The study of relationship between the way-finding task and neurological assessments in Alzheimer''s disease

• Main Authors: Chen Hui-Mei, 陳惠媚
• Other Authors: 劉景寬
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2001
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/24628735868408838821

碩士 === 高雄醫學大學 === 行為科學研究所 === 89 === Abstract The major symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are various kinds of cognitive dysfunctions. Through patients with mild-to-moderate AD show physical movement impairment, this would be involved the safety of their functional mobility. Unsafe functional mobility is the most common spatial disorientation among the mild-to-moderate demented Alzheimer''s disorder patients. This study aims at understanding the different functional locomotion of Alzheimer''s disorder patients using a way-finding task and further examining the predicted factors. 24 ambulatory patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer''s disease and 23 normal control subjects were recruited. All subjects received CDR, way-finding tasks( forward and backward ruotes), CASI-memory subtest, VOSP-spatial subtests, VMI and topographic orientation test. Independent t-tests, chi-square test, ANOVA and discriminant analysis were used in data analysis. There were significant differences between AD and control groups in 2nd and 4th sub-routes of the forward routes. It also showed significant differences between AD and control groups in 2nd , 3rd and 4th subroutes of the backward routes. Patients performed better on the directional way-finding tasks than environmental. The scores of memory, spatial perception, visuoconstructional and topographic orientation in the AD group and differed significantly from the control group. Discriminant analysis identified two predictors, CASI short-term memory subtest and VOSP—position discrimination subtest, for the environmental way-finding ability in the forward routes; two predictor, CASI short-term memory subtest, for the directional way-finding ability in the backward routes; one predictor, CASI short-term memory subtest, for the environmental way-finding ability in the backward routes. Two results of this study suggest: 1) using directional landmarks on signage system and plan configuration could decrease incorrect way-finding and reduce independent functional mobility of AD. 2) short-term memory and spatial perception are the major predictors for unsafe functional locomotion.