In the elderly, research on the clarification of the change in the circadian rhythm associated with the progression of dementia

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23792697
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Community health/Gerontological nurisng
• Research Institution: University of Toyama
• Principal Investigator: teranishi keiko 富山大学, 大学院医学薬学研究部(医学), 助教 (10345580)
• Research Collaborator: NARUSE YUCHI 富山大学, 大学院医学薬学研究部(医学), 教授 (30135008) ; NIIKURA MARIKO 富山大学, 大学院医学薬学研究部(医学), 准教授 (00334730) ; SEKI MACHIKO ; KANEKO ASAMI ; TAKAKU AKIRA
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 認知症 / 概日リズム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We tried to explain numerically the state of circadian rhythm by auto-correlation analysis using activity level per nimute. The subjects were elderly people with advanced dementia. The numerical representation of the rhythm could gain definitely in 12 of twenty-two subjects; 8 showed 24-hour rhythm, 3 showed 72-hour rhythm. One of 72-hour rhythm subjects had been inferred a rhythm of 2 days act and 1 day rest by the actogram. A change in each one's rhythm with the becoming dementia worse was investigated. One case with almost 72-hour rhythm changed to 24-hour rhythm but reversal day and night type. As for another case, a range of auto-correlation coefficients become smaller with the becoming worse, though a circadian rhythm was the same; 24-hour rhythm.
In this study, we can show a numerical representation of a circadian rhythm of the elderly with advanced dementia. This can be an important resource to consider the care along the rhythm of the elderly with dementia.

Free Research Field

地域・老年看護学