Social cognition in older people with dementia: Comparison with social cognitive development in children and its clinical application.

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26750198
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: Gunma University of Health and Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Yamaguchi Tomoharu 群馬医療福祉大学, リハビリテ－ション学部, 教授 (50641461)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 認知症 / 社会的認知 / 表情

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To compare the social cognition trajectory between older people with dementia and children, social cognition in 165 preschool and elementary school children was assessed using Yamaguchi facial expression-making task (Y-FEMT). Results were compared with those for older people with dementia. Y-FEMT scores for children improved with age. Scores on the face’s fundamental structure improved in the early stages; scores on the ability to make emotional facial expressions subsequently improved in contrast to the trajectory of declining scores for older people with Alzheimer-type dementia due to disease progression.
A survey of 380 health and social service professionals caring for older people with dementia, revealed low awareness of social cognition, but over 80% of the participants regarded social cognition a useful indicator in caring for older people with dementia.

Free Research Field

認知症