Despite the large body of research on family caregiving for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients, little has changed and the outcomes measured remain almost the same before and after 2010. The work indicates that caregivers have lower levels of health than the general population. Still additional research is required, in order to better understand and characterized the changes on caregivers' health. It is nevertheless clear that health care professionals cannot ignore these health changes and need an approach focused not only on patients but also on caregivers.
Objectives: Numerous studies have found that subjective memory improves shortly following ECT using standard self-evaluation questionnaires. These changes covary strongly with mood state while being not associated with objective memory tests or treatment parameters. This study compared patients' evaluations of the cognitive effects of ECT using a novel direct interview about subjective global impact and standard methods. Methods: We conducted a prospective, randomized, doublemasked trial of the effects of pulse width (0.3 vs. 1.5 ms) and electrode placement (right unilateral vs. bilateral) on patients' evaluations of cognitive outcomes. Subjective evaluations were obtained prior to starting and during the week following the randomized ECT course, using the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ), Squire Memory Complaint Questionnaire (SMCQ), and the novel Global Self-Evaluation of Memory (GSE-My). An extensive neuropsychological battery was administered at the same time points. Results: CFQ and SMCQ scores improved at postECT relative to preECT. At both time points, these scores were strongly associated with HRSD scores and not with objective deficits or treatment parameters. In contrast, on the GSE-My patients reported a deleterious memory effect after ECT. GSE-My scores were also associated with objective memory loss and treatment technique. Conclusions: Characterization of patients' experience of cognitive side effects following ECT differs markedly depending on the assessment method. Direct questioning about global impact revealed more negative views about ECT's impact. These results support the findings of a prospective, naturalistic, observational community study representing together the first reports of concordance between subjective and objective measures of ECT's effects on memory.
Neuroimaging research has contributed to the understanding of structural and functional differences between the brains of people suffering from Schizophrenia and those of healthy people. However, the likely pathophysiological heterogenety of Schizophrenia pose major difficulties to research, diferential diagnosis (namely, with Alzheimer-type Dementia) and treatment. In this case study, regarding a female schizophrenic patient, using brain F-18 FDG (5 mCi) Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Magnetic Ressonance Imaging (MRI) scans, it is presented the identification of impaired and preserved neural system structure and function.
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