Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (EOAD) has been associated with an increased likelihood of atypic... more Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (EOAD) has been associated with an increased likelihood of atypical clinical manifestations such as attentional impairment, yet the cause of this heterogeneity remains unclear. The locus coeruleus (LC) is implicated early in Alzheimer’s disease pathology and is associated with attentional functioning. This study investigated post-mortem atrophy of the LC in EOAD and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD) in a large, well-characterized sample. Results show nearly four times greater likelihood of higher LC atrophy in EOAD as compared to LOAD after controlling for other measures of pathological progression (p < .005). Follow-up analyses within the EOAD group revealed that compared to those who displayed mild or no LC atrophy at autopsy, those with moderate-severe atrophy of the LC displayed significantly worse performance on various baseline measures of attentional functioning (p < .05), despite similar overall cognition (p = .25). These findings su...
Aging services technologies (ASTs), health technology that meets the needs of seniors, are being ... more Aging services technologies (ASTs), health technology that meets the needs of seniors, are being underutilized due to a lack of awareness. This study evaluated a video-based educational program to increase AST awareness. Two hundred and thirty-one older adults completed AST measures pre- and post-program. Participants endorsed significantly improved AST knowledge and attitude and a lower level of perceived stigma post-program. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that a greater reduction in stigma post-program and a higher number of physical/cognitive needs supported by ASTs at baseline were significant predictors of a greater increase in expressed intention to use ASTs following the video program. Furthermore, individuals living in their own homes, with a lower level of education, fewer physical and/or cognitive needs supported by ASTs at baseline, and greater functional limitations were found to be more likely to report a significant reduction in perceived stigma post-program. ...
Health care professionals (HCPs) are a critical source of recommendations for older adults. Aging... more Health care professionals (HCPs) are a critical source of recommendations for older adults. Aging services technologies (ASTs), which include devices to support the health-care needs of older adults, are underutilized despite evidence for improving functional outcomes and safety and reducing caregiver burden and health costs. This study evaluated a video-based educational program aimed at improving HCP awareness of ASTs. Sixty-five HCPs viewed AST videos related to medication management, daily living, and memory. Following the program, participants&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; objective and perceived AST knowledge improved, as did self-efficacy and anticipated AST engagement. About 95% of participants stated they were more likely to recommend ASTs post-program. Participants benefitted equally regardless of years of experience or previous AST familiarity. Furthermore, change in self-efficacy and perceived knowledge were significant predictors of engagement change. Overall, the educational program was effective in improving HCPs&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; awareness of ASTs and appeared to benefit all participants regardless of experience and prior knowledge.
The Brief Visuospatial Memory Test - Revised (BVMT-R) is a commonly used, commercialized, assessm... more The Brief Visuospatial Memory Test - Revised (BVMT-R) is a commonly used, commercialized, assessment tool to measure visuospatial learning and memory abilities across research and clinical settings. In this study we evaluated the influence of processing speed and executive functioning on BVMT-R learning, memory, and percent retention scores. A total of 141 cognitively healthy older adults completed the BVMT-R along with measures of visuoconstructional abilities (BVMT-R copy), speeded processing (Symbol Digit Modalities Test-oral), and executive function (FAS). After controlling for age and visuoconstructional abilities, hierarchical regression models showed that the processing speed measure was a unique predictor of both BVMT-R learning and memory performances, while the executive function measure was not. The visuoconstructional measure was the only unique predictor of BVMT-R percent retention. The findings suggest that, when interpreting the BVMT-R learning and memory scores of patients who exhibit speeded processing deficits, the impact of slowed processing speed on performance should be considered.
Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 2013
An event-based non-focal task was used to evaluate prospective memory (PM), and the relationship ... more An event-based non-focal task was used to evaluate prospective memory (PM), and the relationship between PM, neuropsychological testing data and everyday forgetting. Twenty-four participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 24 age and education matched cognitively healthy adults responded to a non-focal PM cue, while completing an ongoing working memory task. Neuropsychological testing data and self-and informant-report of frequency of forgetting were also gathered. Compared to healthy adults, the MCI participants exhibited significantly poorer prospective remembering and ongoing task performance, despite similar self-reported effort directed to the PM task. Both self-and informant-report indicated that the MCI group was experiencing a higher frequency of everyday forgetting than the healthy adult group. Self-report of everyday forgetting was correlated with PM task performance for the healthy adults, but not the MCI participants. For the healthy adults, correlational analyses also showed significant relationships between PM accuracy and tests of memory and executive functioning, suggesting that both spontaneous retrieval processes and effortful, strategic monitoring may be important in supporting prospective remembering for this non-focal PM task. The stronger relationships between PM accuracy and memory and language tests for the MCI group suggests that their poorer event-based prospective remembering might be linked to impaired spontaneous retrieval processes, which are thought to be supported by medial temporal structures.
Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (EOAD) has been associated with an increased likelihood of atypic... more Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (EOAD) has been associated with an increased likelihood of atypical clinical manifestations such as attentional impairment, yet the cause of this heterogeneity remains unclear. The locus coeruleus (LC) is implicated early in Alzheimer’s disease pathology and is associated with attentional functioning. This study investigated post-mortem atrophy of the LC in EOAD and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD) in a large, well-characterized sample. Results show nearly four times greater likelihood of higher LC atrophy in EOAD as compared to LOAD after controlling for other measures of pathological progression (p < .005). Follow-up analyses within the EOAD group revealed that compared to those who displayed mild or no LC atrophy at autopsy, those with moderate-severe atrophy of the LC displayed significantly worse performance on various baseline measures of attentional functioning (p < .05), despite similar overall cognition (p = .25). These findings su...
Aging services technologies (ASTs), health technology that meets the needs of seniors, are being ... more Aging services technologies (ASTs), health technology that meets the needs of seniors, are being underutilized due to a lack of awareness. This study evaluated a video-based educational program to increase AST awareness. Two hundred and thirty-one older adults completed AST measures pre- and post-program. Participants endorsed significantly improved AST knowledge and attitude and a lower level of perceived stigma post-program. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that a greater reduction in stigma post-program and a higher number of physical/cognitive needs supported by ASTs at baseline were significant predictors of a greater increase in expressed intention to use ASTs following the video program. Furthermore, individuals living in their own homes, with a lower level of education, fewer physical and/or cognitive needs supported by ASTs at baseline, and greater functional limitations were found to be more likely to report a significant reduction in perceived stigma post-program. ...
Health care professionals (HCPs) are a critical source of recommendations for older adults. Aging... more Health care professionals (HCPs) are a critical source of recommendations for older adults. Aging services technologies (ASTs), which include devices to support the health-care needs of older adults, are underutilized despite evidence for improving functional outcomes and safety and reducing caregiver burden and health costs. This study evaluated a video-based educational program aimed at improving HCP awareness of ASTs. Sixty-five HCPs viewed AST videos related to medication management, daily living, and memory. Following the program, participants&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; objective and perceived AST knowledge improved, as did self-efficacy and anticipated AST engagement. About 95% of participants stated they were more likely to recommend ASTs post-program. Participants benefitted equally regardless of years of experience or previous AST familiarity. Furthermore, change in self-efficacy and perceived knowledge were significant predictors of engagement change. Overall, the educational program was effective in improving HCPs&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; awareness of ASTs and appeared to benefit all participants regardless of experience and prior knowledge.
The Brief Visuospatial Memory Test - Revised (BVMT-R) is a commonly used, commercialized, assessm... more The Brief Visuospatial Memory Test - Revised (BVMT-R) is a commonly used, commercialized, assessment tool to measure visuospatial learning and memory abilities across research and clinical settings. In this study we evaluated the influence of processing speed and executive functioning on BVMT-R learning, memory, and percent retention scores. A total of 141 cognitively healthy older adults completed the BVMT-R along with measures of visuoconstructional abilities (BVMT-R copy), speeded processing (Symbol Digit Modalities Test-oral), and executive function (FAS). After controlling for age and visuoconstructional abilities, hierarchical regression models showed that the processing speed measure was a unique predictor of both BVMT-R learning and memory performances, while the executive function measure was not. The visuoconstructional measure was the only unique predictor of BVMT-R percent retention. The findings suggest that, when interpreting the BVMT-R learning and memory scores of patients who exhibit speeded processing deficits, the impact of slowed processing speed on performance should be considered.
Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 2013
An event-based non-focal task was used to evaluate prospective memory (PM), and the relationship ... more An event-based non-focal task was used to evaluate prospective memory (PM), and the relationship between PM, neuropsychological testing data and everyday forgetting. Twenty-four participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 24 age and education matched cognitively healthy adults responded to a non-focal PM cue, while completing an ongoing working memory task. Neuropsychological testing data and self-and informant-report of frequency of forgetting were also gathered. Compared to healthy adults, the MCI participants exhibited significantly poorer prospective remembering and ongoing task performance, despite similar self-reported effort directed to the PM task. Both self-and informant-report indicated that the MCI group was experiencing a higher frequency of everyday forgetting than the healthy adult group. Self-report of everyday forgetting was correlated with PM task performance for the healthy adults, but not the MCI participants. For the healthy adults, correlational analyses also showed significant relationships between PM accuracy and tests of memory and executive functioning, suggesting that both spontaneous retrieval processes and effortful, strategic monitoring may be important in supporting prospective remembering for this non-focal PM task. The stronger relationships between PM accuracy and memory and language tests for the MCI group suggests that their poorer event-based prospective remembering might be linked to impaired spontaneous retrieval processes, which are thought to be supported by medial temporal structures.
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