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Gullibility may be a warning sign of Alzheimer's disease dementia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 June 2018

Tomoharu Yamaguchi ,
Yohko Maki ,
Masamitsu Takatama  and
Haruyasu Yamaguchi
Tomoharu Yamaguchi*
Affiliation:
Department of Rehabilitation, Gunma University of Health and Welfare, Gunma, Japan Gunma University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Gunma, Japan
Yohko Maki
Affiliation:
National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan
Masamitsu Takatama
Affiliation:
Geriatrics Research Institute and Hospital, Gunma, Japan
Haruyasu Yamaguchi
Affiliation:
Gunma University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Gunma, Japan Tokyo Dementia Care Research and Training Center, Tokyo, Japan
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Tomoharu Yamaguchi, 6/F, Maebashi Plaza Genki 21 Building, 2-12-1 Hon-machi, Maebashi, Gunma 371-0023, Japan. Phone: +81-27-210-1294; Fax: +81-27-260-1294. Email: yamaguchi@shoken-gakuen.ac.jp.
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Abstract

Background:

Theory of Mind reasoning, which plays a pivotal role in social interaction, is required to detect deception. Empirically, those with cognitive decline are vulnerable to deception.

Methods:

Participants were 45 healthy elderly adults with clinical dementia rating (CDR) 0, and 76 outpatients: 25 with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI, CDR 0.5), 34 with mild Alzheimer's disease dementia (ADD, CDR 1), and 17 with moderate ADD (CDR 2). The task consisted of two single-frame cartoons that depicted a character with an intention to deceive another character using social signs of gaze and pointing, and participants are provided clue questions to detect the character's intentions.

Results:

The percentage of participants who detected the character's intention decreased with ADD progression (CDR 0, 82.2%; CDR 0.5, 48.0%; CDR 1, 29.4%; and CDR 2, 0%). Total score (0–6) also decreased with ADD progression (CDR 0, 4.4 +/−1.1; CDR 0.5, 3.0 +/−1.3; CDR 1, 2.9 +/−1.5; and CDR 2, 1.6 +/−0.9).

Discussion and Conclusions:

The present study demonstrated that those with aMCI have difficulty in detecting other's deceiving intentions, when the intention was shown implicitly using social signs. In a previous study, we have reported that mild ADD showed difficulties in detecting intention, while aMCI succeeded in detection when the intention was depicted explicitly. These results together suggested that those with aMCI is vulnerable to deception when the intention was shown implicitly using non-verbal cues, while ADD may fail to detect the intention even when the intention was shown explicitly.

Keywords

dementiacarersAlzheimer's disease (AD)
Type
Original Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 31 , Issue 3: Issue Theme: Caregiving for People with Dementia , March 2019 , pp. 363 - 370
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2018 

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