Italian Revised Memory and Behavior Problems Checklist

Nella pagine seguenti sono riportate le istruzioni di somministrazione della versione Italiana della check list RMBPC di Teri et al. (1992). Le proprietà psicometriche della versione italiana sono state descritte da Ottoboni et al. (In press)

Can early counselling and support for Alzheimer's disease caregivers reduce burden? Study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial

Background: The activity of “caregiving” for people affected with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with an augmentation in health problems (anxiety, depression, stress, increased mortality), as well as in social and financial problems. Different methods of counselling, to reduce caregiver anxiety and depression, have been shown to be effective. Methods/Design: This study will be a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-endpoint (PROBE) controlled superiority trial with two parallel groups. Two hundred and sixty-four caregivers of AD patients will be randomly allocated to the modified Mittelmann psychosocial intervention or an educational intervention. The treatment will consist of 6 hours of counselling and psychosocial support to caregivers, administered by psychologists, along with a specific telephone support service, whereas the active control treatment will be 6 hours of general information about AD. The primary endpoint is change in caregiver burden measured with the Zarit Burden Interview. Secondary endpoints comprise caregiver depression, anxiety and quality of life. All endpoints will be measured at baseline, 6, 12 and 24 months post treatment. Discussion: The results of this trial will be helpful to supply the efficacy of early counselling and psychosocial support for AD caregivers and offer in-depth useful information for stakholders and policy makers to implement strategies for caregivers. Trial registration: Clinical Trials.gov identifier: NCT02685787; registered on 6 February 2016. Ethics: This trial has been approved by Umbria Ethical Review Committee, Italy and will be performed in accordance with the norms on Good Clinical Practice and the Helsinki Declaration. Informed consent: Written informed consent will be obtained from the caregivers

Cognitive and Psychological Sequelae of COVID-19: Age Differences in Facing the Pandemic

Literature about the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is currently focusing on the potential cognitive and neuropsychiatric sequelae observed in individuals receiving intensive care unit (ICU) treatments. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the differences in cognitive and psychological sequelae of COVID-19 between younger and older adults, regardless of being admitted to the ICU or not. The study involved 299 recovered individuals (from 18 to 90 years old), who underwent a comprehensive cognitive and psychological assessment. Linear regression models were conducted separately for Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL) scores to investigate the effect of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics on them. Separate linear regression models were then applied sorting participants by age: younger adults (<65 years) and older adults (≥65 years). In the whole sample, PCL scores were predicted by the intensity of care received, by being intubated, and by the persistence of cough after 1 month after hospitalization. Only age had instead an effect on cognition. In younger adults, PCL scores were predicted by the presence of neurological symptoms, by the intensity of care received, and by being intubated; MoCA scores were only predicted by the intensity of care received. No significant associations were found in older adults. Psychological negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic particularly affect individuals under 65 years old, who also subjectively report cognitive sequelae associated with the infection. Individuals over 65 years old, instead, seem to be free from psychological and cognitive difficulties due to COVID-19

Risk and protective factors of psychological distress in patients recovered from COVID-19: the role of cognitive reserve

Recent studies reported the development of psychological distress symptoms in patients who recovered from COVID-19. However, evidence is still scarce and new data are needed to define the exact risk and protective factors that can explain the variability in symptoms manifestation. In this study, we enrolled 257 patients who recovered from COVID-19 and we evaluated the levels of psychological distress through the Symptoms Checklist-90-R scale. Data concerning illness-related variables were collected from medical records, while the presence of subjective cognitive difficulties, both before and after the illness, as well as the level of the cognitive reserve (CR), were assessed over a clinical interview. Results revealed that being female and reporting the presence of subjective cognitive difficulties after COVID-19 were associated with higher levels of psychological distress. At the same time, being admitted to the hospital and having a high CR were protective factors. Adding new information to this emerging research field, our results highlight the importance of a complete psychological and cognitive assessment in patients with COVID-19

Confounders in the detection of minimal hepatic encephalopathy: a neuropsychological and quantified EEG study

Background and Aims: Chronic alcohol misuse, HCV infection and cirrhosis may cause cognitive alterations. The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of alcohol misuse, HCV infection and cirrhosis per se on the neuropsychological and electroencephalogram (EEG) profile and to evaluate the role of alcohol misuse and HCV infections as potential confounding factors in the detection of minimal hepatic encephalopathy. Methods: A comprehensive neuropsychological profile and EEG spectral parameters were obtained in six age‐matched groups of 30 subjects each: (i) HCV‐related hepatitis without cirrhosis, (ii) chronic alcohol abusers, (iii) patients with HCV‐related cirrhosis, (iv) alcohol‐related cirrhosis, (v) cirrhosis not related to alcohol or HCV and (vi) healthy subjects. Cirrhotic patients were matched for MELD score. Results: The factor ‘cirrhosis’ was associated with low Phonemic Verbal Fluency (PVF) and Difference between Trail Making Test B and A (TMT) (B‐A) (P &lt; 0.001). Chronic alcohol misuse was associated with low PVF, TMT (B‐A), Memory with Interference Task at 10 (ITM 10) and 30 s (ITM 30) (all P &lt; 0.05). An interaction was found between the factors ‘cirrhosis’, ‘alcohol misuse’ and tests (P &lt; 0.01). HCV hepatitis reduced ITM 10 (P &lt; 0.05), but no interaction was found between ‘cirrhosis’, ‘HCV infection’ and tests (P = 0.14). The EEG parameters were mainly influenced by ‘cirrhosis’ (P &lt; 0.05), and EEG alterations were more pronounced in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (P = 0.04). Conclusions: Cirrhosis per se, chronic alcohol misuse and HCV infection were found to be associated with cognitive dysfunction. In patients with cirrhosis, the interaction with alcohol misuse further impinged on brain dysfunction