TITLE:
Characteristic Autonomic Nervous Activity of Institutionalized Elders with Dementia
AUTHORS:
Shoko Fuji, Tetsuya Tanioka, Yuko Yasuhara, Miki Sato, Ken Saito, Marguerite J. Purnell, Rozzano Locsin, Toshiyuki Yasui
KEYWORDS:
Elderly Dementia, Actigraph, Heart Rate Variability, Autonomic Nervous Activity, Behavior
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Psychiatry,
Vol.6 No.1,
December
29,
2015
ABSTRACT: This study clarified the characteristic autonomic nervous activity of institutionalized elders diagnosed with dementia using Hasegawa’s Dementia Scale-Revised. Twenty-six healthy adult persons (HPs) in their 20 s - 40 s met the inclusion criteria, and 16 persons (27.6 ± 8.2 years old) completed the research procedure. Of 70 persons with dementia (PDs) residing at the one geriatric health services facilities, only 24 persons met the inclusion criteria, and only nine (N = 9, 83.44 ± 9.45 years old) completed the procedure. Actigraph and ambulatory electrocardiographic instruments measuring autonomic nervous activity were attached to the subjects for 24 hours. Activities and behaviors of PDs and HPs were observed by clinically experienced staff nurses and care workers. High frequency (HF) power indicating parasympathetic activity and LF/HF ratio indicating sympathetic activity were calculated. When awake, PDs’ LF/HF ratio was significantly lower than HP’s (Z = -2.60, p