[Effectiveness of a psychotherapeutic intervention group program in the improvement of caregiver well-being in Alzheimer's disease patients' family caregivers: the CuiDem study]. / Efectividad de una intervención psicoterapéutica grupal en la mejora del bienestar de personas cuidadoras de un familiar con enfermedad de Alzheimer: estudio CuiDem.

INTRODUCTION: Caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's Disease experience physical and emotional burnout that can be treated with non-pharmacological interventions. AIM: Assess the efficacy of a group cognitive behavioural psychotherapeutic intervention, for improving well-being perception in caregivers, compared to a support group. Also, we assessed its efficacy after a follow-up period of 1-year post-intervention. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A multicentre, open, quasi experimental study with control group was conducted. 221 caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's Disease, with mild to moderate-severe dementia, were non-randomly assigned to either IG-intervention group: psychotherapeutic program without active follow-up period (n = 80); IGF-intervention group: psychotherapeutic program with active follow-up period (n = 78); or CG-control group: support program with active follow-up period (n = 63). The psychotherapeutic intervention (IG and IGF) is a structured cognitive behavioural group program, of one weekly session over four months. The CG had the same duration. Caregiver's burden, mood disorders, resilience, perceived functional social support and quality of life were measured at baseline, post-intervention and after 1-year follow-up. RESULTS: At post-intervention, statistically significant improvements were observed in the IG and IGF compared to CG in caregiver burden (p = 0,0216). After one year follow-up, significant improvements were found in IGF compared to IG in emotional state (p = 0,0271), resilience (p = 0,0018), perceived social support (p = 0,014); quality of life (p = 0,0001) and mental health (p = 0,0002); and in CG versus GI in emotional state and social support (p < 0,05). CONCLUSIONS: These results support the efficacy of this psychotherapeutic intervention for improving well-being (burden), and the supportive follow-up period for increasing its efficacy.

TITLE: Efectividad de una intervención psicoterapéutica grupal en la mejora del bienestar de personas cuidadoras de un familiar con enfermedad de Alzheimer: estudio CuiDem.Introducción. Las personas cuidadoras de familiares con enfermedad de Alzheimer presentan agotamiento físico y emocional, que puede abordarse con intervención no farmacológica. Objetivo. Evaluar la efectividad de una intervención psicoterapéutica grupal cognitivo-conductual para mejorar la percepción de bienestar de personas cuidadoras, respecto a una intervención de acompañamiento, y su sostenibilidad tras un período de seguimiento activo de un año postintervención. Sujetos y métodos. Estudio multicéntrico, cuasi experimental, abierto y con grupo control. Se asignó de forma no aleatorizada a 221 personas cuidadoras de familiares con enfermedad de Alzheimer, con demencia leve a moderada-grave, a tres condiciones de intervención: grupo de intervención psicoterapéutica sin seguimiento activo (GI) (n = 80); grupo de intervención psicoterapéutica con seguimiento activo (GIS) (n = 78); y grupo control de acompañamiento con seguimiento activo (GC) (n = 63). La intervención psicoterapéutica grupal (GI y GIS) es un programa estructurado, cognitivo-conductual, de una sesión semanal durante cuatro meses. La del GC tenía la misma duración. Se evaluaron preintervención, postintervención y, al año, sobrecarga percibida, estado de ánimo, resiliencia, apoyo social funcional y calidad de vida. Resultados. Se observó una mejora significativa postintervención en el GI y el GIS respecto al GC en percepción de sobrecarga (p = 0,0216). Al año de seguimiento, se observaron mejoras significativas en el GIS respecto al GI en estado de ánimo (p = 0,0271), resiliencia (p = 0,0018), apoyo social percibido (p = 0,014), calidad de vida (p = 0,0001) y salud mental (p = 0,0002); y en el GC frente al GI en estado de ánimo y apoyo social (p menor de 0,05). Conclusiones. Los resultados respaldan la efectividad de esta intervención psicoterapéutica para mejorar la percepción de bienestar (sobrecarga) y el seguimiento de apoyo para incrementar su eficacia.

Efectividad de una intervención psicoterapéutica grupal en la mejora del bienestar de personas cuidadoras de un familiar con enfermedad de Alzheimer: estudio CuiDem / Effectiveness of a psychotherapeutic intervention group program in the improvement of caregiver well-being in Alzheimer’s disease patients’ family caregivers: the CuiDem study

Introducción: Las personas cuidadoras de familiares con enfermedad de Alzheimer presentan agotamiento físico y emocional, que puede abordarse con intervención no farmacológica. Objetivo: Evaluar la efectividad de una intervención psicoterapéutica grupal cognitivo-conductual para mejorar la percepción de bienestar de personas cuidadoras, respecto a una intervención de acompañamiento, y su sostenibilidad tras un período de seguimiento activo de un año postintervención. Sujetos y métodos: Estudio multicéntrico, cuasi experimental, abierto y con grupo control. Se asignó de forma no aleatorizada a 221 personas cuidadoras de familiares con enfermedad de Alzheimer, con demencia leve a moderada-grave, a tres condiciones de intervención: grupo de intervención psicoterapéutica sin seguimiento activo (GI) (n = 80); grupo de intervención psicoterapéutica con seguimiento activo (GIS) (n = 78); y grupo control de acompañamiento con seguimiento activo (GC) (n = 63). La intervención psicoterapéutica grupal (GI y GIS) es un programa estructurado, cognitivo-conductual, de una sesión semanal durante cuatro meses. La del GC tenía la misma duración. Se evaluaron preintervención, postintervención y, al año, sobrecarga percibida, estado de ánimo, resiliencia, apoyo social funcional y calidad de vida. Resultados: Se observó una mejora significativa postintervención en el GI y el GIS respecto al GC en percepción de sobrecarga (p = 0,0216). Al año de seguimiento, se observaron mejoras significativas en el GIS respecto al GI en estado de ánimo (p = 0,0271), resiliencia (p = 0,0018), apoyo social percibido (p = 0,014), calidad de vida (p = 0,0001) y salud mental (p = 0,0002); y en el GC frente al GI en estado de ánimo y apoyo social (p < 0,05). Conclusiones: Los resultados respaldan la efectividad de esta intervención psicoterapéutica para mejorar la percepción de bienestar (sobrecarga) y el seguimiento de apoyo para incrementar su eficacia.(AU)

Introduction: Caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s Disease experience physical and emotional burnout that can be treated with non-pharmacological interventions. Aim: Assess the efficacy of a group cognitive behavioural psychotherapeutic intervention, for improving well-being perception in caregivers, compared to a support group. Also, we assessed its efficacy after a follow-up period of 1-year post-intervention. Subjects and methods: A multicentre, open, quasi experimental study with control group was conducted. 221 caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s Disease, with mild to moderate-severe dementia, were non-randomly assigned to either IG-intervention group: psychotherapeutic program without active follow-up period (n = 80); IGF-intervention group: psychotherapeutic program with active follow-up period (n = 78); or CG-control group: support program with active follow-up period (n = 63). The psychotherapeutic intervention (IG and IGF) is a structured cognitive behavioural group program, of one weekly session over four months. The CG had the same duration. Caregiver’s burden, mood disorders, resilience, perceived functional social support and quality of life were measured at baseline, post-intervention and after 1-year follow-up. Results: At post-intervention, statistically significant improvements were observed in the IG and IGF compared to CG in caregiver burden (p = 0,0216). After one year follow-up, significant improvements were found in IGF compared to IG in emotional state (p = 0,0271), resilience (p = 0,0018), perceived social support (p = 0,014); quality of life (p = 0,0001) and mental health (p = 0,0002); and in CG versus GI in emotional state and social support (p < 0,05). Conclusions: These results support the efficacy of this psychotherapeutic intervention for improving well-being (burden), and the supportive follow-up period for increasing its efficacy.(AU)

Evaluación de las afasias: consideraciones dialectales y culturales en neurología / Assessment of aphasia: dialectal and cultural considerations in neurology

Introducción: La evaluación del lenguaje en el contexto de las alteraciones neurológicas se fundamenta, tradicionalmente, en el uso de la lengua estándar de la comunidad en la que tiene lugar. Las variables dialectales constituyen un tema «olvidado». El objetivo de esta revisión es aportar recursos y guías de trabajo para superar esta limitación. Desarrollo: (1) Revisión de conceptos propios de la dialectología (lengua, dialecto, líneas isoglosas, idiolecto, registro, «variante estándar», bilingüismo). (2) Caracterización fundamental de las dialectologías española y catalana y búsqueda de recursos online para el desarrollo de instrumentos en neurología. (3) Búsqueda ad hoc en PubMed (palabras clave: dialect, aphasia, multilingual). Conclusiones: (1) Se aportan recursos online para promover un adecuado desarrollo de instrumentos de evaluación en lenguas castellana y catalana, considerando aspectos dialectales. (2) Se aportan unas guías de trabajo orientadas a la introducción de variables dialectales en los test de lenguaje para asegurar su objetivo último: evaluar el uso real de la lengua, y no el conocimiento cultural de la lengua estándar. (AU)

Introduction: In the context of neurological disorders, language assessment is traditionally based on the use of the standard language of the community in which the assessment is performed. Dialectal variables constitute a ‘forgotten’ topic. This review aims to provide resources and working guidelines to overcome this limitation. Development: The study was conducted as follows: 1) review of basic concepts of dialectology (language, dialect, isogloss line, idiolect, register, ‘standard variant’, bilingualism); 2)characterisation of Spanish and Catalan dialectologies and search for online resources for the development of neurological assessment tools; 3) ad hoc search on the PubMed database (keywords ‘dialect’, ‘aphasia’ and ‘multilingual’). Conclusions: We provide online resources to promote adequate development of assessment tools in Spanish and Catalan, accounting for Dialectal considerations. We propose a set of working guidelines for the introduction of Dialectal variables in language tests to ensure their ultimate objective: to evaluate the real use of the language, and not cultural knowledge of the standard language. (AU)

Assessment of aphasia: dialectal and cultural considerations in neurology.

INTRODUCTION: In the context of neurological disorders, language assessment is traditionally based on the use of the standard language of the community in which the assessment is performed. Dialectal variables constitute a "forgotten" topic. This review aims to provide resources and working guidelines to overcome this limitation. DEVELOPMENT: The study was conducted as follows: 1) review of basic concepts of dialectology (language, dialect, isogloss line, idiolect, register, "standard variant," bilingualism); 2) characterisation of Spanish and Catalan dialectologies and search for online resources for the development of neurological assessment tools; 3) ad hoc search on the PubMed database (keywords: "dialect," "aphasia," and "multilingual"). CONCLUSIONS: We provide online resources to promote adequate development of assessment tools in Spanish and Catalan, accounting for dialectal considerations. We propose a set of working guidelines for the introduction of dialectal variables in language tests to ensure their ultimate objective: to evaluate the real use of the language, and not cultural knowledge of the standard language.

Assessment of aphasia: dialectical and cultural considerations in neurology. / Evaluación de las afasias: consideraciones dialectales y culturales en neurología.

INTRODUCTION: In the context of neurological disorders, language assessment is traditionally based on the use of the standard language of the community in which the assessment is performed. Dialectical variables constitute a 'forgotten' topic. This review aims to provide resources and working guidelines to overcome this limitation. DEVELOPMENT: The study was conducted as follows: 1) review of basic concepts of dialectology (language, dialect, isogloss line, idiolect, register, 'standard variant', bilingualism); 2) characterisation of Spanish and Catalan dialectologies and search for online resources for the development of neurological assessment tools; 3) ad hoc search on the PubMed database (keywords 'dialect', 'aphasia' and 'multilingual'). CONCLUSIONS: We provide online resources to promote adequate development of assessment tools in Spanish and Catalan, accounting for dialectical considerations. We propose a set of working guidelines for the introduction of dialectical variables in language tests to ensure their ultimate objective: to evaluate the real use of the language, and not cultural knowledge of the standard language.

Traducción y adaptación española de la batería neuropsicológica Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) forma A en una muestra piloto / Spanish translation and adaptation of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) Form A in a pilot sample

Introducción: La RBANS es una batería neuropsicológica breve que se ha mostrado sensible para la detección de trastorno cognitivo en patología degenerativa y no degenerativa. Ha sido traducida y adaptada a diversas lenguas y es ampliamente utilizada en otros países, pero no se ha publicado ninguna versión española. El objetivo es realizar una traducción válida al español de la RBANS y obtener una versión adaptada a la población española. Pacientes y métodos: Participaron 73 sujetos, 25 hombres, con una edad media de 54 años y escolaridad de 9,72, y 48 mujeres, con edad media de 53 y escolaridad 10,29. Se realizó una traducción mediante el método traducción-retrotraducción (con matices) y posteriormente se realizó un estudio descriptivo piloto en una muestra de población normal. Resultados: En la traducción y la adaptación de la batería neuropsicológica RBANS forma A (1998) se obtuvo un coeficiente de fiabilidad global con una alfa de Cronbach de 0,73. Se obtuvieron correlaciones positivas, estadísticamente significativas entre los índices. Conclusiones: La versión traducida y adaptada al castellano se comporta de forma similar a la versión original (AU)

Introduction: RBANS is a short neuropsychological battery which has shown to be sensitive in detecting cognitive impairment in degenerative and non-degenerative diseases. It has been translated and adapted to different languages and is widely used in other countries, but no Spanish version has been published. The objective was to make a valid translation of the RBANS to Spanish, and obtain a version adapted to the Spanish population. Patients and methods: The study included 73 subjects: 25 males with a mean age of 54 years and 9.72 years of education, and 48 females with a mean age of 53 years and 10.29 years of education. The battery was translated using the translation-back-translation method (with slight differences), followed by a descriptive pilot study in a sample of the normal population. Results: An overall reliability coefficient with a Cronbach alpha of 0.73 was obtained in the translation and adaptation of the RBANS, Form A (1998). Statistically significant positive correlations between the indices were obtained. Conclusions: The version translated and adapted to Spanish performs similarly to the original version (AU)

Spanish translation and adaptation of the repeatable battery for the assessment of neuropsychological status (RBANS) Form A in a pilot sample.

INTRODUCTION: RBANS is a short neuropsychological battery which has shown to be sensitive in detecting cognitive impairment in degenerative and non-degenerative diseases. It has been translated and adapted to different languages and is widely used in other countries, but no Spanish version has been published. The objective was to make a valid translation of the RBANS to Spanish, and obtain a version adapted to the Spanish population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 73 subjects: 25 males with a mean age of 54 years and 9.72 years of education, and 48 females with a mean age of 53 years and 10.29 years of education. The battery was translated using the translation-back-translation method (with slight differences), followed by a descriptive pilot study in a sample of the normal population. RESULTS: An overall reliability coefficient with a Cronbach alpha of 0.73 was obtained in the translation and adaptation of the RBANS, Form A (1998). Statistically significant positive correlations between the indices were obtained. CONCLUSIONS: The version translated and adapted to Spanish performs similarly to the original version.

La psicometría de las demencias a debate / Psychometry of dementias at debate

El diagnóstico preciso de las demencias, así como el cribado de los trastornos cognitivos, es una clave para atender las necesidades de la realidad sociodemográfica. En este artículo se plantean los objetivos del cribado y del diagnóstico, los instrumentos que se utilizan y sus características psicométricas esenciales, especialmente la fiabilidad y la validez. Se destaca la necesidad de evaluar críticamente las publicaciones sobre el tema y se refieren los Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD). Además se citan y revisan propuestas y recomendaciones de la literatura. Por último se comentan los tests más estudiados y usados por neurólogos españoles. Destacan el MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination), el MIS (Memory Impairmet Screen) y el Eurotest

The accurate diagnosis of dementias and the screening of cognitive impairment constitute a key to attend to the sociodemographical needs. This paper states the aims of screening and diagnosis, the tools used and their main psychometric features, especially, reliability and validity. The need to critically review the publications on this subject is highlighted and the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) are mentioned. In addition, some proposals and recommendations from literature are cited and reviewed. Finally, the tests studied and used most by Spanish neurologists are commented on. The MMSE (Mini-Mental Status Examination), the MIS (Memory Impairment Screen) and the Eurotest stand out

[Psychometry of dementias at debate]. / La psicometría de las demencias a debate.

The accurate diagnosis of dementias and the screening of cognitive impairment constitute a key to attend to the sociodemographical needs. This paper states the aims of screening and diagnosis, the tools used and their main psychometric features, especially, reliability and validity. The need to critically review the publications on this subject is highlighted and the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) are mentioned. In addition, some proposals and recommendations from literature are cited and reviewed. Finally, the tests studied and used most by Spanish neurologists are commented on. The MMSE (Mini-Mental Status Examination), the MIS (Memory Impairment Screen) and the Eurotest stand out.

[Preliminary normative data for the second edition of the Boston Naming Test for young Spanish adults]. / Estudio normativo piloto de la segunda edición del Boston Naming Test en una muestra española de adultos jóvenes (20 a 49 años).

INTRODUCTION: The Boston Naming Test (BNT) is one of the most widely used tests in neuropsychological evaluation of language disorders, specifically when testing for anomia. The aim of this study is to establish preliminary normative data for the second edition of the BNT for young spanish adults (age range between 20 and 49 years). METHODS: A total of 160 subjects (60 % female and 40 % male) were administered the BNT. Mean age was 33.89 years (SD: 9.45) and average number of years of education was 13.98 (SD: 3.97). The version used in the present study is the second edition of the BNT (Kaplan et al., 2001) which includes two new components: multiple choice and error typology. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Descriptive statistics of the test's variables. Lineal regression to establish the possible degree of influence of the variables age and education on test performance. RESULTS: The sample's mean score was 51.84. Education significantly influences the final score (B: 0.476; p= 0.001). Multiple choice was effective in 89 % of cases. DISCUSSION: The present results will allow proper clinical interpretation of results in the BNT 2001 version in young Spanish adults.

[Abstract abilities: amplified norms for the Barcelona Test]. / Capacidades abstractas: normas ampliadas del Test Barcelona.

INTRODUCTION: By abstract abilities is understood the ability of comprehend relations identifying the essential components and taking out from them a common feature. Its evaluation constitutes a great challenge for neuropsychology. Several studies have showed the influence of age and formal education in the performance of tests assessing these abilities. AIM: To analyse the WAIS-style abstract abilities included in the abbreviated version of the Barcelona Test determining the influence of and formal education and obtaining more normative data for a Spanish population. METHOD: A sample of 264 subjects was randomly selected. The subtests of the Barcelona Test were administered in a single session to every subject. We selected the scores obtained in Arithmetic Problems (raw and timed), Similarities, Digit Symbol and Block Design (raw and timed). RESULTS: The analysis of the variance showed statistically significant results of the selected items according to age and formal education. The formal education, as the lineal regression showed, resulted significant for all the items, being the Arithmetic Problems the only subtests not influenced significantly by the formal education. CONCLUSION: The results obtained in this study are in general concordant to the ones of the reviewed bibliography.