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O2‐12‐03: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation to the Left Parietal Lobe Combined with Training Improves Naming and Digit Span in People with Dementia
Author(s) -
Roncero Carlos Tyler,
Chertkow Howard,
Vogt Heike,
Malus Melanie,
Service Erik,
Solomon Shelley
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2016.06.462
Subject(s) - transcranial direct current stimulation , stimulation , memory span , psychology , brain stimulation , dementia , audiology , perseveration , physical medicine and rehabilitation , stroke (engine) , neuroscience , cognition , medicine , working memory , disease , mechanical engineering , engineering
real-world environment in which participants were required to walk down closed corridors (24 trials). These corridors varied according to contour (straight; u-shaped; s-shaped), dynamic visual cue (present, absent), lighting level (low: 20 lux; high: 190 lux) and route direction (forward, backward). Our primary measure of performance was task time. Movements of the pelvis and of each foot were recorded using wireless inertial measurement units (Xsens MTw), from which location was also extracted using dead-reckoning analysis. SMI eye-tracking glasses wereworn to record fixation duration and location. Results: Both patient groups demonstrated poorer performance compared to controls overall. As route complexity increased, poor performance in patient groups was emphasised relative to controls. PCA patients exhibited the worst performance for more complex routes, followed by tAD patients. Additionally, a subgroup of participants in both patient groups demonstrated profound spatial disorientation within these routes. Overall fixation position in PCA patients was lower than that in control participants, presumably as a consequence of visual impairment. We explore patterns of performance and predictors of hesitation during route following in relation to gait, eye-tracking and neuropsychological measures. Conclusions: Results indicate that not only PCA but also tAD patients experience problems with spatial navigation even when following a closed route within a simplified environment. Detailed gait and location analysis provide insights into the complex interplay between environmental and patient characteristics. O2-12-03 TRANSCRANIAL DIRECT CURRENT STIMULATION TO THE LEFT PARIETAL LOBE COMBINEDWITH TRAINING IMPROVES NAMING AND DIGIT SPAN IN PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA Carlos Tyler Roncero, Howard Chertkow, Heike Vogt, Melanie Malus, Erik Service, Shelley Solomon, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada. Contact e-mail: tcroncero@gmail.com