Introduction: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional stage between normal cognition and dementia. A review showed that 10-15% of those with MCI annually progressed to Alzheimer's disease. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with MCI as well as the characteristics of cognitive deficits among older people in rural Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional study in 482 people who were 60 years old and over was conducted in northern Thailand. The assessments were administered by trained occupational therapists using demographic and health characteristics, Mental Status Examination Thai 10, Activities of Daily Living -Thai Assessment Scale, 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic (MoCA-B, Thai version). Results: The mean age of MCI was 68.3 ± 6.82 years, and most had an education ≤4 years. The prevalence of MCI in older people was 71.4% (344 out of 482), and it increased with age. Low education and diabetes mellitus (DM) were the significant risk factors associated with cognitive decline. Older people with MCI were more likely to have an education ≤4 years (RR 1.74, 95% CI 1.21-2.51) and DM (RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.04-1.36) than those who did not. The 3 most common cognitive impairments according to MoCA-B were executive function (86%), alternating attention (33.1%) and delayed recall (31.1%). Conclusion: The prevalence of MCI in older Thai people in a rural area is high compared with that in other countries. The explanation might be due to low education and underlying disease associated with MCI. A suitable program that can reduce the prospects of MCI in rural Thailand is needed.MoCA Thai version that showed lower prevalences (43.5%) in a younger group that had a mean age of MCI at 57.12 ± 7.48 years and had higher income and a better education [8]. Compared to other countries, the results were consistent with the study in Saudi Arabia using MoCA Saudi Arabian version where the assessment was also done in a community-based setting. Their overall prevalence of cognitive impairment was 72.5%, and the mean age of the sample group was 67 ± 6 years. However, after adjustment of the education-cutoff scores, their prevalence of MCI was reduced to 38.6%. The Saudi Arabian study also showed that 42

Cognitive frailty (CF) is defined by the coexistence of physical frailty and mild cognitive impairment. Malnutrition is an underlying factor of age-related conditions including physical frailty. However, the evidence associating malnutrition and cognitive frailty is limited. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the association between malnutrition and CF in the elderly. A total of 373 participants aged 65–84 years were enrolled after excluding those who were suspected to have dementia and depression. Then, 61 CF and 45 normal participants were randomly selected to measure serum prealbumin level. Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic (MoCA-B). Modified Fried’s criteria were used to define physical frailty. Nutritional status was evaluated by the Mini Nutritional Assessment–short form (MNA-SF), serum prealbumin, and anthropometric measurements. The prevalence of CF was 28.72%. Malnourished status by MNA-SF category (aOR = 2.81, 95%CI: 1.18–6.67) and MNA-SF score (aOR = 0.84, 95%CI = 0.74–0.94) were independently associated with CF. However, there was no correlation between CF and malnutrition assessed by serum prealbumin level and anthropometric measurements. Other independent risk factors of CF were advanced age (aOR = 1.06, 95%CI: 1.02–1.11) and educational level below high school (aOR = 6.77, 95%CI: 1.99–23.01). Malnutrition was associated with CF among Thai elderly. High-risk groups who are old and poorly educated should receive early screening and nutritional interventions.

These findings provide new and important information regarding seasonal effects on the sleep-wake cycle, the rest-activity rhythm and quality of life in older community-dwelling people living in two different Asian climates. Consequently, clinical preventions targeting such seasonal variations might be useful for improving the quality of life of older Japanese and Thai individuals.

Introduction: Caring for people with dementia can be stressful and demanding. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to investigate the problems and needs of caregivers who help older people with dementia to do activities of daily living. Method: Thirty caregivers who took older people with dementia to get treatment at a memory clinic in a hospital in the north of Thailand were interviewed using a semistructured interview. Transcribed data were analysed using inductive analysis. Findings: The analysis generated five themes related to problems experienced by caregivers: toileting is the hardest job, lifting causes back pain, loss of memory problems, economic hardships and psychological distress. These issues aggregated into support needs from three sources: information and rehabilitation services from health professionals, assistance with everyday tasks from family members and financial support from society. Conclusion: The findings reveal that the kind of support Thai caregivers seek from various groups differs according to their perceived expertise and availability. Further studies are needed to explore how that assistance might be delivered and whether it is in fact helpful.

Introduction: Cognitive deterioration in older people with mild neurocognitive disorders (mNCD) increases the risk of progress to major NCD. Health professionals worldwide are trying to find strategies for prevention. There is a limited number of studies that deal with cultural conditions in northern Thailand. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of a combination of physical movement activity and multifaceted cognitive training on cognitive function in older people with mNCD. Methods: A randomized control trial involving 70 mNCD people, according to DSM-5 criteria, was conducted on an intervention group and a control group (n = 35 each). The program for the intervention group included 24 sessions (twice a week). The outcome measures on cognitive function were assessed before and after the intervention by means of composite cognitive measures for older people, i.e., the Trail-Making Test (TMT), Digit Span (DS), Verbal Fluency (VF), Word-List Learning (WLL), and Block Design (BD). Results: The combined intervention enhanced cognitive function. TMT-A was significantly improved in the intervention group. There were significant improvements in DS sequence scores, letter verbal fluency (LVF), and category verbal fluency (CVF). Comparing the groups, there were significant differences in LVF including immediate and delayed recall. BD improved significantly in the intervention group. Conclusions: The combined intervention appeared to be effective in delaying/preventing cognitive deterioration and cognitive functional decline in people with mNCD. Further studies on a variation of treatments suited to cultural conditions and their effects are needed. Trials in other communities are also recommended.