Journal

The Japanese journal of neuropsychology

[Vol.34 No.1 contents]
Japanese/English

Full Text of this Article
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ArticleTitle The ability of Alzheimer's disease patients to use everyday objects and the usefulness of a remote-control task
Language J
AuthorList Masaki Kondo, Yoko Teduka, Toshiki Mizuno
Affiliation Department of Neurology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine
Publication Japanese Journal of Neuropsychology: 34 (1), 74-82, 2018
Received Mar 27, 2017
Accepted Nov 29, 2017
Abstract Patients with Alzheimer's disease exhibit memory disturbance from an early stage, and later show difficultly using everyday objects. In addition, their impaired usage of electrical appliances is drawing attention. In this study, we conducted two investigations of Alzheimer's disease outpatients:an investigation into their ability to use everyday objects, and the evaluation of a task using a simple television remote controller (remote-control task).
In the initial investigation of their ability to use everyday objects, the patients frequently showed difficulty using electrical appliances, especially a television remote controller.
In the remote-control task, one quarter of the Alzheimer's disease patients showed an incorrect usage. The Alzheimer's disease patients could push the buttons of the remote controller without any difficulty, and the score of the remote-control task was also correlated with that of the MMSE. Overall, the results suggest that impaired remote controller usage is associated with the severity of dementia and another non-apraxic factor.
Keywords Alzheimer's disease, everyday objects, electrical appliances, remote-control task

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