Alzheimer Disease: Berrut G

Vellas B, Gauthier S, Allain H, Andrieu S, Aquino JP, Berrut G, Berthel M, Blanchard F, Camus V, Dartigues JF, Dubois B, Forette F, Franco A, Gonthier R, Grand A, Hervy MP, Jeandel C, Joel ME, Jouanny P, Lebert F, Michot P, Montastruc JL, Nourhashemi F, Ousset PJ, Pariente J, Rigaud AS, Robert P, Ruault G, Strubel D, Touchon J, Verny M, Vetel JM, Anonymous00344. · CHU Casselardit, Toulouse. · Rev Neurol (Paris). · Pubmed #16244574 No free full text.

Abstract: Under the auspices of the French Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics, a multidisciplinary team including geriatritians, neurologists, epidemiologists, psychiatrists, pharmacologists and public health specialists developed a consensus on care for patients with severe dementia. They defined 21 recommendations for general practitioners, long-term care physicians and specialists based on knowledge available in 2005. At all stages of the disease, the objective of care is to improve as much as possible quality-of-life for the patient and his/her family, including a life project until the end of life. It is always possible to do something for these patients and their family: nutritional status, behavior disorders, and incapacities to deal with basic activities of daily life have to be taken in consideration. Resource allocation and proximity care have to be targeted. Research areas necessary to improve the care of patients with severe dementia has been selected.

Gillette Guyonnet S, Abellan Van Kan G, Alix E, Andrieu S, Belmin J, Berrut G, Bonnefoy M, Brocker P, Constans T, Ferry M, Ghisolfi-Marque A, Girard L, Gonthier R, Guerin O, Hervy MP, Jouanny P, Laurain MC, Lechowski L, Nourhashemi F, Raynaud-Simon A, Ritz P, Roche J, Rolland Y, Salva T, Vellas B, Anonymous00256. · No affiliation provided · J Nutr Health Aging. · Pubmed #17315079 No free full text.

Abstract: Weight loss, together with psychological and behavioural symptoms and problems of mobility, is one of the principal manifestations of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Weight loss may be associated with protein and energy malnutrition leading to severe complications (alteration of the immune system, muscular atrophy, loss of independence). Various explanations have been proposed such as atrophy of the mesial temporal cortex, biological disturbances, or feeding behaviours; however, none has been proven. Prevention of weight loss in AD is a major issue. It requires regular follow-up and must be an integral part of the care plan. The aim of this article is to review the present state of scientific knowledge on weight loss associated with AD. We will consider four points: the natural history of weight loss, its known etiological factors, its consequences and the various management options.

Vellas B, Gauthier S, Allain H, Andrieu S, Aquino JP, Berrut G, Berthel M, Blanchard F, Camus V, Dartigues JF, Dubois B, Forette F, Franco A, Gonthier R, Grand A, Hervy MP, Jeandel C, Joel ME, Jouanny P, Lebert F, Michot P, Montastruc JL, Nourhashemi F, Ousset PJ, Pariente J, Rigaud AS, Robert P, Ruault G, Strubel D, Touchon J, Verny M, Vetel JM. · No affiliation provided · J Nutr Health Aging. · Pubmed #16222399 No free full text.

This publication has no abstract.

Annweiler C, Paccalin M, Berrut G, Hommet C, Lavigne C, Saint-André JP, Beauchet O. · Department of Geriatrics and Internal Medicine, Angers University Hospital, Angers Cedex 9, France. · Vasc Health Risk Manag. · Pubmed #19337561 links to  free full text

Abstract: The association of angiitis of central nervous system (ACNS) with cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) suggests a physiopathological relationship between these two affections. Few cases are reported in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). We describe here a clinicopathological case associating ACNS, CAA, and AD. We discuss the aetiology of ACNS and its relationship with cerebral deposition of beta A4 amyloid protein (betaA4).

Beauchet O, Allali G, Berrut G, Hommet C, Dubost V, Assal F. · Department of Geriatrics, Angers University Hospital France. · Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. · Pubmed #18728766 links to  free full text

Abstract: Gait disorders are more prevalent in dementia than in normal aging and are related to the severity of cognitive decline. Dementia-related gait changes (DRGC) mainly include decrease in walking speed provoked by a decrease in stride length and an increase in support phase. More recently, dual-task related changes in gait were found in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and non-Alzheimer dementia, even at an early stage. An increase in stride-to-stride variability while usual walking and dual-tasking has been shown to be more specific and sensitive than any change in mean value in subjects with dementia. Those data show that DRGC are not only associated to motor disorders but also to problem with central processing of information and highlight that dysfunction of temporal and frontal lobe may in part explain gait impairment among demented subjects. Gait assessment, and more particularly dual-task analysis, is therefore crucial in early diagnosis of dementia and/or related syndromes in the elderly. Moreover, dual-task disturbances could be a specific marker of falling at a pre-dementia stage.

Allain P, Le Gall D, Foucher C, Etcharry-Bouyx F, Barré J, Dubas F, Berrut G. · Centre Mémoire de Ressources et de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Angers, France. · Cortex. · Pubmed #18387558 No free full text.

Abstract: We examined script representation in 26 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) compared to 31 healthy elderly subjects (HE). Participants were asked to sort cards describing actions belonging to eight scripts according to the script to which they belonged and according to their order of execution. Each script included actions which were low in centrality and distinctiveness (non-central actions and non-distinctive actions--NCA & NDA), and which were high in centrality (central actions--CA), distinctiveness (distinctive actions--DA), centrality and distinctiveness (central actions and distinctive action--CA & DA). These actions were presented in three conditions. In the first condition (scripts with headers--SH), the 43 actions belonging to three different scripts were given with each script header written on separate cards. The second condition (scripts without headers--SwH) used 46 actions belonging to three other scripts, but no script header was provided. In the third condition (scripts with distractor header--SDH), the 28 actions belonging to two other scripts were given with each script header and a distractor header written on separate cards. The results showed that performance of subjects with AD was significantly lower in all conditions. Overall, AD patients made significantly more sequencing errors than HE subjects. AD patients also committed significantly more sorting errors than HE subjects for all types of actions (NCA & NDA, CA, DA, CA & DA). These data are consistent with the view that AD produces impairment of both the syntactic and semantic dimensions of script representation.

Allain P, Chaudet H, Nicoleau S, Etcharry-Bouyx F, Barré J, Dubas F, Berrut G, Le Gall D. · Centre Mémoire de Ressources et de Recherche, CHU Angers. · Rev Neurol (Paris). · Pubmed #17351541 No free full text.

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Executive dysfunction is regularly reported in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Nevertheless few studies have focused on planning ability in this neurodegenerative disease. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the formulation and the execution of plans in Alzheimer's disease using an ecological planning subtask derived from the Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome test battery, the "Zoo Map Test". There are two trials. The first trial consists of a "high demand" version of the subtask in which the subjects must plan in advance the order in which they will visit designated locations in a zoo (formulation level). In the second, or "low demand" version, the subject is simply required to follow a concrete externally imposed strategy to reach the locations to visit (execution level). The test was given to 16 patients with Alzheimer's disease and 13 normal elderly subjects. RESULTS: The two way ANOVAs mainly showed more difficulties in patients with Alzheimer's disease than in healthy elderly in both conditions. The difference between formulation and execution was greater in patients with Alzheimer's disease than in healthy elderly. Planning impairments mainly correlated with behavioural changes (in particular motivational changes) observed by patient's relatives. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that patients with Alzheimer's disease have some problems to mentally develop logical strategies and to execute complex predetermined plans, which are partially related to behavioural changes.

Hommet C, Hureaux R, Barré J, Constans T, Berrut G. · No affiliation provided · Aging Clin Exp Res. · Pubmed #18007124 No free full text.

Abstract: A diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with an increased risk of unprovoked seizures. In this observational study, we analyzed first seizures in a sample of elderly subjects with AD hospitalized in an acute geriatric care unit. Only 2.5% of the hospitalized AD patients were admitted for a first seizure. The seizures are not necessarily symptomatic of AD. Symptomatic cause must be ruled out in order to classify the syndrome before introducing antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). In practice, only recurrent unprovoked seizures or symptomatic location- related epilepsy with a high risk of recurrence should be treated with AEDs.