This study evaluated whether reaction times (RT) and performance variability are potential markers for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cognitively healthy elderly (n = 218), persons with amnestic MCI (a-MCI) (n = 29) and patients with AD (n = 50) were examined with RT tasks with increasing complexity, subdividing RT into a decision and a movement component. Persons with cognitive deterioration demonstrated more intra-individual variability and more slowing than cognitively healthy elderly. The slowing in AD affects both the cognitive and the motor component, while performance variability mainly affects the cognitive component of the RT. Although in a-MCI not all differences reached statistical significance, primarily the cognitive component of the RT is affected in a-MCI. Intra-individual variability and RT of the complex tasks are the best predictors for a-MCI and AD status, respectively. We conclude that performance variability can be regarded as a useful preclinical marker for AD.

Elderly nursing home residents complaining of fatigue need to be taken seriously, because they show worse muscle endurance, which is related to poorer mobility. Inflammatory processes involving TNF-alpha and the interaction between IL-6 and Hsp70 are related to poorer muscle endurance in these patients.

Cervical spine mobilization is feasible and can improve swallowing capacity in cognitively impaired residents in nursing homes. Given the acute improvements following treatment, it is probably best provided before meals.

Background: Palliative care and Advance Care Planning (ACP) are increasingly recommended for an optimal management of late-stage dementia. In Belgium, euthanasia has been decriminalized in 2002 for patients who are "mentally competent" (interpreted as non-demented). It has been suggested that advance directives for euthanasia (ADE) should be made possible for dementia patients. Objective: This study presents the results of an internet survey among Belgian dementia specialists.