with level of education and delayed recall of figures impairment (cutoff point of 7) (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.297). Other variables were not associated. Conclusions. There was cognitive impairment of PWE and it was significantly associated with QEEG, which suggests that QEEG measures may contribute to the understanding of physiopathological events and as a marker for cognitive alterations in epilepsy.

Alzheimer's disease: nutritional status and cognitive aspects associated with disease severity.

INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer's pathology is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by cognitive impairment and functional disability that causesprogressive restrictions in daily activities. The present study associates nutritional status with cognitive and clinical aspects of the elderly withmild, moderate and severe Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: data from the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), bioelectrical impedance (BIA), anthropometric measurements, and physical activityindicators were associated with clinical and cognitive aspects of 43 elderly patients with AD. The data were compared to a paired control group (NC) (n = 51) at a significance level of p < 0.05. RESULTS: elderly patients with AD presented lower cognitive performance, higher risk of malnutrition (p = 0.001), lower weight (t-test, p = 0.017) and body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.006), and higher sedentarity (Chi-square, p = 0.040) when compared with the NC. The elderly with AD presented significant reduction in lean body mass (LM) and increased fat mass (FM). As dementia progresses, significant impairment of nutritional indicators is observed. Elderly patients with severe AD present lower weight, BMI, MNA scores and increased body fat mass index and fat mass when compared with those with mild/moderate AD. A correlation was observed between better cognitive performance and weight, BMI, calf circumference and triceps skinfold thickness. CONCLUSION: elderly patients with AD present high sedentarity, risk of malnutrition, lower weight, BMI and LM, and increased FM. There was progressive impairment of nutritional status and cognition as the disease progressed. There is an association between the nutritional variables and cognitive aspects.

Family caregivers of elderly with dementia Relationship between religiosity, resilience, quality of life and burden.

There are gaps in knowledge regarding how the family caregiver deals with the burden of caring for elderly people with dementia. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the family caregivers' perception of quality of life (QoL), burden, resilience and religiosity and relate them with cognitive aspects and occurrence of neuropsychiatric symptoms of elderly with dementia. METHODS: Data from the QoL-AD scale, caregivers' version, burden interview, resilience scale, Beck depression inventory and PDUREL of 50 family caregivers were correlated with disability assessment for dementia, neuropsychiatric inventory and clinical aspects of 50 elderly with dementia. RESULTS: Linear regression showed that resilience is related with better perceived QoL (p<0.001), severity of dementia (p=0.008), higher intrinsic religiosity (IR) (p=0.044) and lower occurrence of depressive symptoms (p=0.001). Increased burden of family caregivers was associated with a higher occurrence of neuropsychiatric symptoms, education of the elder with dementia, and worse perceived QoL (p<0.001). Lower level of organizational religiosity was associated with severity of dementia. CONCLUSION: The most resilient caregivers had higher QoL and IR, fewer depressive symptoms, and cared for elders with more severe dementia. Cognitive and sociodemographic aspects, as well as neuropsychiatric symptoms, in the elderly with dementia were associated with QoL and greater caregiver burden.

Existem lacunas no conhecimento sobre como o cuidador familiar lida com o ônus de cuidar de idosos com demência. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a percepção de qualidade de vida (QV), sobrecarga, resiliência e religiosidade dos cuidadores familiares e relacioná-los com aspectos cognitivos e ocorrência de sintomas neuropsiquiátricos em idosos com demência. MÉTODOS: Dados da escala de QV, versão dos cuidadores, entrevista de sobrecarga, escala de resiliência, inventário de depressão de Beck e PDUREL de 50 cuidadores familiares foram correlacionados com avaliação de incapacidade para demência, inventário neuropsiquiátrico e aspectos clínicos de 50 idosos com demência. RESULTADOS: A regressão linear mostrou que a resiliência está relacionada a melhor percepção da QV (p<0,001), gravidade da demência (p=0,008), maior religiosidade intrínseca (p=0,044) e menor ocorrência de sintomas depressivos (p=0,001). O aumento da sobrecarga do cuidador familiar esteve relacionado à maior ocorrência de sintomas neuropsiquiátricos, escolaridade dos idosos com demência e pior percepção da QV (p<0,001). Nível inferior de religiosidade organizacional estava relacionado à gravidade da demência. CONCLUSÃO: O cuidador mais resiliente apresenta maior QV e IR, menos sintomas depressivos e cuida de idosos com graus mais severos de demência. Aspectos cognitivos, sociodemográficos e sintomas neuropsiquiátricos em idosos com demência estão relacionados à QV e maior sobrecarga do cuidador.

Family caregivers of elderly with dementia: relationship between religiosity, resilience, quality of life and burden / Cuidador familiar de idosos com demência: relação entre religiosidade, resiliência, qualidade de vida e sobrecarga

ABSTRACT: There are gaps in knowledge regarding how the family caregiver deals with the burden of caring for elderly people with dementia. Objective: To evaluate the family caregivers' perception of quality of life (QoL), burden, resilience and religiosity and relate them with cognitive aspects and occurrence of neuropsychiatric symptoms of elderly with dementia. Methods: Data from the QoL-AD scale, caregivers' version, burden interview, resilience scale, Beck depression inventory and PDUREL of 50 family caregivers were correlated with disability assessment for dementia, neuropsychiatric inventory and clinical aspects of 50 elderly with dementia. Results: Linear regression showed that resilience is related with better perceived QoL (p<0.001), severity of dementia (p=0.008), higher intrinsic religiosity (IR) (p=0.044) and lower occurrence of depressive symptoms (p=0.001). Increased burden of family caregivers was associated with a higher occurrence of neuropsychiatric symptoms, education of the elder with dementia, and worse perceived QoL (p<0.001). Lower level of organizational religiosity was associated with severity of dementia. Conclusion: The most resilient caregivers had higher QoL and IR, fewer depressive symptoms, and cared for elders with more severe dementia. Cognitive and sociodemographic aspects, as well as neuropsychiatric symptoms, in the elderly with dementia were associated with QoL and greater caregiver burden.

RESUMO: Existem lacunas no conhecimento sobre como o cuidador familiar lida com o ônus de cuidar de idosos com demência. Objetivo: Avaliar a percepção de qualidade de vida (QV), sobrecarga, resiliência e religiosidade dos cuidadores familiares e relacioná-los com aspectos cognitivos e ocorrência de sintomas neuropsiquiátricos em idosos com demência. Métodos: Dados da escala de QV, versão dos cuidadores, entrevista de sobrecarga, escala de resiliência, inventário de depressão de Beck e PDUREL de 50 cuidadores familiares foram correlacionados com avaliação de incapacidade para demência, inventário neuropsiquiátrico e aspectos clínicos de 50 idosos com demência. Resultados: A regressão linear mostrou que a resiliência está relacionada a melhor percepção da QV (p<0,001), gravidade da demência (p=0,008), maior religiosidade intrínseca (p=0,044) e menor ocorrência de sintomas depressivos (p=0,001). O aumento da sobrecarga do cuidador familiar esteve relacionado à maior ocorrência de sintomas neuropsiquiátricos, escolaridade dos idosos com demência e pior percepção da QV (p<0,001). Nível inferior de religiosidade organizacional estava relacionado à gravidade da demência. Conclusão: O cuidador mais resiliente apresenta maior QV e IR, menos sintomas depressivos e cuida de idosos com graus mais severos de demência. Aspectos cognitivos, sociodemográficos e sintomas neuropsiquiátricos em idosos com demência estão relacionados à QV e maior sobrecarga do cuidador.

Alzheimer's disease: nutritional status and cognitive aspects associated with disease severity / Enfermedad de Alzheimer: estado nutricional y sus relaciones con los aspectos cognitivos y la gravedad de la enfermedad

Introduction: Alzheimer's pathology is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by cognitive impairment and functional disability that causes progressive restrictions in daily activities. The present study associates nutritional status with cognitive and clinical aspects of the elderly with mild, moderate and severe Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: data from the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), bioelectrical impedance (BIA), anthropometric measurements, and physical activity indicators were associated with clinical and cognitive aspects of 43 elderly patients with AD. The data were compared to a paired control group (NC) (n = 51) at a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: elderly patients with AD presented lower cognitive performance, higher risk of malnutrition (p = 0.001), lower weight (t-test, p = 0.017) and body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.006), and higher sedentarity (Chi-square, p = 0.040) when compared with the NC. The elderly with AD presented significant reduction in lean body mass (LM) and increased fat mass (FM). As dementia progresses, significant impairment of nutritional indicators is observed. Elderly patients with severe AD present lower weight, BMI, MNA scores and increased body fat mass index and fat mass when compared with those with mild/moderate AD. A correlation was observed between better cognitive performance and weight, BMI, calf circumference and triceps skinfold thickness. Conclusion: elderly patients with AD present high sedentarity, risk of malnutrition, lower weight, BMI and LM, and increased FM. There was progressive impairment of nutritional status and cognition as the disease progressed. There is an association between the nutritional variables and cognitive aspects

Introducción: la enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA) es una enfermedad neurodegenerativa caracterizada por incapacidad funcional, generalmente progresiva y con restricciones en la vida diaria. El objetivo de este estudio es valorar la asociación entre el estado nutricional y los aspectos cognitivos y clínicos en las personas mayores con EA leve, moderada y grave. Métodos: se relacionaron los datos del Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), la impedancia bioeléctrica (BIA), las medidas antropométricas y los indicadores de actividad física con los aspectos clínicos y cognitivos de 43 personas mayores con EA. Los datos se compararon a los de un grupo control (GC) pareado de 51 individuos, con un nivel de significación p < 0,05. Resultados: las personas mayores con EA tuvieron peores resultados en la evaluación cognitiva, un mayor riesgo de desnutrición (Mann-Whitney test; p = 0,001), menor peso (t test; p = 0,017) y menor índice de masa corporal (IMC) (p = 0,006), aunque un mayor sedentarismo (c2; p = 0,040), en comparación al GC. Las personas mayores con EA presentan, de manera significativa, menores medidas de masa magra (MM) y mayores medidas de masa grasa (MG). Según evoluciona la demencia los indicadores nutricionales empeoran. Las personas mayores con EA grave presentan menor peso, IMC y puntuación del MNA, pero mayores índices de masa grasa y masa magra cuando se comparan con los de EA leve y moderado. Hubo una correlación significativa entre un mejor desempeño cognitivo con el peso, IMC y medidas de la circunferencia de la pantorrilla c y el grosor del pliegue tricipital. Conclusión: las personas mayores con EA son más sedentarias, presentan mayor riesgo de desnutrición, menor peso, IMC y MM, y un aumento de la MG según va empeorando la enfermedad. Hay relación entre las variables nutricionales y los aspectos cognitivos

Major depressive episode, cognition, and epilepsy.

PURPOSE: In patients with epilepsy (PWE), relationships between depression, epilepsy characteristics, and cognitive aspects are complex. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of possible major depressive episode in PWE and to verify whether it is associated with the clinical aspects of the disease and cognition. METHODS: Two hundred consecutive PWE with a mean age and standard deviation of 47.6 (±15.1) years were included in the study. We determined whether their Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDI-E) scores were associated with their clinical, cognitive, and QOLIE-31 aspects using a significance level of 5% (p<0.05). RESULTS: Twenty-six patients (13%) had an NDDI-E score >15, suggestive of major depressive episode. Logistic regression showed that NDDI-E >15 was associated with seizure frequency (p=0.022) and worse performance in the category fluency test (p=0.003). An NDDI-E >15 was also correlated with lower quality of life (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest that possible major depressive episode is associated not only with epilepsy characteristics but also with cognitive aspects, such as category fluency, and quality of life.

Religiosity aspects in patients with epilepsy.

The objectives of this study were to assess religiosity aspects in patients with epilepsy (PWEs) and controls and to determine whether such aspects were related to the samples' clinical, sociodemographic, and QOL-31 data. The Duke Religion Index was administered to 159 adult PWEs and 50 controls. The relationships between the Duke Religion Index and the study variables of the two groups were compared. Intrinsic religiosity (IR) and nonorganizational religiosity (NOR) were higher in PWEs than in controls. Logistic regression showed that being female (p=0.022) and having mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampus sclerosis (MTLE-HS) (p=0.003) were predictors of high organizational religiosity (OR) and that high NOR was associated with MTLE-HS (p=0.026) and controlled seizures. Further, only MTLE-HS (p=0.002) was predictive of high IR. The Duke Religion Index and QOLIE-31 scores were not related. Different forms of interictal religiosity are related to clinical aspects of epilepsy.

Coherence of brain electrical activity: a quality of life indicator in Alzheimer's disease?

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationships between quality of life (QOL) and clinical and electroencephalogram (EEG) aspects in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHOD: Twenty-eight patients with mild or moderate AD, 31 with Parkinson's disease (PD), and 27 normal controls (NC) were submitted to: CERAD neuropsychological battery, Hamilton Depression and Anxiety Rating Scales, Functional Activities Questionnaire, QOL scale for patients with AD, and quantitative EEG measures. RESULTS: AD and PD patients had similar QOL (31.0 ± 5.8; 31.7 ± 4.8, respectively), worse than that of NC (37.5 ± 6.3). AD patients had lower global interhemispheric theta coherence (0.49 ± 0.04; 0.52 ± 0.05; 0.52 ± 0.05; respectively) than PD and NC. Multiple linear regression for QOL of AD patients revealed that global interhemispheric theta coherence, and Hamilton depression scores were significant factors (coefficients; 58.2 and -0.27, respectively; R2, 0.377). CONCLUSION: Interhemispheric coherence correlates with QOL regardless of cognitive and functional variables and seems to be a neurophysiological indicator of QOL in AD patients.

Coherence of brain electrical activity: a quality of life indicator in Alzheimer’s disease?Coerência da atividade elétrica cerebral: indicador da qualidade de vida na doença de Alzheimer?

Objective To investigate the relationships between quality of life (QOL) and clinical and electroencephalogram (EEG) aspects in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Method Twenty-eight patients with mild or moderate AD, 31 with Parkinson’s disease (PD), and 27 normal controls (NC) were submitted to: CERAD neuropsychological battery, Hamilton Depression and Anxiety Rating Scales, Functional Activities Questionnaire, QOL scale for patients with AD, and quantitative EEG measures. Results AD and PD patients had similar QOL (31.0 ± 5.8; 31.7 ± 4.8, respectively), worse than that of NC (37.5 ± 6.3). AD patients had lower global interhemispheric theta coherence (0.49 ± 0.04; 0.52 ± 0.05; 0.52 ± 0.05; respectively) than PD and NC. Multiple linear regression for QOL of AD patients revealed that global interhemispheric theta coherence, and Hamilton depression scores were significant factors (coefficients; 58.2 and -0.27, respectively; R2, 0.377). Conclusion Interhemispheric coherence correlates with QOL regardless of cognitive and functional variables and seems to be a neurophysiological indicator of QOL in AD patients. .

Objetivo Investigar relações entre qualidade de vida (QV) e aspectos clínico-eletrencefalográficos (EEG) em pacientes com doença de Alzheimer (DA). Método Vinte e oito pacientes com DA, 31 com doença de Parkinson (DP) e 27 controles normais (CN) foram submetidos a avaliações neurocognitivas, escala de depressão de Hamilton e de qualidade de vida para pacientes com DA, questionário de atividades funcionais e medidas do EEG. Resultados A QV foi similar nos grupos DA e DP (31,0 ± 5,8; 31,7 ± 4,8, respectivamente), mas inferior ao CN (37,5 ± 6,3). No grupo DA houve menor coerência inter-hemisférica global teta (CIGT) do que em DP e CN (p < 0,05). Regressão múltipla linear para QV no grupo DA revelou a CIGT e a escala de Hamilton como fatores significativos (coeficientes; 58,2; -0,27, respectivamente; R2, 0,377). Conclusão A CIGT correlaciona-se com a QV independentemente de variáveis cognitivas e funcionais e parece ser um indicador neurofisológico da QV em pacientes com DA. .

Marital status of patients with epilepsy: factors and quality of life.

PURPOSE: The study investigated how marital status relates to clinical aspects and quality of life (QOL) in patients with epilepsy (PWE). METHOD: The clinical data and Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (QOLIE-31) scores of 252 PWE were regressed against their marital status with a significance level of 5% (p < 0.05). RESULTS: Logistic regression for single and married PWE revealed that singles had more abnormalities in the neurological examination (p = 0.029) and earlier seizure onset (p < 0.001), while for married and divorced PWE revealed the latter more psychiatric comorbidities (p = 0.002) and longer disease duration (p = 0.011). Regarding QOL score, linear regression showed that psychiatric comorbidity was the only factor (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The marital status of PWE is negatively associated with clinical aspects of epilepsy.

Spirituality aspects in patients with epilepsy.

PURPOSE: Do epilepsy and spirituality interact? This study aimed to determine whether an easy-to-administer scale, such as the spirituality self-rating scale (SSRS), could detect increased religiousness in people with epilepsy and verify how epilepsy influences spirituality. METHODS: A total of 196 consecutive patients with epilepsy (epilepsy group, EG) with a mean age and standard deviation of 46.5 ± 14.8 years and 66 subjects with no history of neurological or other chronic disorders (control group, CG) were assessed by the SSRS and neurologically. RESULTS: The SSRS scores of the EG and CG did not differ significantly (22.8 ± 5.1 and 22.0 ± 5.7, respectively). Patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE-HS) had significantly higher SSRS scores than those with other epileptic syndromes and, than in individuals of the CG. Multiple regression showed that the factors significantly associated with greater spirituality (greater SSRS score) for the EG, were lower education level, abnormal background EEG activity, and MTLE-HS. Other relationships with the clinical features of epilepsy and with the presence of psychiatric co-morbidity were not found. CONCLUSION: The present findings do not confirm a specific role of epilepsy in spirituality or of "epileptic hyperreligiosity," but suggest that spirituality in people with epilepsy is influenced by education level, and may also stem from epilepsy-related factors such as abnormal background EEG activity and the presence of MTLE-HS.

Epilepsy and quality of life: socio-demographic and clinical aspects, and psychiatric co-morbidity.

Objective To study socio-demographic and clinical aspects, as well as psychiatric co-morbidity that influence the quality of life of adult epileptic patients. Methods One hundred and thirty-two individuals diagnosed with epilepsy were evaluated from neurological/clinical and psychiatric points of view and by the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (QOLIE-31). Predictive factors for the QOLIE-31 scores were studied. Results The regression analyses indicated the existence of psychiatric co-morbidity (total score, seizure worry, emotional well-being, energy/fatigue, social function and cognitive function) and a greater seizure frequency (total score, cognitive function and energy/fatigue) as predictive factors for lower scores in the total QOLIE-31 score and in various dimensions. Abnormalities in the neurological exam and poly-therapy with anti-epileptic drugs were negative factors limited to one of the dimensions cognitive function and social function, respectively. Conclusion The presence of psychiatric co-morbidity and a greater seizure frequency were the main factors influencing the quality of life in epileptic patients as evaluated by QOLIE-31.

Spiritual/religious coping in patients with epilepsy: relationship with sociodemographic and clinical aspects and quality of life.

One hundred and ten patients with epilepsy with a mean age of 45.9 were assessed by a clinical-neurological evaluation, Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-31 (QOLIE-31), and the Spiritual/Religious Coping (SRCOPE) Scale. The objective of this study was to evaluate if patients with epilepsy used positive and/or negative spiritual/religious coping and the relationships between this type of coping and the sociodemographic and clinical aspects of epilepsy and the QOLIE-31. A greater use of positive coping (3.0±0.7) than negative coping (2.3±0.7) was found. The use of the positive factor was greater in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) than in other types of epilepsy. The ratio of negative/positive coping was associated with lower scores in the QOLIE-31 (-0.222; p=0.036). Patients with epilepsy appear to use spiritual/religious coping, especially those with MTLE, and a predominance of negative coping was associated with a reduced quality of life. Future studies should evaluate interventions considering the knowledge of spiritual/religious strategies by the patients.

Neurobehavior inventory: correlation with clinical aspects and quality of life in patients with epilepsy.

Fifty-five adult patients with epilepsy were evaluated, and the Neurobehavior Inventory (NBI) was administered. The relationship between the NBI data and clinical aspects and quality of life (QoL) was studied. The total NBI score was 58 ± 18.2. The domains with the highest scores were "religious conviction", "orderliness", and "sense of personal destiny". There was a significant difference in "hatred and revenge" and "religious conviction" according to the epileptic syndrome. The "physical well-being" score was higher for patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with right hippocampal sclerosis than for left sclerosis (2.77 ± 1.6 × 1.57 ± 0.5, respectively, p = 0.002). The total NBI score was higher in patients with psychiatric comorbidities and with depression according to the Hamilton Depression Scale and was negatively correlated with the "emotional well-being" QOLIE score (-0.398, p = 0.005). The NBI findings showed that behavioral changes can be present in various epilepsies and that there is a complex bidirectional neurobiological relationship between epilepsy and psychiatric comorbidity, sustained by common physiopathological mechanisms.

Epilepsy and quality of life: socio-demographic and clinical aspects, and psychiatric co-morbidity / Epilepsia e qualidade de vida: aspectos sociodemográficos, clínicos e comorbidade psiquiátrica

To study socio-demographic and clinical aspects, as well as psychiatric co-morbidity that influence the quality of life of adult epileptic patients.

Estudar os aspectos sociodemográficos, clínicos e comorbidades psiquiátricas que influenciam a qualidade de vida de pacientes adultos com epilepsia.

Epilepsy with onset at over 50 years of age: clinical and electroencephalographic characteristics.

Epilepsy in older individuals has an elevated incidence. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the clinical, EEG and brain imaging aspects in patients showing late-onset epilepsy. Fifty-five patients with late-onset epilepsy (older than 50 years) were evaluated. They were composed of two groups according to the onset age of the epilepsy seizure (ES): 51-60 (G51-60) and over 60 (G60+) years. Focal ES predominated although they were less frequent in G60+. The occurrence of status epilepticus was high and more frequent in G60+ whereas seizures in series predominated in G51-60. Symptomatic epilepsy was more frequent and the vascular etiology predominated. Epileptiform activity was associated with a greater number of ES, and background activity abnormalities were more frequent in G60+. In conclusion, epilepsy with onset at over 50 was predominantly focal and symptomatic, with a high occurrence of status epilepticus and of seizures in series.

Epilepsy with onset at over 50 years of age: clinical and electroencephalographic characteristics / Epilepsia com início após os 50 anos de idade: características clínicas e eletrencefalográficas

Epilepsy in older individuals has an elevated incidence. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the clinical, EEG and brain imaging aspects in patients showing late-onset epilepsy. Fifty-five patients with late-onset epilepsy (older than 50 years) were evaluated. They were composed of two groups according to the onset age of the epilepsy seizure (ES): 51-60 (G51-60) and over 60 (G60+) years. Focal ES predominated although they were less frequent in G60+. The occurrence of status epilepticus was high and more frequent in G60+ whereas seizures in series predominated in G51-60. Symptomatic epilepsy was more frequent and the vascular etiology predominated. Epileptiform activity was associated with a greater number of ES, and background activity abnormalities were more frequent in G60+. In conclusion, epilepsy with onset at over 50 was predominantly focal and symptomatic, with a high occurrence of status epilepticus and of seizures in series.

Epilepsia no idoso tem elevada incidência e peculiaridades pouco estudadas. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar aspectos clínicos e eletrencefalográficos de pacientes que apresentaram a primeira crise epiléptica (CE) tardiamente. Foram avaliados 55 pacientes com epilepsia tardia (com início após os 50 anos), divididos em dois grupos segundo a idade de início das CE: de 51-60 anos (G51-60) e após os 60 anos (G60+). Predominaram as CE focais, que foram menos frequentes em G60+. A ocorrência de status epilepticus foi elevada e mais frequente em G60+, enquanto as CE em série predominaram em G51-60. A epilepsia sintomática foi a mais frequente e de etiologia vascular. Atividade epileptiforme esteve associada ao maior número de crises epilépticas. Anormalidades da atividade de base ao EEG foram mais frequentes em G60+. Em conclusão, a epilepsia iniciada após os 50 anos é predominantemente focal e sintomática, com alta ocorrência de status epilepticus e CE em série.