[Behavioral factors and sensorial identificatory deficits as predictors for dementia of the Alzheimer's type]. / Factores de comportamiento y déficit sensoriales identificatorios como predictores de la demencia tipo Alzheimer.

INTRODUCTION: Several behavior factors had been studied as associated to Alzheimer, but not its prediction power. AIM: To examine whether five behavior variables (psychosocial introversion, coping deficit, apathy, demotivation and perception blockade) could predict the beginning of dementia in mild cognitive impairment initially non dementia cases, after a six-year follow-up period. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 197 mild cognitive impairment non dementia cases (mean: 72.6 years) and an equal number age, gender, schooling and familial income matched normal cases (mean: 73.0 years) were selected to participate from an university data base of older than 60 year people initiated at 1994 for epidemiologic multifactorial studies. Behavior variables were recovery by means of a protocol, applied directly or with the help of relative caregivers, and designed under the hypothetical theory of Alzheimer as a conclusion of a progressive psychosocial capsuletion's process. RESULTS: Introversion, coping deficit, apathy and demotivation appear as frequently and progressive but not necessarily simultaneously or unchained factors, but with possibility of reversion or taking a different way. Perception blockade (three identificatory component of senses impairment at least) seems like the irreversible phase in the process, with near 100% of previous detection for the final diagnostic of Alzheimer's cases. CONCLUSION: Perception blockade, in spite of its great fluctuation and individual variations, appears as more objective, easy, non invasive and firmly as reveille and predictor of this dementia, and we suggest that it appears as the immediate cause of the wide reported histopathological disorders by way of a disintegration of neural net owing to the normal reinforcement deficit.

Factores de comportamiento y déficit sensoriales identificatorios como predictores de la demencia tipo Alzheimer / Behavioral factors and sensorial identificatory deficits as predictors for dementia of the Alzheimer´s type

Introducción. Se sabe que diversos comportamientos se hallan asociados a la demencia tipo Alzheimer, pero no se ha explorado su poder predictor. Objetivo. Determinar si en adultos mayores de 60 años inicialmente con afectaciones cognitivas o ejecutivas sin demencia, cinco factores de comportamiento (introversión psicosocial, déficit de afrontamiento de pérdidas personales, apatía, desmotivación y bloqueo perceptivo) pueden predecir dicha demencia. Sujetos y métodos. 197 personas con déficit cognitivo leve sin demencia (edad media: 72,6 años) e igual número con envejecimiento normal (edad media: 73 años), igualadas en edad, género, escolaridad e ingresos, se seleccionaron de una base de datos iniciada en 1994 para estudios epidemiológicos multifactoriales. Se utilizó un protocolo aplicado bien directamente o a través de familiares cuidadores, y diseñado especialmente bajo la teoría hipotética del Alzheimer como la culminación de un proceso progresivo de aislamiento social. Resultados. La introversión, el déficit de afrontamiento de las pérdidas personales, la apatía y la desmotivación se muestran frecuentes y los dos últimos progresivos pero no siempre simultáneos o encadenados, aunque con la posibilidad de reversión o de tomar un camino diferente al Alzheimer. El bloqueo perceptivo (déficit de al menos tres componentes identificatorios de los sentidos) aparece como la instancia irreversible del proceso, con cerca del 100% de detección previa a los casos diagnosticados como Alzheimer. Conclusiones. El bloqueo sensorial, pese a ser fluctuante y variable individualmente, es el indicador más objetivo, no invasivo, sencillo y firme como diana y predictor del curso hacia esta demencia. Se conjetura que el déficit sensorial identificatorio puede causar la desintegración de las redes neuronales por déficit de reforzamiento y conducir a las alteraciones de las funciones cerebrales típicas del Alzheimer

Introduction. Several behavior factors had been studied as associated to Alzheimer, but not its prediction power. Aim. To examine whether five behavior variables (psychosocial introversion, coping deficit, apathy, demotivation and perception blockade) could predict the beginning of dementia in mild cognitive impairment initially non dementia cases, after a six-year follow-up period. Subjects and methods. 197 mild cognitive impairment non dementia cases (mean: 72.6 years) and an equal number age, gender, schooling and familial income matched normal cases (mean: 73.0 years) were selected to participate from an university data base of older than 60 year people initiated at 1994 for epidemiologic multifactorial studies. Behavior variables were recovery by means of a protocol, applied directly or with the help of relative caregivers, and designed under the hypothetical theory of Alzheimer as a conclusion of a progressive psychosocial capsuletion’s process. Results. Introversion, coping deficit, apathy and demotivation appear as frequently and progressive but not necessarily simultaneously or unchained factors, but with possibility of reversion or taking a different way. Perception blockade (three identificatory component of senses impairment at least) seems like the irreversible phase in the process, with near 100% of previous detection for the final diagnostic of Alzheimer’s cases. Conclusion. Perception blockade, in spite of its great fluctuation and individual variations, appears as more objective, easy, non invasive and firmly as reveille and predictor of this dementia, and we suggest that it appears as the immediate cause of the wide reported histopathological disorders by way of a disintegration of neural net owing to the normal reinforcement deficit