Neuroscience
Harvey PD, Moriarty PJ, Kleinman L, Coyne K, Sadowsky CH, Chen M, & Mirski DF. The validation of a caregiver assessment of dementia: the Dementia Severity Scale. Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders. 2005 Oct-Dec; 19(4): 186-194.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to refine and validate the Dementia Severity Scale (DSS), a newly developed assessment of dementia severity from a caregiver's perspective. The Dementia Severity Scale is designed to measure deficits in activities of daily living (ADL), behavioral disturbances, and the caregiver's perception of the patient's current cognitive abilities. METHODS: Community dwelling caregiver/patient dyads were recruited from 12 clinical sites. Patients had a primary dementia diagnosis for at least one year. In this cross-sectional study, caregivers were administered the Dementia Severity Scale, the Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease (QOL-AD), the Progressive Deterioration Scale (PDS), and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Patients were administered the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the QOL-AD. To evaluate test-retest reliability, 25% of caregivers were randomized to a second visit. RESULTS: One hundred eighty-three caregiver/patient dyads were recruited. Mean caregiver age was 67.5; mean patient age was 78.8; 93% of patients had probable Alzheimer disease. Eighty-eight (48.1%) patients were male. Exploratory factor analysis established 6 subscales (Activities of Daily Living [ADL], Instrumental ADL [IADL], Communication, Agitation, Memory, and Disorganized Thinking). Cronbach's alphas ranged from 0.82 to 0.90 for the 6 subscales. Test-retest reliability was good with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.79 to 0.89. DSS subscales were moderately-to-highly correlated with the QOL-AD, NPI, MMSE, and PDS. Subscales significantly discriminated among severity levels of dementia, identified by both physician ratings and MMSE scores. CONCLUSION: The Dementia Severity Scale demonstrated excellent psychometric properties and appears to be useful both in clinical practice and research endeavors. Further research is needed to establish the longitudinal sensitivity of the Dementia Severity Scale to the progression of dementia.
PMID: 16327345 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Anthony H. Risser | neuroscience | neuropsychology | brain
- Computerized Cognitive Testing: A New Cogstate Paper
Reliability of repeated cognitive assessment of dementia using a brief computerized battery American Journal of Alzheimers Disease and Other Dementias. 2011 Jun; 26(4): 326-333. Hammers D, Spurgeon E, Ryan K, Persad C, Heidebrink J, Barbas N, Albin R,...
- Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Alzheimer's Disease
Relationships Between Behavioral Syndromes and Cognitive Domains in Alzheimer Disease: The Impact of Mood and Psychosis American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2011 Nov 1; Koppel J, Goldberg TE, Gordon ML, Huey E, Davies P, Keehlisen L, Huet S, Christen...
- Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Alzheimer Drug Regimens & Delivery Systems
Bassil, N & Grossberg, GT. (2009). Novel regimens and delivery systems in the pharmacological treatment of Alzheimer's disease. CNS Drugs, 23(4), 293-307. The mainstay of current management of patients with Alzheimer's disease involves drugs that...
- Abstract Of The Day: Alzheimer Disease
Cummings JL, McRae T, & Zhang R. (2006). Effects of donepezil on neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with dementia and severe behavioral disorders. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 14(7), 605-612. Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry and...
- Abstract Of The Day: Dementia And Caregiver Quality Of Life
Thomas P, Lalloue F, Preux PM, Hazif-Thomas C, Pariel S, Inscale R, Belmin J, & Clement JP. Dementia patients caregivers quality of life: The PIXEL study. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2005 Dec 2; [Epub ahead of print] University Department...
Neuroscience
Abstract of the Day: Caregiver Rating Scale in Alzheimer Disease
Harvey PD, Moriarty PJ, Kleinman L, Coyne K, Sadowsky CH, Chen M, & Mirski DF. The validation of a caregiver assessment of dementia: the Dementia Severity Scale. Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders. 2005 Oct-Dec; 19(4): 186-194.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to refine and validate the Dementia Severity Scale (DSS), a newly developed assessment of dementia severity from a caregiver's perspective. The Dementia Severity Scale is designed to measure deficits in activities of daily living (ADL), behavioral disturbances, and the caregiver's perception of the patient's current cognitive abilities. METHODS: Community dwelling caregiver/patient dyads were recruited from 12 clinical sites. Patients had a primary dementia diagnosis for at least one year. In this cross-sectional study, caregivers were administered the Dementia Severity Scale, the Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease (QOL-AD), the Progressive Deterioration Scale (PDS), and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Patients were administered the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the QOL-AD. To evaluate test-retest reliability, 25% of caregivers were randomized to a second visit. RESULTS: One hundred eighty-three caregiver/patient dyads were recruited. Mean caregiver age was 67.5; mean patient age was 78.8; 93% of patients had probable Alzheimer disease. Eighty-eight (48.1%) patients were male. Exploratory factor analysis established 6 subscales (Activities of Daily Living [ADL], Instrumental ADL [IADL], Communication, Agitation, Memory, and Disorganized Thinking). Cronbach's alphas ranged from 0.82 to 0.90 for the 6 subscales. Test-retest reliability was good with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.79 to 0.89. DSS subscales were moderately-to-highly correlated with the QOL-AD, NPI, MMSE, and PDS. Subscales significantly discriminated among severity levels of dementia, identified by both physician ratings and MMSE scores. CONCLUSION: The Dementia Severity Scale demonstrated excellent psychometric properties and appears to be useful both in clinical practice and research endeavors. Further research is needed to establish the longitudinal sensitivity of the Dementia Severity Scale to the progression of dementia.
PMID: 16327345 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
-
Anthony H. Risser | neuroscience | neuropsychology | brain
- Computerized Cognitive Testing: A New Cogstate Paper
Reliability of repeated cognitive assessment of dementia using a brief computerized battery American Journal of Alzheimers Disease and Other Dementias. 2011 Jun; 26(4): 326-333. Hammers D, Spurgeon E, Ryan K, Persad C, Heidebrink J, Barbas N, Albin R,...
- Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Alzheimer's Disease
Relationships Between Behavioral Syndromes and Cognitive Domains in Alzheimer Disease: The Impact of Mood and Psychosis American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2011 Nov 1; Koppel J, Goldberg TE, Gordon ML, Huey E, Davies P, Keehlisen L, Huet S, Christen...
- Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Alzheimer Drug Regimens & Delivery Systems
Bassil, N & Grossberg, GT. (2009). Novel regimens and delivery systems in the pharmacological treatment of Alzheimer's disease. CNS Drugs, 23(4), 293-307. The mainstay of current management of patients with Alzheimer's disease involves drugs that...
- Abstract Of The Day: Alzheimer Disease
Cummings JL, McRae T, & Zhang R. (2006). Effects of donepezil on neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with dementia and severe behavioral disorders. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 14(7), 605-612. Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry and...
- Abstract Of The Day: Dementia And Caregiver Quality Of Life
Thomas P, Lalloue F, Preux PM, Hazif-Thomas C, Pariel S, Inscale R, Belmin J, & Clement JP. Dementia patients caregivers quality of life: The PIXEL study. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2005 Dec 2; [Epub ahead of print] University Department...