Associations between apathy and comprehensive frailty as assessed by the Kihon Checklist among community-dwelling Japanese older adults

Association Between the Use of Information and Communication Technology Tools and Each Domain of Cognitive Function Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to determine the association between the use of information and communication technology (ICT) tools, such as mobile voice calling, e-mail, and video calling, and cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS

For the 220 included participants aged ≥65 years, baseline surveys conducted from 2017 to 2018 assessed demographics. Additionally, cognitive function domains were evaluated using the Word List Memory Task, Trail Making Test, and Symbol Digit Substitution Task on a tablet PC. Later, in 2021, follow-up mail surveys assessed the use of ICT tools, including mobile voice calling, e-mail, and video calling.

RESULTS

Multivariate-adjusted logistic regression models revealed that a higher Symbol Digit Substitution Task score was significantly associated with the use of mobile voice calling (odds ratio [OR] = 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.13), e-mail (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04-1.15), and video calling (OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.003-1.09) after adjusting for covariates.

CONCLUSIONS

 This study's findings suggest that processing speed may be related to the use of the three ICT tools assessed in this study among community-dwelling older adults, regardless of tool type. The use of these ICT tools may be challenging for older adults with decreased processing speed. Therefore, preventive interventions should include early recognition of the decline in processing speed and implementation of strategies to compensate for reduced processing speed, such as simplifying processes and habituation procedures, to enable the use of ICT tools by older adults.

Common Characteristics Between Frailty and Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1: A Narrative Review

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is an inherited neuromuscular disorder often considered a model of accelerated aging due to the early appearance of certain age-related clinical manifestations and cellular and molecular aging markers. Frailty, a state of vulnerability related to aging, has been recently studied in neurological conditions but has received considerably less attention in neuromuscular disorders. This narrative review aims to describe 1) the common characteristics between Fried's frailty phenotype criteria (muscular weakness, slow gait speed, weight loss, exhaustion/fatigue, and low physical activity) and DM1, and 2) the psychological and social factors potentially contributing to frailty in DM1. This review gathered evidence suggesting that DM1 patients meet four of the five frailty phenotype criteria. Additionally, longitudinal studies report the deterioration of these criteria over time in DM1. Patients also exhibit psychological/cognitive and social factors that might contribute to frailty. Monitoring frailty criteria in the DM1 population could help to implement timely preventions and interventions to reduce the disease burden and severity of frailty symptoms.

Associations of Frailty with Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease: A Longitudinal Study

Background

Frailty is a vulnerability state increasing the risk of many adverse health outcomes, but little is known about the effects of frailty on neuropsychiatric health.

Objective

To explore the associations between frailty and the risk of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) in Alzheimer's disease (AD), especially in its different clinical stages.

Methods

We included 2,155 individuals assessed using modified frailty index-11 (mFI-11), Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q) in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). The relationships between frailty and NPSs were explored with logistic regression models and Cox proportional hazard regression models. Causal mediation analyses were conducted to explore the mediation factors between frailty and NPSs.

Results

Among mild cognitive impairment (MCI) participants, frailty was cross-sectionally associated with an increased risk of apathy, and longitudinally associated with increased risk of depression and apathy. Among AD participants, frailty was cross-sectionally associated with increased risk of depression and anxiety, and longitudinally associated with an increased risk of apathy. Among participants with cognitive progression, frailty was associated with increased risk of depression and apathy. In MCI participants, the influence of frailty on NPSs was partially mediated by hippocampus volume, whole brain volume, and monocytes, with mediating proportions ranging from 8.40% to 9.29%.

Conclusions

Frailty was associated with NPSs such as depression, anxiety, and apathy among MCI, AD, and cognitive progression participants. Atrophy of the hippocampus and whole brain, as well as peripheral immunity may be involved in the potential mechanisms underlying the above associations.