Behavioral variant fronto temporal dementia (bvFTD) is characterized by early and substantial ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) dysfunction and there is no consensus regarding which tests are most sensitive and specific to assess it. Objectives: To detect specific xecutive and social cognitive deficits in patients with early behavioural variant fronto temporal dementia. Materialand Methods: In this study we assessed with the INECO´s Executive and Social Cognition Battery, which included Theory ofMind tests(Mind in the Eyes, Faux Pas), the Hotel Task, Multiple ErrandsTask-hospital version and the Iowa Gambling Task for complex decision-making.Patients were divided into two groups according to their Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination scores. Results: We found that low Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination patients differed from controls on most tasks of the standard battery and the Executive and Social Cognition Battery. But high Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination patients did not differ from controls on most traditional neuropsychological tests, while significant differences were found between this high-functioning behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia group and controls on most measures of Executive and Social Cognition Battery. Conclusions: The INECO´s Executive and Social Cognition Battery used are more sensitive in detecting executive and social cognitive impairment deficits in early behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia than the classical cognitive measures.

Los síntomas característicos de la demencia fronto-temporal, variante conductual reflejan disfunción del cortex pre-frontal ventromedial, y no existe consenso respecto a las pruebas neuropsicológicas más sensibles y específicos para evaluarlos. Objetivos: El objetivo de este estudio fue detectar alteraciones específicas de funciones ejecutivas y de cognición social en pacientes con demencia fronto-temporal variante conductual. Material y Métodos: Evaluamos la batería ejecutiva y cognición social del Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva (INECO), la cual incluye pruebas de teoría de la mente (test de la mirada y test de metida de pata), tareas del hotel, tests de diligencias multiples-versión del hospital y el Iowa Gambling Test para toma de decisiones. Los pacientes fueron divididos en dos grupos según su desempeño en el Addenbrooke´s Cognitive Examination. Resultados: Pacientes del grupo de Addenbrooke´s Cognitive Examination Bajo mostró resultados significativamente menores, respecto a los controles en muchas de las tareas de la batería ejecutiva estándar y en la batería ejecutiva y cognición social de INECO. Pero, el grupo de Addenbrooke´s Cognitive Examination Alto no difirió de los controles en muchas de las tareas de la batería ejecutiva estándar, mientras que encontramos diferencias significativas en los pacientes con demencia fronto-temporal con Addenbrooke´sCognitive Examination Alto y los controles en la mayoría de las tareas de la batería ejecutiva y cognición social. Conclusiones: La batería ejecutiva y cognición social de INECO es más sensible para detectar alteraciones ejecutivas y de cognición social en estadios precoces de demencia fronto-temporal, variante conductual que las tareas empleadas en la batería ejecutiva estándar.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a sobrecarga do cuidador baseada na entrevista de Zarit (ZBI). MÉTODOS: Nós incluímos cuidadores com 18 anos ou mais de idade, língua espanhola como nativa, alfabetizados. Foram avaliadas características demográficas: idade, gênero, educação, relação com o paciente com demência, extensão do cuidado, outras fontes de ajuda para os cuidados, impacto na economia doméstica, suporte familiar e percepção do comprometimento de saúde; e dados clínicos de saúde dos pacientes: tipo de demência, tempo desde o diagnóstico, tratamento e escala de deterioração global (GDS); ZBI e BDI-II. RESULTADOS: Avaliamos 92 cuidadores informais. Os pacientes tinham 69 anos ou mais, 75% tinha pelo menos um ano do diagnóstico, 73,9% com doença de Alzheimer, 84,8% recebia algum tratamento, 75% tiveram GDS de 5 ou mais. Quanto aos cuidadores: 75% tinham 55 anos ou mais, mulheres (81,5%), casados (83,7%), cônjuge (60,9%), com pelo menos 10 anos de educação (75%) e um ano de cuidado (75%), tempo reduzido de entretenimento (90,2%) e autopercepção de comprometimento da saúde (83,7%). A mediana da ZBI foi 38 (mínimo: 3 e máximo: 74). O coeficiente de BDI foi 1,38 (p<0,001). CONCLUSÃO: Nossa amostra de cuidadores informais peruanos mostram valores consideráveis na ZBI. A autopercepção de piora de saúde, repercussão na economia familiar e tempo de cuidado foram os principais determinantes da ZBI, embora somente a BDI foi um preditor consistente de ZBI.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate caregiver burden based on Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) and depression in caregivers on the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). METHODS: Literate individuals, 18 years or older, who spoke Spanish as their native language were included. Demographic characteristics: Age, sex, education, relationship to person with dementia, length of time caregiving, other sources of help for caring, impact on the household economy, family support, and perception of impaired health; and Clinical data on care-recipients: type of dementia, time since diagnosis, treatment, and Global Deterioration Scale (GDS); the ZBI and BDI-II. Descriptive and analytical statistics were employed to assess caregiver burden and predictors of higher burden in caregivers. RESULTS: A total of 92 informal caregivers were evaluated. Regarding care-recipients, 75% were 69 years old or over, 75% had at least one year since diagnosis, 73.9% had Alzheimer's disease, 84.8% received treatment, 75% scored 5 or over on the GDS. For caregivers, 75% were 55.5 years old or over, predominantly female (81.5%), married (83.7%), the spouse of care-recipients (60.87%), had at least 10 years of education (75.0%) and one year of caregiving (75%), reduced entertainment time (90.2%) and self-perception of impaired health (83.7%). Median score on the ZBI was 37.5 (minimum value = 3; and maximum value = 74). The coefficient of BDI was 1.38 (p-value <0.001). CONCLUSION: This sample of Peruvian informal caregivers showed elevated ZBI values. Self-perception of worsened health, repercussion on the family economy and time caregiving were the main determinants of ZBI, although only BDI was a consistent predictor of ZBI.

Depression and dementia, in particular Alzheimer´s disease (AD) are critically important issues in the mental health of old age. Both conditions apparently reduce quality of life and increase the impairment of activities of daily living for elderly persons. AD usually shows poor prognosis owing to progressive neuronal degeneration, while depression is basically reversible. Longitudinal follow-up and case-control studies reported a strong association between late-onset depression and dementia, and therefore increased risk was observed in 2-5 times to develop dementia in patients with late-onset depression. Furthermore, early-onset depression have also consistenly demonstrated to be a risk factor for dementia and unlikely to be prodromal to dementia. The nature of this association (if depression is a prodrome or consequence of, or risk factor for dementia) remains unclear. Regardless of this, treatment strategies for depression could alter the risk of dementia

Depresión y demencia, sobre todo enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA) son entidades críticas en la salud mental de la tercera edad. Ambas condiciones disminuyen la calidad de vida e incrementan el deterioro de actividades de vida diaria de individuos de la tercera edad. EA tiene pobre pronóstico al ser una enfermedad neurodegenerativa; mientras que la depresión es básicamente reversible. Los estudios de seguimiento longitudinal y de caso-control reportan una estrecha asociación entre depresión de inicio tardío y deterioro cognitivo progresivo, pues se ha demostrado riesgo de incremento en 2 a 5 veces para desarrollar demencia en pacientes con depresión de inicio tardío. Por otro lado, la depresión de inicio precoz ha demostrado en forma consistente ser también un factor de riesgo para demencia, y escasas probabilidades de ser pródromo de demencia.La naturaleza de la asociación (si depresión es un pródromo o consecuencia de demencia, o un factor de riesgo para desarrollar demencia) permanece aún sin ser esclarecida. Independiente de ello, las estrategias para tratar depresión podrían alterar el riesgo de desarrollar demencia.

Objectives: To analyze the effects of cholinesterase inhibitors (CHEIs) prescribed for treatment of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and dementia associated with Parkinson’s disease (PDD). Design: Open essay study. Setting: Neurology Service, Hospital Militar Central, and Cognitive Deterioration Diagnosis Unit and Dementia Prevention, Clinica Internacional. Participants: Patients with dementia associated to Lewy bodies and dementia associated with Parkinson’s disease. Interventions: Outcome measures included the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog), Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study-Clinical Global Impression of Change (ADCS-CGIC), Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living Inventory (ADCS-ADL), Neuro-Psychiatry Inventory (NPI), Ten Point Clock-Drawing Test (CDT) and Unified Parkinson´s Disease Rating Scale-motor subscale (UPDRS-part III). Main outcome measures: Patients’ cognitive symptoms, global function and daily life activities. Results: Seventeen patients were treated with rivastigmine, nine with galantamine and seven with donepezil. At six months, rivastigmine-treated patients improved by 1,39 points from baseline on the ADAS-cog, while donepezil and galantamine treated patients showed ‘no change’ (changes of <0,2 points). On the ADCS-ADL, patients treated with rivastigmine, donepezil and galantamine showed decreases of 0,41, 0,68 and 0,86 points, respectively. On the MMSE, donepezil and rivastigmine-treated patients showed ‘no change’ and galantamine-treated patients showed a mean decrease of 1,19 points. The difference with regard to the incidence of parkinsonian symptoms as adverse events was not reflected in significant differences in UPDRS motor scores between the three groups. Side effects were similar in the three treatment groups. Conclusions: Cholinesterase inhibitors may be of benefit for cognitive impairments with impact on global function and activities of daily living in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies and dementia associated with Parkinson’s disease.

Objetivos: Analizar los efectos de los inhibidores de colinesterasas (ICE) donepezilo, rivastigmina y galantamina en el tratamiento de demencia con cuerpos de Lewy (DCL) y demencia de la enfermedad de Parkinson (DEP). Diseño: Estudio tipo ensayo abierto. Lugar: Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Militar Central (HMC), y Unidad de Diagnóstico de Deterioro Cognitivo y Prevención de Demencia, Clínica Internacional. Participantes: Pacientes con demencia asociada a cuerpos de Lewy y demencia de la enfermedad de Parkinson. Intervenciones: Las mediciones de eficacia en 33 pacientes con diagnóstico de DCL y DEP se realizó con el Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog), Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study-Clinical Global Impression of Change (ADCS-CGIC), Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living Inventory (ADCS-ADL), Neuro-Psychiatry Inventory (NPI), Prueba de dibujo de Reloj de Manos (PDR-M) y la Unified Parkinson´s Disease Rating Scale-motor subscale (UPDRS-part III). Principales medidas de resultados: Síntomas cognitivos, funcionamiento global y actividades de vida diaria de los pacientes. Resultados: Diecisiete pacientes fueron tratados con rivastigmina, 9 con galantamina y 7 con donepezilo. Luego de 6 meses de tratamiento, los pacientes en tratamiento con rivastigmina mejoraron en 1,39 puntos en ADAS-cog respecto de su medición basal, mientras que los pacientes tratados con donepezilo y galantamina no mostraron cambios (cambios <0,2 puntos). Respecto al ADCS-ADL, los pacientes tratados con rivastigmina, donepezilo y galantamina demostraron disminución de 0,42, 0,58 y 0,75 puntos, respectivamente. En el MMSE, los pacientes tratados con rivastigmina y donepezilo no mostraron cambios y los pacientes tratados con galantamina tuvieron una disminución promedio de 1,19 puntos. No hubo diferencias significativas en la incidencia de síntomas parkinsonianos en los tres grupos de tratamiento. Los eventos adversos fueron similares en los tres grupos de tratamiento. Conclusiones: Los inhibidores de colinesterasa pueden ser benéficos en el manejo de síntomas cognitivos, el funcionamiento global y actividades de vida diaria en pacientes con demencia con cuerpos de Lewy y demencia de la enfermedad de Parkinson.