The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Disentangling the Diagnoses of Psychotic Depression, Catatonia, Neurocognitive Disorders, and Delirium: A Multidisciplinary Approach
An ambiguous clinical presentation can create diagnostic uncertainty, leading to delays in effective interventions and increasing the likelihood of adverse clinical outcomes. Unfortunately, many psychiatric conditions share overlapping clinical symptoms. Psychotic depression, catatonia, neurocognitive disorders, and delirium are all examples of distinct clinical conditions with overlapping symptomatology, and all require decidedly different therapeutic interventions. While much literature is devoted to the diagnostic criteria and management of these clinical conditions, little is dedicated to the challenge of disentangling...
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - February 18, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Vinay Kotamarti Source Type: research

Cognitive Decline in Older Adults with Schizophrenia-Bipolar Spectrum Disorder
Mr. S is a 67-year-old man with psychiatric history of an unspecified psychotic disorder (schizophrenia vs schizoaffective disorder vs bipolar I disorder) and medical history of hypertension and hyperlipidemia who presented to the emergency department (ED) for inability to care for self after being picked up by emergency medical services (EMS) while wandering outside. Psychiatry was consulted due to a chart history of bipolar I disorder with concern for active mania given disorganization and agitation. (Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry)
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - February 18, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Evelina Sterina Source Type: research

Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia-like Syndrome –Atypical Presentation of Intracranial Hypotension.
We present the case of a 56 yo Male with postural headache and behavioral symptoms, initially diagnosed with bvFTD. On re-evaluation in our clinic imaging revealed caudal displacement of the midline structures suggestive of CSF hypotension. (Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry)
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - February 18, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Kasia Gustaw Rothenberg Source Type: research

Cocaine, Coffee, Constipation: (1) Leveraging Concrete Relatedness in Paraphrenia to Address Stimulant Use and (2) Monitoring Constipation with AIMS to Titrate Tetrabenazine
Our patient is a 75-year-old man, non-combat Army veteran ('66-'69), divorced, domiciled in his own apartment, retired from the post office, with a medical history of asthma and osteoarthritis, a psychiatric history of primary psychosis beginning in his late fifties (without affective symptoms, substance use, or cognitive decline with a MoCA 26/30), cocaine use disorder in partial remission, and depression in remission, one prior admission, without suicidality or violence, who follows with geriatric psychiatry for psychosis, tardive dyskinesia, and cocaine use. (Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry)
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - February 18, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Emily Phelps Source Type: research

Long Term Cognitive Impact of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Patients with Early Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration
Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is the umbrella term to describe several overlapping neurodegenerative syndromes including progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). Most patients with FTLD present initially with psychiatric symptoms such as apathy, depressed mood, and fatigue (often with a mild Parkinsonism) that almost always prove refractory to medication interventions and psychotherapy. Some patients may be recommended for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which in our clinical experience, is not effective and potentially harmfu...
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - February 18, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Aaron Ritter Source Type: research

“We agreed we would both die”: Navigating Ethical Complexities in Suicide Attempts in Older Adults
Mr. Smith was an 80-year-old man admitted to the inpatient medicine service following a suicide attempt by ingestion of an unknown amount of hydrocodone-acetaminophen and alcohol. The patient was transported by ambulance, accompanied by his daughter. His daughter was also his appointed medical power of attorney and had a copy of the patient's advance directive, where he had indicated his wish not to be resuscitated (DNR) in case of a life-threatening emergency.Soon after his arrival to the hospital, a dramatic series of events unfolded. (Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry)
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - February 18, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Michael Ward Source Type: research

EMPOWER! (Brain Health Education in Minority Communities to Promote Knowledge about Early Detection of Alzheimer's Disease and Research Participation) Curriculum
An estimated 6.7 million people are living with Alzheimer's Disease and its related dementias (ADRD) with the disease being found in about 1 in 9 people (10.8%) age 65 and older. Secondary to being often uninformed regarding the risk factors, prevention measures, the importance of early detection and having lack of access to cognitive screening, Black and Hispanic older adults are disproportionality affected by ADRD. The EMPOWER curriculum serves to address this disparity by providing patient education emphasizing risk reduction strategies for older adults and improve ADRD health literacy. (Source: The American Journal of ...
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - February 18, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Alex Pena Garcia, Veronica Derricks, Joseph Asper, Daniela Gonzalez, Miriam Rodriguez, Patricia Garcia, Francine Epperson, Angelina Polsinelli, Andrew Saykin, Sophia Wang Tags: Poster # EI1 Source Type: research

Afternoon at the Museum: Psychosocial Wellbeing and Intergenerational Connectedness among LGBT Older Adults
Loneliness and social isolation are related yet distinct issues that negatively impact the physical health and psychosocial wellbeing of older adults (Perone et al., 2019). Social isolation among older adults is associated with adverse physical and mental health risks (Huang et al., 2023). Moreover, lack of companionship increases the risk for mental health disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and suicide (Donovan et al., 2020). In particular, LGBTQ+ older adults are at a heightened risk of both loneliness and social isolation (Perone et al., 2019). (Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry)
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - February 18, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Xiaochen Zhong, Chloe Cheng, Nathaniel Jenkins, Peter Ureste, Tammy Duong Tags: Poster # EI2 Source Type: research

Life Story Club for Cognitively Impaired Older Adults
Creative expression programs such as storytelling have been shown to increase positive emotion in elders with cognitive impairment. The LifeStory club is a community-based social group founded to promote community building and the exchange of life stories in older adults. Our pilot study explored the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of the LifeStory Club on improving the wellbeing of older adults with mild cognitive impairment (loneliness and depression) and their caregivers (caregiver burden). (Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry)
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - February 18, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Katherine Valles, Miriam Stock, Linnea Guerin, Lily Zhou, Jessica Zwerling, Mirnova Ceide Tags: Poster # EI3 Source Type: research

Life Story Books as A Reminiscence Therapy Tool for Dementia: An Updated Review From 2018-2023
The global burden of dementia is expected to rise to 74.7 million in 2030. There has been increasing evidence that reminiscence therapy improves cognition and depressive symptoms in individuals with dementia. Digital life story books (LSB), which gather autobiographical memories into video books, have emerged as an increasingly popular tool of RT. There has been limited research into the preferences of dementia patients, the efficacy of different types of LSBs, or optimal way to implement LSBs in diverse care settings. (Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry)
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - February 18, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Monica Sadhu, Ashish Sarangi Tags: Poster # EI4 Source Type: research

Association Between Caregivers' Pain Severity and Relationship Stress Among Persons Living with Dementia and Their Caregivers During COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic placed economic and social strains on the population globally, and particularly on family caregivers for persons living with dementia who were tasked with keeping persons living with dementia safe and cared for while physically distancing at home. Pandemic caregiving duties may have been particularly stressful for caregivers self-reporting pain, as pain is known to interfere with daily function and well-being. Unknown is whether pain influenced the care dynamics between the caregiver and persons living with dementia during a stressful pandemic period. (Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry)
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - February 18, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Johanna Keller, Brandon C. Yarns, Mark A. Lumley, Amanda Leggett Tags: Poster # EI5 Source Type: research

Examining the Plasma Ab42/40 Ratio in the Context of Memory Disorder Clinics
This study aimed to assess plasma Aβ's utility in a real-world memory clinic setting with an emphasis on patient heterogeneity. (Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry)
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - February 18, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Margaret Gunter, Ram Bishnoi Tags: Poster # EI6 Source Type: research

Alzheimer's Disease-Related Psychosis is Positively Correlated with Preserved Hippocampal Volume
Psychosis presents as delusions and/or hallucinations, and occurs in approximately 41% of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, leading to accelerated decline in cognitive function. Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the presence of overall brain cortical atrophy, which is most notable in association areas and the limbic system, including the hippocampus. However, associations between neuroanatomical changes in AD and AD-related psychosis are not well studied, in particular as they relate to APOE4, which may play a stronger modulatory role in females when compared to males. (Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry)
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - February 18, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Jonathan Fan, Luis Fornazzari, Nathan Churchill, David Munoz, Tom Schweizer, Ayad Fadhel, Corinne E. Fischer Tags: Poster # EI7 Source Type: research

Is There Evidence for Using Ketamine Among Individuals with Dementia?
Multiple studies have found positive effects of ketamine for potential use in several acute and chronic psychiatric conditions, including its use in treatment resistant depression, bipolar disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, substance use disorder, eating disorders, delirium prevention and pain. Its use has been proposed in persons with dementia, based on its effect on neuroinflammation and stimulation of neurotrophic factors.The aim of this review is to evaluate the existing literature on the clinical use of ketamine among individuals with dementia especially among those individuals wit...
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - February 18, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Arushi Kapoor, Tanya Peguero Estevez, Natsuko Yamagata, Carol Chan, Kyra Doumlele, Rajesh R. Tampi Tags: Poster # EI8 Source Type: research

Increased Suicide Risk after Diagnosis of Dementia/MNCD: Clinical Recommendations for Outpatient Transitions
The psychological impact on a patient after being diagnosed with dementia/major neurocognitive disorder (MNCD) is varied, but studies report that patients may have feelings of anxiety and depression1-2 and increased suicide risk.3-6 Long term hospital stays increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.7 On geropsychiatric units, this allowed older adult patients to stabilize from acute psychiatric conditions so they could be evaluated for MNCD. The transition of care from inpatient to outpatient settings poses a risk for such patients newly diagnosed with MNCD, since continuity of care can be lost during this process. (Source: T...
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - February 18, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Hannah Lynch, Helen Kyomen Tags: Poster # EI9 Source Type: research