The current pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), commonly referred to as COVID-19, brings myriad challenges to research conducted among those more susceptible to the virus. Accordi...The current pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), commonly referred to as COVID-19, brings myriad challenges to research conducted among those more susceptible to the virus. According to the United States (US) Centers for Disease Control (CDC), eight out of ten re-ported COVID-19 deaths are among people > 65 years of age and older. Nonetheless, researchers must continue the crucial work of investigating and understanding diseases that affect the elderly. The focus of this white paper is to assess the challenges associated with research within the elderly population with neurocognitive conditions. Specifically, this paper addresses the need for the standardized administration of performance measures (e.g., neurocognitive assessments) among a dementia population while ensuring the physical safety of participants. Consideration is given to the administration of performance measures and the availability and feasibility of administering these measures remotely to a population that may have difficulty using novel technologies. In implementing remote research assessments, it is suggested that researchers fol-low a GAMMA approach by: 1) establishing clear Guidance on remote visit expectations and processes;2) establishing Appropriate exclusionary criteria in the development of the study design;3) providing subjects Appropriate study Materials for visual processing;4) incorporating Multiple data sources in the overall study design (e.g., caregiver input);and 5) Acknowledging that there will be study limitations as researchers use emerging technology with this patient population, and using mitigation strategies for these limitations where possible.展开更多
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting nearly 9.9 million new people every year. The disease provokes important memory and cognitive impairment, eventually causing individuals to forget th...Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting nearly 9.9 million new people every year. The disease provokes important memory and cognitive impairment, eventually causing individuals to forget their loved ones and rendering them completely dependent on their caretakers. Alzheimer’s patients typically experience more negative emotions, such as frustration and apathy, than healthy older adults. There is currently no cure for the disease. Our research group explores how the integration of virtual reality (VR) and an EEG-based intelligent agent in music therapy can alleviate psychological and cognitive symptoms of the disease. We propose a theory explaining how, through activation of the brain reward system, music can reduce negative emotions, increase positive emotions and as a result increase performance on cognitive tasks. The results of our experimental study concord with our theory: emotional states of participants are improved, as per recorded through EEG, and performances on memory tasks show improvement following the intervention. We believe that the combination of EEG brain assessment, VR and music therapy is a promising method for emotional states and cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.展开更多
Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of persons every year. Negative emotions such as stress and frustration have a negative impact on memory function and Alzheimer's patients experience more negative emotions th...Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of persons every year. Negative emotions such as stress and frustration have a negative impact on memory function and Alzheimer's patients experience more negative emotions than healthy adults. Non-pharmacological treatment such as immersion in virtual environments could help Alzheimer patients by reducing their negative emotions, but it has restrictions and requirements. In this work, we present three virtual reality relaxing systems in which the patients are immersed in relaxing environments. We propose to use intelligent agents in order to adapt the relaxing environment to each participant and optimize its relaxation effect. The intelligent agents track the emotions of patients using electroencephalography as input in order to adapt</span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">the environments. We designed each system with different levels of intelligence in order to analyze the impact of the adaptation on the patients. Experiments were performed for each system on participants with subjective cognitive decline. Results show that these relaxing systems can reduce negative emotions and improve participants’ memory performance. The positive effects on affective state and memory persisted for a longer period of time and were generally more effective for the systems with more intelligence. We believe that the combination of </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">a </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">relaxing environment, virtual reality, intelligent agents for adapting</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">the environment, and brain assessment is a promising method for helping Alzheimer’s patients.展开更多
Background:A great body of evidence suggests that there are retinal functional and structural changes that occur in Alzheimer’s disease(AD).However,whether such changes are primary or secondary remains to be elucidat...Background:A great body of evidence suggests that there are retinal functional and structural changes that occur in Alzheimer’s disease(AD).However,whether such changes are primary or secondary remains to be elucidated.We studied a range of retinal functional and structural parameters in association with AD-specific pathophysiological markers in the double transgenic APP/PS1 and control mice across age.Methods:Electroretinogram(ERG)and optical coherence tomography(OCT)was performed in APP/PS1 and wild type(WT)control mice every 3 months from 3 to 12 months of age.For functional assessment,the a-and b-wave of the ERG,amplitude of oscillatory potentials(OP)and the positive scotopic threshold response(pSTR)were quantified at each time point.For structural assessment,the inner and outer retinal thickness was segmented and measured from OCT scans.Episodic memory was evaluated at 6,9 and 12 months of age using the novel object recognition test.Amyloid beta(Aβ)distribution in the hippocampus and the retina were visualised at 3,6 and 12 months of age.Interand intra-group analysis was performed to study rate of change for each parameter between the two groups.Results:Inter-group analysis revealed a significant difference in b-wave and OPs of APP/PS1 compared to WT controls starting from 3 months(p<0.001).There was also a significant difference in the amplitude of pSTR between the two groups starting from 6 months(p<0.001).Furthermore,a significant difference in the inner retinal thickness,between the two groups,was observed starting from 9 months(p<0.001).Conclusions:We observed an age-related decline in retinal functional and structural parameters in both APP/PS1 and WT controls,however,inter-group analysis revealed that inner retinal functional and structural decline is exacerbated in APP/PS1 mice,and that retinal functional changes precede structural changes in this strain.Further studies are required to confirm whether such phenomenon occurs in humans and if studying retinal functional changes can aid-in early assessment of AD.展开更多
Objective: To observe the intervention effects of Tiaobu Xinshen Recipe(调补心肾方, TXR) on patients with mild cognitive impairment caused by Alzheimer’s disease(MCI-AD). Methods: Totally 88 MCI-AD patients with synd...Objective: To observe the intervention effects of Tiaobu Xinshen Recipe(调补心肾方, TXR) on patients with mild cognitive impairment caused by Alzheimer’s disease(MCI-AD). Methods: Totally 88 MCI-AD patients with syndrome of Xin(Heart) and Shen(Kidney) deficiency were assigned to the experimental group(47 cases, treated with TXR) and the control group(41 cases, treated with donepezil hydrochloride) using a random number table. Final recruited qualified patients were 44 cases in the experimental group and 39 cases in the control group. The therapeutic course was 12 weeks. Neuropsychological scales [mini mental state examination(MMSE) and Montreal cognitive assessment(MoCA)], and Chinese medicine(CM) dementia syndromes scales were performed in all patients, and results were compared between groups or intra-group before and after treatment. Results: MMSE and Mo CA scores of the two groups were increased after treatment compared with those before treatment(P<0.05). But there was no statistical difference in MMSE or MOCA scores after treatment between the two groups(P>0.05). CM dementia syndrome score was significantly decreased after treatment in the experimental group compared with the control group(P<0.01). Visual spatial and executive function scores and delayed recall scores of the two groups were increased compared with those before treatment(P<0.01). Conclusion: TXR could effectively improve cognitive impairment of MCI-AD patients with syndrome of Xin and Shen deficiency.展开更多
文摘The current pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), commonly referred to as COVID-19, brings myriad challenges to research conducted among those more susceptible to the virus. According to the United States (US) Centers for Disease Control (CDC), eight out of ten re-ported COVID-19 deaths are among people > 65 years of age and older. Nonetheless, researchers must continue the crucial work of investigating and understanding diseases that affect the elderly. The focus of this white paper is to assess the challenges associated with research within the elderly population with neurocognitive conditions. Specifically, this paper addresses the need for the standardized administration of performance measures (e.g., neurocognitive assessments) among a dementia population while ensuring the physical safety of participants. Consideration is given to the administration of performance measures and the availability and feasibility of administering these measures remotely to a population that may have difficulty using novel technologies. In implementing remote research assessments, it is suggested that researchers fol-low a GAMMA approach by: 1) establishing clear Guidance on remote visit expectations and processes;2) establishing Appropriate exclusionary criteria in the development of the study design;3) providing subjects Appropriate study Materials for visual processing;4) incorporating Multiple data sources in the overall study design (e.g., caregiver input);and 5) Acknowledging that there will be study limitations as researchers use emerging technology with this patient population, and using mitigation strategies for these limitations where possible.
文摘Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting nearly 9.9 million new people every year. The disease provokes important memory and cognitive impairment, eventually causing individuals to forget their loved ones and rendering them completely dependent on their caretakers. Alzheimer’s patients typically experience more negative emotions, such as frustration and apathy, than healthy older adults. There is currently no cure for the disease. Our research group explores how the integration of virtual reality (VR) and an EEG-based intelligent agent in music therapy can alleviate psychological and cognitive symptoms of the disease. We propose a theory explaining how, through activation of the brain reward system, music can reduce negative emotions, increase positive emotions and as a result increase performance on cognitive tasks. The results of our experimental study concord with our theory: emotional states of participants are improved, as per recorded through EEG, and performances on memory tasks show improvement following the intervention. We believe that the combination of EEG brain assessment, VR and music therapy is a promising method for emotional states and cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
文摘Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of persons every year. Negative emotions such as stress and frustration have a negative impact on memory function and Alzheimer's patients experience more negative emotions than healthy adults. Non-pharmacological treatment such as immersion in virtual environments could help Alzheimer patients by reducing their negative emotions, but it has restrictions and requirements. In this work, we present three virtual reality relaxing systems in which the patients are immersed in relaxing environments. We propose to use intelligent agents in order to adapt the relaxing environment to each participant and optimize its relaxation effect. The intelligent agents track the emotions of patients using electroencephalography as input in order to adapt</span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">the environments. We designed each system with different levels of intelligence in order to analyze the impact of the adaptation on the patients. Experiments were performed for each system on participants with subjective cognitive decline. Results show that these relaxing systems can reduce negative emotions and improve participants’ memory performance. The positive effects on affective state and memory persisted for a longer period of time and were generally more effective for the systems with more intelligence. We believe that the combination of </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">a </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">relaxing environment, virtual reality, intelligent agents for adapting</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">the environment, and brain assessment is a promising method for helping Alzheimer’s patients.
基金OS and SMG are supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council-Australian Research Council Dementia research fellowshipThis work was supported by a Mason Foundation project grant.
文摘Background:A great body of evidence suggests that there are retinal functional and structural changes that occur in Alzheimer’s disease(AD).However,whether such changes are primary or secondary remains to be elucidated.We studied a range of retinal functional and structural parameters in association with AD-specific pathophysiological markers in the double transgenic APP/PS1 and control mice across age.Methods:Electroretinogram(ERG)and optical coherence tomography(OCT)was performed in APP/PS1 and wild type(WT)control mice every 3 months from 3 to 12 months of age.For functional assessment,the a-and b-wave of the ERG,amplitude of oscillatory potentials(OP)and the positive scotopic threshold response(pSTR)were quantified at each time point.For structural assessment,the inner and outer retinal thickness was segmented and measured from OCT scans.Episodic memory was evaluated at 6,9 and 12 months of age using the novel object recognition test.Amyloid beta(Aβ)distribution in the hippocampus and the retina were visualised at 3,6 and 12 months of age.Interand intra-group analysis was performed to study rate of change for each parameter between the two groups.Results:Inter-group analysis revealed a significant difference in b-wave and OPs of APP/PS1 compared to WT controls starting from 3 months(p<0.001).There was also a significant difference in the amplitude of pSTR between the two groups starting from 6 months(p<0.001).Furthermore,a significant difference in the inner retinal thickness,between the two groups,was observed starting from 9 months(p<0.001).Conclusions:We observed an age-related decline in retinal functional and structural parameters in both APP/PS1 and WT controls,however,inter-group analysis revealed that inner retinal functional and structural decline is exacerbated in APP/PS1 mice,and that retinal functional changes precede structural changes in this strain.Further studies are required to confirm whether such phenomenon occurs in humans and if studying retinal functional changes can aid-in early assessment of AD.
基金Supported by Fujian Provincial Research Project of Traditional Chinese Medicine(No.wzkf201309)
文摘Objective: To observe the intervention effects of Tiaobu Xinshen Recipe(调补心肾方, TXR) on patients with mild cognitive impairment caused by Alzheimer’s disease(MCI-AD). Methods: Totally 88 MCI-AD patients with syndrome of Xin(Heart) and Shen(Kidney) deficiency were assigned to the experimental group(47 cases, treated with TXR) and the control group(41 cases, treated with donepezil hydrochloride) using a random number table. Final recruited qualified patients were 44 cases in the experimental group and 39 cases in the control group. The therapeutic course was 12 weeks. Neuropsychological scales [mini mental state examination(MMSE) and Montreal cognitive assessment(MoCA)], and Chinese medicine(CM) dementia syndromes scales were performed in all patients, and results were compared between groups or intra-group before and after treatment. Results: MMSE and Mo CA scores of the two groups were increased after treatment compared with those before treatment(P<0.05). But there was no statistical difference in MMSE or MOCA scores after treatment between the two groups(P>0.05). CM dementia syndrome score was significantly decreased after treatment in the experimental group compared with the control group(P<0.01). Visual spatial and executive function scores and delayed recall scores of the two groups were increased compared with those before treatment(P<0.01). Conclusion: TXR could effectively improve cognitive impairment of MCI-AD patients with syndrome of Xin and Shen deficiency.
