Each study has a usefulness score out of 100 (rubric version 4.0). Tap a score to see what makes it up.
Highest usefulness score first. Studies without a score come last.
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Our findings suggest cutoffs may need to be stratified by race/ethnicity and education to ensure detecting MCI from normal and MCI from dementia.
Why it matters
This study found that the best cutoff scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment for detecting mild cognitive impairment and dementia differed by race, ethnicity, and education. It is about improving screening accuracy, not about treating, curing, or preventing the disease.
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This is the first study to test community-based family dementia caregiver intervention in Vietnam.
Why it matters
This paper describes the plan for a trial of a culturally adapted caregiver intervention in Vietnam, not its results. It does not yet show whether the intervention helps caregivers or affects Alzheimer's disease.
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We tested the hypothesis that BBB breakdown is associated with cognitive decline and inflammation in nondemented elders.
Why it matters
In 120 nondemented elders, this study tested whether blood-brain barrier breakdown is associated with cognitive decline and inflammation. It is an observational study of associations and does not show that treating barrier breakdown prevents or cures Alzheimer's disease.
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This was a retrospective cohort study to examine differences in health service utilization and outcomes between FFS and MA patients in SNFs following hip fracture hospitalization during the period January 1, 2011, to June 30, 2015, and followed up until December 31, 2015.
Why it matters
This study compared Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage patients with hip fracture admitted to skilled nursing facilities, examining length of stay, therapy minutes, readmission, functional change, and discharge outcomes. It aimed to identify differences in health service utilization and outcomes between the two groups.
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58/100
Total hippocampal volume has been consistently linked to cognitive function and dementia.
Why it matters
In a large population-based cohort, this study examined how subregions of the hippocampus relate to cognitive function and dementia risk. It is an observational study of brain structure and does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention.
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Of the 18,341 patients, we found that 2202 (12%) were described as "frail" in clinical notes.
Why it matters
This study looked at how often doctors described patients as 'frail' in their notes and which geriatric conditions went along with that description, including dementia. It does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
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Data collection began in Ontario and Alberta Canada in June 2015 and is expected to be completed in June 2017.
Why it matters
This is a protocol describing a planned randomized trial of an online intervention for family carers of people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia plus multiple chronic conditions. It will test whether the program improves carers' quality of life, self-efficacy, and hope, so no results on treating, curing, or preventing Alzheimer's disease are available yet.
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It shows no scale bias compared to SAGE.
Why it matters
This study found that a tablet-based version of a cognitive assessment tool showed strong association with the validated paper version and a neuropsychological battery. It is a screening and assessment tool, not a treatment, cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
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Cross-sectional associations support the view that enhancing cognitive reserve may benefit cognition, and maintenance of cognitive health may be supported by a healthy and active lifestyle, in later life.
Why it matters
In 2,315 cognitively healthy people aged 65 and over in Wales, those who were more mentally, socially and physically active, ate a healthier diet, or drank light-to-moderate amounts of alcohol scored higher on cognitive tests. Together these factors accounted for 20% of the differences in scores, and about a fifth of their link with cognition ran through "cognitive reserve". Because everything was measured at one point in time, the study cannot show that these habits cause better thinking or prevent dementia, and the authors note that cognitive reserve is hard to measure accurately.
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Non-linear associations between features of land use and cognitive impairment were confirmed in this new cohort of older people in England.
Why it matters
Among 7,505 adults aged 65+ in the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study II, living in areas with high land use mix was linked to lower odds of cognitive impairment (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.58–0.89). The similar result for dementia was not statistically significant (OR 0.70, 0.46–1.06). In conurbations, high natural environment availability was also linked to lower odds of cognitive impairment (OR 0.70, 0.50–0.97). These are one-time-point associations from postcode-linked data, so they cannot show that neighbourhood design prevents or treats dementia.
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Prospective longitudinal cohort study.
Why it matters
This study examined whether late-life body mass index and rapid weight loss affect the risk of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. It looks at risk factors over time and does not show that any treatment or prevention works.
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Vitamin D has gained interest as a potentially modifiable risk factor for dementia because of its putative neuroprotective effects.
Why it matters
In the Rotterdam Study, serum vitamin D was measured in 6,220 participants aged 55 or older and related to prevalent and incident dementia. It examines a possible modifiable risk factor but does not show that vitamin D prevents dementia.
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The MAXCOG intervention is effective in improving goal performance and satisfaction in clients with MCI and early dementia.
Why it matters
In this trial of 55 client-supporter pairs, a four-session home-based cognitive rehabilitation program improved performance and satisfaction with personal goals compared with usual treatment. This addresses everyday goal performance in people with mild cognitive impairment or early dementia, not curing or preventing the disease.
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Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is a common cause of transient cerebral hypoperfusion in the population.
Why it matters
This study examined whether orthostatic hypotension is associated with the long-term risk of developing dementia in the general population. It is observational and does not show that treating orthostatic hypotension prevents dementia.
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58/100
Recent findings Both of these leisure-time activities were associated with significant reductions in the risk of dementia in longitudinal studies.
Why it matters
This review reports that physical inactivity and lack of stimulating cognitive activity are associated with higher dementia risk in longitudinal studies, and that physical and cognitive activity may support cognitive reserve in different ways. It calls for future research to test whether lifestyle interventions combining these activities can reduce dementia, so no prevention is proven yet.
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These findings support the idea that subjective cognitive complaints may be an early clinical marker that precedes mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease.
Why it matters
This review reports that people with subjective cognitive decline are at increased risk of progression to Alzheimer's dementia and more often have positive biomarkers, but Alzheimer's disease is not the only cause of such complaints. It concerns early detection and risk and does not test any treatment, cure or prevention.
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Two themes were developed from 12 studies: caregiver needs related to the management of older people with dementia and caregivers' personal needs.
Why it matters
Pooling 12 qualitative studies of spouses and adult children caring for a relative with dementia at home, this review grouped what caregivers say they need into two areas: help managing the person (information, help with daily activities and behavioural and psychological symptoms, and formal and informal care support) and help for themselves (their own physical and psychological health, and managing their own lives). The authors say unmet needs in these areas point to where services and policy should improve. It describes needs rather than testing any support, and it offers no treatment for dementia.
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Key features of this study include the revised diagnostic criteria with improved specificity and sensitivity, an unrestricted age range, and simultaneous assessment of multiple FTLD syndromes.
Why it matters
This study estimated the prevalence, incidence, mortality and survival of frontotemporal lobar degeneration syndromes. It provides epidemiological information about these conditions, not about treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
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Despite methodological inconsistency, supporting caregivers appears to be an effective strategy often improving well-being of caregiver or care-recipient and resulting in additional benefits for society.
Why it matters
This review of 53 papers found that supportive strategies for informal dementia caregivers were often somewhat effective, with psychoeducational interventions generally helping caregivers and delaying institutionalization. The methods and findings were inconsistent, and the review does not test a treatment, cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease itself.
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The objective of this study was to compare the effects of a multisensory stimulation environment (MSSE) and individualized music sessions on agitation, emotional and cognitive status, and dementia severity in a sample of institutionalized patients with severe dementia.
Why it matters
In 22 people with severe dementia, those in the multisensory stimulation group improved more on anxiety and dementia severity scores than the music group, while both groups improved in agitation with no difference between them. This is a small study of non-drug activities for symptoms, not a treatment, cure, or prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
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58/100
Cerebral vasoreactivity (CVR) is a key factor in maintenance of continuous cerebral perfusion and a marker of (micro)vascular damage.
Why it matters
This population-based Rotterdam Study examined whether cerebral vasoreactivity relates to the risk of dementia over time. It is an observational study, so it cannot show that improving vasoreactivity prevents dementia.
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58/100
The broad importance of dementia is undisputed, with Alzheimer's disease justifiably getting the most attention.
Why it matters
This review states that dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease dementia, together called Lewy body dementias, are the second most common type of degenerative dementia in patients older than 65 years, yet receive little attention and patients are often misdiagnosed. It says effective treatments will depend on treating symptoms and targeting the pathological mechanisms of disease, ideally before symptoms and clinical signs develop, and that this will require refined diagnosis and clarified pathogenesis.
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A prolonged preclinical phase of more than two decades before the onset of dementia suggested that initial brain changes of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the symptoms of advanced AD may represent a unique continuum.
Why it matters
This systematic review reports that several cross-sectional and longitudinal population-based studies suggested a protective effect of coffee, tea and caffeine consumption, or higher plasma caffeine levels, against cognitive impairment, decline and dementia. It is based on observational studies and does not establish that drinking coffee or tea prevents dementia.
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The prevalence of MCI in adults aged 65 years and older is 10% to 20%; risk increases with age and men appear to be at higher risk than women.
Why it matters
This 2014 JAMA clinical review puts mild cognitive impairment at 10% to 20% of adults aged 65 and older, and advises clinicians to check people with MCI for depression, polypharmacy and uncontrolled cardiovascular risk factors. It found that, as of its July 2014 literature search, "no medications have proven effective for MCI", and it points instead to cardiovascular risk control, stroke prevention, and aerobic exercise, mental activity and social engagement, which "may help decrease risk of further cognitive decline". It notes that people with MCI are at greater risk of dementia than the general population, but that risk estimates vary substantially.
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The trial was performed in 109 healthy subjects and 123 SDAT patients of whom 97 healthy subjects and 104 SDAT patients completed the study.
Why it matters
In this randomized double-blind placebo- and active-controlled clinical trial, 104 SDAT patients completed 12 months of treatment with either a polyherbal test formulation or donepezil. The test formulation was effective in improving cognitive functions in SDAT patients when compared to the donepezil-treated group, as determined by digital symbol substitution and word recall tests.
From across this topic
10 of the 7,967 studies in this topic, picked by a fixed rule (a hash of each study's address), not by score or date; each page of this list shows a different 10. The same 10 appear here every time.
- Baseline Participant Characteristics in the DIAN‐TU‐001 Trial
- Predictors of cognitive impairment in an early stage Parkinson's disease cohort
- Effects of computerised cognitive training on cognitive impairment: a meta-analysis
- Community screening for dementia: the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) and Modified Mini-Mental State Exam (3MS) compared
- A pilot feasibility randomized controlled trial on combining mind-body physical exercise, cognitive training, and nurse-led risk factor modification to reduce cognitive decline among older adults with mild cognitive impairment in primary care
- The relationships between age, sex, and the incidence of dementia and Alzheimer disease: a meta-analysis
- [Neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia: psychometric aspects of the Dutch Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI)]
- Intervention to Promote Communication About Goals of Care for Hospitalized Patients With Serious Illness: A Randomized Clinical Trial
- Untreated depression and hippocampal volume loss
- The Caregiver Burden Inventory in evaluating the burden of caregivers of elderly demented patients: results from a multicenter study