Dement Neurocogn Disord.  2015 Jun;14(2):76-82. 10.12779/dnd.2015.14.2.76.

Cognitive Therapy Combined with Drug Treatment in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease: A Neuropsychological and Positron Emission Tomography Investigation, a Pilot Study

• Na H
• Kim S
• Kim YK
• Park MH
• Cho ST
• Kim WJ

• KMID: 2443005
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12779/dnd.2015.14.2.76

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Cognitive therapy may have therapeutic benefit in patients with early Alzheimer's disease (AD).
CASE REPORT
This was a 12-week, single-blind pilot study of 4 patients with AD. The cognitive therapy included exercises for orientation to time and place; memory training, including face-name association, object recall training, and spaced retrieval; visuo-motor organization using software; similarity and ruled based categorization; and behavior modification and sequencing (e.g., making change, paying bills). The regional cerebral metabolic abnormalities and the effects of treatment on cortical metabolic responses were evaluated using 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (PET). After 12 weeks, the participants showed slight improvement in some neuropsychological measures, and three of them showed increased regional cortical metabolism on brain PET studies.
CONCLUSIONS
Cognitive therapy may stabilize or improve cognitive and functional performance of patients with early AD and increase regional cortical metabolism of the patients' brain.

Keyword

cognitive therapy; Alzheimer's disease; 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography

MeSH Terms

Alzheimer Disease*
Behavior Therapy
Brain
Cognitive Therapy*
Exercise
Humans
Learning
Metabolism
Pilot Projects*
Positron-Emission Tomography*

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Findings in subdomains with Lowenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment test.

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  Fig. 2 At baseline, regional hypometabolism through brain regions of the parietal cortex and temporo-occipital cortex was detected.

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  Fig. 3 Three patients showed changes in regional metabolism after cognitive therapy. However, no significant improvement in regional metabolism was detected in patient 4.

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