Since baseline executive dysfunction predicts worsening Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (i-ADL) over time and progression to Alzheimer's Disease (AD), we aimed to analyze the role of neuropsychological variables to outline which factors can contribute to functional impairment. Specific attention to executive functions (EFs) has been given.

A total of 144 subjects complaining of different cognitive deficits – ranging from “MCI likely due to AD” to “mild AD patients” – underwent an overall neuropsychological assessment. The Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome was used to analyze EFs. We conducted multiple linear regression analyses to study whether the level of independent living skills – assessed with the Lawton-scale – could be associated with cognitive and behavioral measurements.

We found a significant association between i-ADL and specific EFs measured by Rule Shift Cards (p = 0.04) and Modified Six Elements (p = 0.02). Moreover, considering i-ADL scores, we observed an involvement of mood changes and a reduced awareness of deficits in terms of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (p = 0.02) and Awareness of Deficit Questionnaire – Dementia scale (p < 0.0001), respectively.

Our results suggest the importance of considering the association between a reduction in i-ADL and executive dysfunction in patients who have AD etiopathology, for which the ability to inhibit a response, self-monitoring, set-shifting and mood deflection play a key role. Besides, no straightforward associations between i-ADL scores and global cognition, memory, language comprehension, attention, and perspective taking abilities were found.

Objectives: Careful characterization of how functional decline co-evolves with cognitive decline in older adults has yet to be well described. Most models of neurodegenerative disease postulate that cognitive decline predates and potentially leads to declines in everyday functional abilities; however, there is mounting evidence that subtle decline in instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) may be detectable in older individuals who are still cognitively normal. Methods: The present study examines how the relationship between change in cognition and change in IADLs are best characterized among older adults who participated in the ACTIVE trial. Neuropsychological and IADL data were analyzed for 2802 older adults who were cognitively normal at study baseline and followed for up to 10 years. Results: Findings demonstrate that subtle, self-perceived difficulties in performing IADLs preceded and predicted subsequent declines on cognitive tests of memory, reasoning, and speed of processing. Conclusions: Findings are consistent with a growing body of literature suggesting that subjective changes in everyday abilities can be associated with more precipitous decline on objective cognitive measures and the development of mild cognitive impairment and dementia. (JINS, 2018, 24, 104–112)

Background: The ability to manage everyday technology (ET), such as computers and microwave ovens, is increasingly required in the performance of everyday activities and participation in society. This study aimed to identify aspects that influence the ability to manage ET among older adults with and without cognitive impairment.

Methods: Older adults with mild Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment and without known cognitive impairment were assessed as they managed their ET at home. Data were collected using the Management of Everyday Technology Assessment (META). Rasch-based measures of the person's ability to manage ET were analyzed. These measures were used as dependent variables in backward procedure ANOVA analyses. Different predefined aspects that could influence the ability to manage ET were used as independent variables.

Results: Three aspects had a significant effect upon the ability to manage ET. These were: (1) variability in intrapersonal capacities (such as “the capacity to pay attention and focus”, (2) environmental characteristics (such as “the impact of the design”) and (3) diagnostic group.

Conclusions: Variability in intrapersonal capacities seems to be of more importance than the actual level of intrapersonal capacity in relation to the ability to manage ET for this sample. This implies that investigations of ability to manage ET should also include intraperson variability. Additionally, adaptations in environmental characteristics could simplify the management of ET to support older adults as technology users.

Vers 2031, les personnes les plus âgées (85 ans et plus) pourraient composer 4 pourcent de la population totale du Canada. Ce document relève les changements constates dans le domaine de l'utilisation des soins de longue durée, des activités de la vie quotidienne (AVQ) et des activités instrumentales de la vie quotidienne (ATVQ) chez les participants les plus âgés du Aging in Manitoba Longitudinal Study, d'après trois éléments répartis sur 13 ans. Parmi les participants, 38,4 pour cent n'avaient pas eu recours aux soins de longue durée pendant la période examinée; entre 75 et 88 pour cent des participants pouvaient continuer à manger, à se déplacer dans leur maison et à se mettre au lit et à en sortir sans aide. En ce qui a trait aux activités instrumentales de la vie quotidienne, la proportion des gens qui n'avait pas besoin d'aide allait de 3 pour cent (réparations dans la maison) à 58 pour cent (se préparer une tasse de thé ou de café). Les résultats de ces analyses signalent l'hétérogénéité des aptitudes fonctionnelles des personnes très âgées et viennent enrichir la documentation portant sur cette tranche de la population.

Background: Assessing function is a crucial element in the diagnosis of dementia. This information is usually obtained from key informants. However, reliable informants are not always available.

Methods: A 10-item semi-structured home interview (the CHIF, or Clinician Home-based Interview to assess Function) to assess function primarily by measuring instrumental activities of daily living directly was developed and tested for inter-rater reliability and validity as part of the Indianapolis–Ibadan dementia project. The primary validity measurements were correlations between scores on the CHIF and independently gathered scores on the Blessed Dementia Scale (from informants) and the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE). Sensitivities and specificities of scores on the CHIF and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed with dementia as the dependent variable.

Results: Inter-rater reliability for the CHIF was high (Pearson's correlation coefficient 0.99 in Indianapolis and 0.87 in Ibadan). Internal consistency, in both samples, was good (Cronbach's α 0.95 in Indianapolis and 0.83 in Ibadan). Scores on the CHIF correlated well with the Blessed Dementia scores at both sites (−0.71, p < 0.0001 for Indianapolis and −0.56, p < 0.0001 for Ibadan) and with the MMSE (0.75, p < 0.0001 for Indianapolis and 0.44, p < 0.0001 for Ibadan). For all items at both sites, the subjects without dementia performed significantly better than those with dementia. The area under the ROC curve for dementia diagnosis was 0.965 for Indianapolis and 0.925 for Ibadan.

Conclusion: The CHIF is a useful instrument to assess function directly in elderly participants in international studies, particularly in the absence of reliable informants.