• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.71-78
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• 2014

Objectives : Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia(BPSD) represent significant clinical problems, resulting in functional decline, caregiver distress, institutionalization and increased mortality. A recent study showed gender differences have important role in the development of BPSD, but relationship between BPSD and gender has never been studied in Korea. This study was designed to examine whether patients with Alzheimer's disease show gender differences in behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia(BPSD). Methods : Ninety-eight subjects with Alzheimer's disease were included in this study. We carried out history taking and cognitive assessment for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease based on DSM-IV. Cognitive impairment and BPSD were measured using the Mini Mental State Examination(MMSE), Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), Clinical Dementia Rating(CDR) and the Korean Neuropsychiatric Inventory(K-NPI). Independent samples t-test was used to examine the differences across gender in BPSD. Correlation analysis between MMSE, CDR, GDS and NPI was performed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results : There were no significant gender differences between the gender in BPSD. We found statistically significant negative correlations between MMSE with NPI total score, and with scores of several sub-domains such as hallucination. Conclusions : This study showed that gender differences in BPSD are not significant. Further research is necessary to identify whether BPSD affect gender differences or individual differences.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 2018

Objectives : The aim of this study is to investigate correlation between degree of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and neurocognitive function along with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in Korean patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods : Participants were 115 elderly subjects diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment in this retrospective study. WMH in brain MRI were rated with standardized visual rating scales (Fazekas scales) and the subjects were divided into two groups according to Fazekas scale. Cognitive function was evaluated with Korean version of the consortium to establish a registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD-K), and BPSD was evaluated with Korean neuropsychiatric inventory (K-NPI). Independent t-test was performed to analyze the relationship between the degree of WMH and neurocognitive functions & BPSD. Results : Especially, the group with high severity of WMH showed significantly lower language fluency (p<0.05). In addition, the group with high severity of WMH showed significantly higher score in K-NPI. Conclusions : There was a significant association between WMH and neurocognitive test related with executive function. Moreover, WMH seems to affect BPSD severity. Evaluation of WMH would provide useful information in clinical settings.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.301-314
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to provide clinical evidence to support the use of herbal medicine combined with western medicine for BPSD. Methods: Studies were identified by searching CNKI, Pubmed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, SCIENCEON, RISS, KMbase, KISS, OASIS. Literature searches of Chinese, English, and Korean databases were performed. Two authors independently extracted the data and evaluated the quality of each study. Results: The literature search identified 203 articles. Of these, 7 were selected for the analysis. The risk of bias in most studies was unclear. The most frequently used diagnostic tools were the NINCDS-ADRDA and DSM-IV. The most commonly used results indicator was NPI. In 6 of the 7 papers, combination treatment (herbal & Western medicine) was statistically significantly more effective than single treatment (Western medicine alone) for BPSD. No significant adverse events were reported. Conclusions: Herbal medicine in combination with Western medicine is more effective for treating BPSD than Western medicine alone. However, the quality of the studies used in this study was uncertain and the sample size was too small. Based on the findings of this study, more high-quality clinical trials are needed to confirm the efficacy of combination treatment.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.200-207
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• 2016

Objectives : Alzheimer's disease(AD) is characterized by progressive decline of cognitive function and also by various behavioral psychological symptoms of dementia(BPSD) which causes distress to their caregivers. The purpose of this study was to investigate association between each AD patients' behavioral psychological symptoms and their caregivers' burden. Methods : Participants were 80 AD patients and their caregivers. We used Korean neuropsychiatric inventory (K-NPI) to assess the symptoms of patients and Korean version of Zarit Burden Interview(ZBI) to evaluate caregivers' burden. Results : The results showed ZBI score, which is the index for caregivers' burden, had a statistically significant positive correlation with the frequency of delusion, hallucination, agitation/aggression, depression, anxiety, disinhibition and irritability, the severity of hallucination, agitation/aggression, anxiety, disinhibition, aberrant motor, and sleep, and the global score(frequency${\times}$severity) for delusion, hallucination, agitation/aggression, depression, anxiety, disinhibition, aberrant motor, and sleep. There were significant correlations between each scale for cognitive function(i.e. MMSE-KC, CDR, GDS) and ZBI scale. Correlations between each scale for activity of daily living(i.e. Barthel -ADL, K-ADL) and ZBI scale were also significant. Conclusions : There were a significant correlation between BPSD and caregiver burden. Caregiver burden was also correlated with cognitive function and activity of daily living. Early detection and preventive treatment of these symptoms in BPSD might make improvement of caregivers' quality of life as well as AD patients'.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.255-266
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• 2015

Objective : The aim of this study was to examine the effects of the Home-based Multi-component Activity Program (Home-MAP) for the maintenance activities of daily living (ADL) for patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) and on caregiver burden for caregivers. Methods : Nine mild AD patients and family caregivers. The Home-MAP was performed 1d/wk, for a total of 10 times over 10 weeks. Results : After the 10 sessions, participants' motor and process skills scores on the AMPS were found to have significantly improved (p=.028 and p=.028, respectively). The BPSD frequency score on the R-MBPC was found to be significantly reduced (p=.017). The BPSD symptoms related to caregiver reaction score on the R-MBPC and distress score on the NPI-Q were significantly reduced (p=.039 and p=.018, respectively). Conclusions : The Home-MAP appears to have contributed to the improvement of patients' capabilities in performing in ADL, to a reduction of BPSD, and to a reduction of burden related to BPSD.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.143-153
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors predicting behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in persons with dementia. Factors including the patient, caregiver, and environment based on the multi-dimensional behavioral model were tested. Methods: The subjects of the study were 139 pairs of persons with dementia and their caregivers selected from four geriatric long-term care facilities located in S city, G province, Korea. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, inverse normal transformations, Pearson correlation coefficients, Spearman's correlation coefficients and hierarchical multiple regression with the SPSS Statistics 22.0 for Windows program. Results: Mean score for BPSD was 40.16. Depression (${\beta}=.42$, p<.001), exposure to noise in the evening noise (${\beta}=-.20$, p=.014), and gender (${\beta}=.17$, p=.042) were factors predicting BPSD in long-term care facilities, which explained 25.2% of the variance in the model. Conclusion: To decrease BPSD in persons with dementia, integrated nursing interventions should consider factors of the patient, caregiver, and environment.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.210-219
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• 2010

Purpose: The study evaluated the determinants of caregiving self-efficacy among dementia caregivers. Methods: Data were collected through a structured questionnaire survey from dementia sufferers and caregivers by nurses or social workers caring for dementia sufferers at health centers during July to September 2007. Multiple stepwise regression analysis using SAS Version 9.1 was performed to examine the determinants of caregiving selfefficacy. Results: Factors affecting caregiving self-efficacy were behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), activities of daily living (ADL), and age of dementia sufferer. Conclusion: To increase dementia caregivers' self-efficacy, there is a need to reduce difficulties of dementia caregivers in caring BPSD and increasing the ADL level of dementia sufferers by providing guidelines of care and intervention programs for BPSD and ADL management.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.391-399
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• 2017

Objectives: To determine the effects of Korean medicine on behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) of an Alzheimer's disease (AD) patient. Methods: A 85-year old female patient diagnosed with AD was treated with herbal medicine formula Chungsimyeonja-tang (淸心蓮子湯), Woohwangchungsim-won (牛黃淸心元), and acupuncture. Korean version of Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE-K) scores were used at baseline and post treatment as outcome measures to evaluate clinical symptoms of the patient. Results: Improvements in MMSE-K post treatment scores were observed compare to those at baseline. BPSD were also alleviated. Such changes were visually noticeable. Conclusions: Herbal medicine and acupuncture treatment were effective in alleviating symptoms of AD. Further studies with a larger sample size and randomized clinical trials are needed to obtain more reliable and valid treatment outcomes.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.459-469
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine different patterns of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and caregiver burden according to dementia type. Data were collected from June 2014 to December 2014 from five nursing homes. In all, 214 patients [131 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 83 patients with Vascular dementia (VD)] were included in the study. BPSD and caregiver burden data were examined using NPI-NH (Neuropsychiatric Inventory Nursing Home Version). According to the results, both the AD and VD group showed the highest frequency in apathy/indifference and the frequency of anxiety, elation/euphoria, and irritability/lability was significantly higher in the AD group than in the VD group. The difference in total BPSD composite scores between the AD and VD groups was not significant but agitation/aggression was significantly higher in the AD group than in the VD group. The mean score for caregiver burden was significantly higher in the AD group than in the VD group, particularly in agitation/aggression. In conclusion, BPSD differed according to dementia type, and nurses should provide specific interventions to control BPSD; a program to reduce caregiver burden according to dementia type is also needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2012

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of training in exercise rehabilitation on depressive emotion, behavioral and psychological symptoms(BPSD) caused by Alzheimer's disease elders. Methods : The subjects of this study were 34 patients with Alzheimer's disease over 65 and assigned randomly into one of two groups, each with 17 people. The experimental group was treated by training in exercise rehabilitation executed 60 minutes, 3 times a week for 8 weeks. The results of the experiment were analyzed using samples t-test along with averages and standard deviations as the statistical methods for data analyses. Results : The results of this study were as follows. First, the experimental group showed statistically significant improvements in the areas of depressive emotion(SGDS) compared to control group. Second, the experimental group showed statistically significant improvements in the severity of behavioral and psychological symptoms and subjective degrees of pain of care givers(NPI-Q) compared to control group. Conclusion : Based on the results of this study, training in exercise rehabilitation have an effect on depressive mood and BPSD in elderly with Alzheimer's disease.