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Temporal shifts in peak daily activity in Alzheimer's disease
Author(s) -
Ghali Laura M.,
Hopkins Robert W.,
Rindlisbacher Peter
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.930100612
Subject(s) - evening , sunset , alzheimer's disease , disease , medicine , confusion , activity monitor , degenerative disease , psychology , gerontology , physical activity , physical therapy , physics , astronomy , psychoanalysis
Clinicians caring for Alzheimer patients have observed that some individuals show increased agitation, restlessness and confusion in the late afternoon, evening or at night. This has popularly been named ‘sundowning’ or ‘the sundowning syndrome’. Despite its obvious clinical importance, little research has been conducted to investigate abnormal activity patterns in patients with Alzheimer's disease. In this study, rest–activity patterns were examined using and electronic monitor with a movement sensor. Eighteen patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease were monitored for 48 consecutive hours each. Analyses indicated that some subjects showed increased activity around the time of sunset, and that these individuals were most likely to be in the middle stages of the disease. Subjects in the early stages of the disease showed peak activity before sunset, while those in the late stage showed peak activity after sunset. This progressive phase shift with increasing years of illness is a previously unreported phenomenon which may offer an explanation for the ‘sundowning syndrome’.