Dementia Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Dementia, including details on symptoms, alzheimers, senile dementia, causes.

Nighttime activity in individuals with dementia: understanding the problem and identifying solutions.

Greenblum CA, Rowe MA

University of South Florida College of Nursing, Tampa, FL, USA. cgreenbl@health.usf.edu

Sleep disturbances may occur in more than 50% of individuals with dementia, and nighttime activity can lead to unsafe situations and serious consequences for both the person and his or her caregivers. Nighttime awakenings expose individuals with dementia to two major dangers: falls and unattended home exits. This article is a review of the current research on the causes of sleep disturbances and interventions for nighttime activity in individuals with dementia living at home.

Published 15 May 2012 in J Gerontol Nurs, 38(5): 8-11.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

Articles on Dementia published 11 May 2012:

A qualitative study of professional and client perspectives on information flows and decision aid use.   BMC Med Inform Decis Mak, 12: 26.

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Articles on Dementia published 9 May 2012:

Structural and functional characterization of H2 haplotype MAPT promoter: unique neurospecific domains and a hypoxia-inducible element would enhance rationally targeted tauopathy research for Alzheimer's disease.   Gene, 501(1): 63-78.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly. Extraneuronal plaque comprising mostly the amyloid β peptide and intraneuronal tangles of hyperphosphorylated microtubule-associated τ protein (τ, gene MAPT) are typical of AD. Misfolded τ is also implicated in Parkinson's disease and frontotemporal dementia. We aim to understand the regulation of the human MAPT promoter by mapping its functional domains. We subcloned a 4868 base pair (bp) fragment from human BAC ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Dementia published 8 May 2012:

Effect of purpose in life on the relation between Alzheimer disease pathologic changes on cognitive function in advanced age.   Arch Gen Psychiatry, 69(5): 499-505.

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Midlife vs late-life depressive symptoms and risk of dementia: differential effects for Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia.   Arch Gen Psychiatry, 69(5): 493-8.

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Articles on Dementia published 4 May 2012:

An experimental study on the effectiveness of a mutual support group for family caregivers of a relative with dementia in mainland China.   Contemp Nurse, 40(2): 210-24.

When caring for an older relative with dementia, family members experience considerable distress and burden. Literature reviews show that supportive group interventions for these caregivers have significant positive effects on improving their distress and quality of life, but not consistent and conclusive. Limited research is found in Asian populations. This study tested the effectiveness of a 12-session bi-weekly mutual support group program for Chinese family caregivers of a relative with ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Blood serum miRNA: non-invasive biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease.   Exp Neurol, 235(2): 491-6.

There is an urgent need to identify non-invasive biomarkers for the detection of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). We previously studied microRNAs (miRNAs) in AD autopsy brain samples and reported a connection between miR-137, -181c, -9, -29a/b and AD, through the regulation of ceramides. In this study, the potential role of these miRNAs as diagnostic markers for AD was investigated. We identified that these miRNAs were down-regulated in the blood serum of probable AD patients. The levels of ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

MicroRNA networks surrounding APP and amyloid-β metabolism--implications for Alzheimer's disease.   Exp Neurol, 235(2): 447-54.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA regulators of protein synthesis that function as "fine-tuning" tools of gene expression in development and tissue homeostasis. Their profiles are significantly altered in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) that is characterized by both amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau deposition in brain. A key challenge remains in determining how changes in miRNA profiles translate into biological function in a physiological and ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Molecular network of microRNA targets in Alzheimer's disease brains.   Exp Neurol, 235(2): 436-46.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small noncoding RNAs that regulate translational repression of target mRNAs. The vast majority of presently identified miRNAs are expressed in the brain where they fine-tune the expression of a wide range of target molecules essential for neuronal and glial development, differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis and metabolism. Aberrant expression and dysfunction of brain-enriched miRNAs induce development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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