Alzheimer's Disease Behaviors from Past Self Identities

University Of Michigan At Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor MI

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION: (provided by applicant) The long term objectives of this research program are to 1) build nursing knowledge of the relationships between memory, cognitive, and behavioral changes in Alzheimer?s Disease (AD) and 2) apply this knowledge to develop nursing interventions for AD behaviors. Behavior changes in AD are a significant burden for caregivers and nursing, yet little is known about how memory and cognitive changes contribute to AD behaviors. A subset of AD behaviors; behaviors from past self identities (BPI) are hypothesized to occur due to memory and cognitive changes in AD. The specific aims of this proposal are to compare 1) self-identity memory and fluency and 3) selective attention between AD subjects with BPI and those without BPI. BPI are potentially disturbing behaviors in which the person with AD behaves as if still active in their past self identity and may result in elopement or other at risk behaviors. Nursing knowledge about these behaviors and effective interventions are limited.