Delirium is common among old patients admitted to hospital, but is often a neglected problem in patient care. The principal aim of this thesis was to evaluate aspects of delirium in relation to incidence, risk factors, behavioural changes, cognitive function and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). A further aim was to describe patients’ experiences of being delirious. The study was prospective, descriptive and comparative, with repeated measures (six-month follow up). The sample consisted of 225 consecutive patients, aged 65 years or older, who were to be operated on due to hip fracture or hip replacement. Exclusion criteria were serious cognitive disorder or delirium on admission. Data were collected via frequent daily observations, cognitive functioning tests (MMSE), HRQOL questionnaires (SF-36) and interviews. Delirium was assessed according to the DSM-IV criteria. A total of 45/225 became delirious, with an incidence of 24.3% among patients undergoing hip fracture surgery and 11.7% among those with hip replacement surgery. A predictive model for delirium included four factors: impaired hearing, passivity, low cognitive functioning, and waiting more than 18h for hip fracture surgery. Disorientation and urgent calls for attention were the most frequent behavioural changes in the prodromal phase prior to delirium. Delirium in connection with hip fracture revealed deteriorated HRQOL and cognitive functioning when measured at a six-month follow-up. The experience of being delirious was described by the patients as a sudden change of reality. Such an experience gave rise to strong emotional feelings, as did recovery from delirium. Nurses’ observations of behavioural changes in old patients with impaired cognitive function may be the first step in managing and reducing delirium. The predictive model of delirium ought to be tested further before use in clinical practice.

Background: The survival rates for very low birthweight (VLBW; birthweight ≤1500 g) children are increasing, but they run a greater risk than controls of developing neurosensory disabilities and other functional problems during childhood. However, there is a great need for more knowledge regarding long-term outcome to adulthood in VLBW subjects. Aims: To evaluate long-term outcomes in a regional cohort of VLBW children born in 1987-88 regarding hospital readmissions, morbidity, neurological conditions, cognitive function, reading skills, school achievements, behaviour, growth, general health, and social functioning in relation to gender, neonatal risk factors, disability and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) findings. Study design: Prospective longitudinal case-controlled long-term regional follow-up. Material and Methods: A total of 86 (80.4%) children (47 boys out of 60 and 39 girls out of 47 live-borns) survived the neonatal period and were recruited to the follow-up study. A total of 86 term controls (45 boys and 41 girls) were included from the newborn period. Readmissions, hospital diagnoses, need of habilitation and child psychiatric care were checked in registers to 15 years of age. The VLBW children were enrolled in the follow-up study at 40 weeks gestational age and at 4, 9, and 15 years of age in assessing neurological conditions. At 15 years of age, the groups were assessed in cognition (WISC III), reading skills, school outcome, behaviour, vision and growth. Fifty-nine (69%) VLBW children were examined using cerebral MRI. Physical and mental health, weight and height, education, and socio-economic situation were assessed at 20 years of age in 77/85 VLBW and 69/84 control subjects by means of postal questionnaires. Results: VLBW boys had three times more readmissions compared with control boys (p=0.003). Gestational age below 30 weeks, birthweight less than 1000 g, and mechanical ventilation were neonatal risk factors for readmissions. Five (5.8%) children had moderate/severe cerebral palsy, 5 (5.8%) had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and 1 was blind due to retinopathy of prematurity. VLBW children were inferior in neurological function in comparison with controls at 40 weeks of gestational age and 4 and 15 years of age. Fourteen of 56 (25%) VLBW children without overt disability had abnormal MRI findings. Mechanical and/or intraventricular haemorrhages (IVH) were significantly related to less favourable neurological outcome. VLBW children performed significantly lower than their controls on a few reading variables and on WISC III. Half of them had IQ lower than 85. Ten VLBW children with IQ < 70 had not been clinically identified earlier and a majority of these children attended mainstream school. Small head circumference correlated with low IQ. Mechanical ventilation and IVH correlated with lower IQ and poorer reading skills. At 20 years of age, the VLBW subjects did not differ significantly from the controls in self-perceived health, education, occupation and way of living. Conclusions: Most VLBW subjects were without major health problems up to 20 years of age and had attended mainstream schools. The presence of IVH and mechanical ventilation during the neonatal period negatively influenced health outcomes. VLBW children without overt neurological disability performed somewhat less well in neurological examinations in comparison with controls. VLBW children achieved poorer results in cognitive tests, but reading skills made a catch-up to 15 years of age. A majority of VLBW subjects managed transition to adulthood similar to that of controls. / Bakgrund: Överlevnaden för nyfödda barn med mycket låg födelsevikt (1500 g eller lägre; VLBW) har ökat avsevärt under de senaste årtionden och man finner nu att ca 90 % av barnen skrivs ut från neonatalavdelningar. Risken för cerebral pares (CP) har visat sig vara ökad jämfört med barn födda i fullgången tid. Studier visade att VLBW-barn som kommit upp i skolåldern hade högre frekvens av läs- och skrivsvårigheter, oftare behövde specialundervisning, samt hade högre grad av beteendeproblem jämfört med klasskamrater. Uppföljningsstudier var tidigare mestadels gjorda på populationer från större sjukhus, kontrollgrupp saknades eller inlemmades efter flera år, uppföljningstiden var kort och flera viktiga områden av barnets utveckling var ofullständigt undersökta. I Sverige saknades en studie med långtidsuppföljning av VLBW-barn födda under en tidsperiod då alltfler barn hade börjat erhålla andningshjälp med respirator. Socioekonomiska förhållanden i Sverige kan inte heller helt och hållet jämföras med flertalet andra länder. Syfte: Den här avhandlingens syfte var att studera hur det går för VLBW-barn upp till 15 års ålder avseende sjuklighet, motoriska funktioner, kognitiva funktioner, skolprestationer och beteende, samt vid 20 års ålder avseende hälsotillstånd, sysselsättning och boende. Undersökningsresultaten relaterades till nyföddhetsfaktorer och fynd vid magnet resonans-undersökning (MRI) av hjärnan vid 15 års ålder. Material och metoder: 86 överlevande VLBW-barn samt 86 barn födda i fullgången tid från 1/2 1987 till 30/4 1988 i sydöstra sjukvårdsregionen (Jönköpings, Kalmar och Östergötlands län) har ingått i studien. Uppgift om antalet sjukhusinläggningar och huvuddiagnos inhämtades från Slutenvårdsregistret, Epidemiologiskt centrum, Socialstyrelsen. Uppgifter om antalet barn med CP, ADHD, mental retardation och barnpsykiatriskt vårdbehov inhämtades från habiliteringscentraler och barnpsykiatriska kliniker i regionen. Information om skolbetyg från 9:e årskursen och skolgång inhämtades från kommunerna. Neurologiska och motoriska undersökningar utfördes på barn utan synligt handikapp enligt särskilda protokoll såväl neonatalt som vid 4, 9 och 15 års ålder. Vikt och längd, kognitiv test (WISC III), lästester och MRI undersökning (enbart VLBW-barn) gjordes vid 15 års ålder. Barn och föräldrar fick fylla i formulär om beteende. Vid 20 års ålder (december 2007) fick deltagarna tre frågeformulär: ett studiespecifikt med frågor om hälsa, vikt och längd, användning av tobak och alkohol, gymnasiestudier, nuvarande sysselsättning och boende; SF-36, som belyser fysisk kapacitet, allmän hälsa, vitalitet och psykiskt välbefinnande; samt KASAM (känsla av sammanhang), som belyser hur man upplever sitt eget sätt att fungera, uppdelat i begriplighet, hanterbarhet och meningsfullhet. Resultat: VLBW-barn (mest pojkar) vårdades oftare på sjukhus under första levnadsåren jämfört med kontroller. Infektioner och neurologiska sjukdomar dominerade för både VLBW-pojkar och -flickor. Fem (5.8 %) VLBW-barn hade måttlig/svår CP och fem hade ADHD. Hjärnblödning eller respiratorbehandling under nyföddhetsperioden var de faktorer som oftast var relaterade till sämre hälsotillstånd. Det var ingen skillnad i antal barn med behov av barnpsykiatrisk vård mellan grupperna. Det var ingen skillnad i summering av 9 slutbetyg mellan grupperna, men VLBW-pojkar hade lägre betyg i matematik och teknologi jämfört med sina kontroller. VLBW-barnen var lättare och kortare, men skillnaderna var störst mellan VLBW-flickor och deras kontroller. VLBW-barnen (fr.a. pojkarna) presterade lägre i neurologiska undersökningar, samt i kognitiva test. Tio av tolv av barnen som hade IQ under 70 var tidigare inte kända. Det fanns skillnader mellan grupperna i lästester, men signifikant enbart i ett test. Jämfört med lästester vid 9 års ålder hade VLBW-barnen gjort en upphämtning. Det framkom inga skillnader i beteende mellan grupperna, men VLBW-flickor uppgav färre beteendeproblem än sina kontroller. Vid 20 års ålder framkom inga skillnader i självuppskattad hälsa eller behov av vårdkontakter och läkemedel mellan grupperna. Tobaksanvändning var lika i grupperna, men fler i VLBW-gruppen var icke-användare av alkohol. Det var ingen signifikant skillnad i andel som gått ut gymnasiet, nuvarande sysselsättning eller boendeform mellan grupperna. Det var inga signifikanta skillnader i resultat på SF-36 och KASAM mellan grupperna. Konklusion: Hjärnblödning och respiratoranvändning under nyföddhetsperioden var de faktorer som hade störst inverkan på VLBW-barnens hälsotillstånd upp till 20 års ålder. CP och ADHD förekom hos relativt få, men lågt IQ var vanligt. VLBW-pojkar hade större sjukvårdsbehov, presterade lägre i neurologiska test och hade lägre skolbetyg än sina kontroller. VLBW-gruppen skilde sig inte från kontroll-gruppen avseende beteendeproblem. Självuppskattad hälsa vid 20 år skilde sig inte mellan grupperna. Särskilda uppföljningsprogram för VLBW-barn är nödvändigt där kognitiva tester ingår vilka bör utföras före skolstart.

A total population of 4,479 children (7-15 years of age) attended school in Ludvika & Smedjebacken in 2000. All the school children and their parents were asked to fill in a questionnaire concerning different tics A three-stage procedure was used: tic identification, interview, and clinical assessment. Tourette syndrome, according to DSM IV criteria was found in 25 (0.6%) of the children, another 34 (0.8%) suffered from chronic motor tics (CMT), 24 (0.4%) from chronic vocal tics (CVT) and 214 (4.8%) children had had transient tics (TT) during the last year. Altogether 297 (6.6%) children had or had had some tic disorder. Twenty-five controls without tics and 25 children with TT of the same age, sex and school as the TS children were randomly chosen. They were together with the 34 children with CMT and the 24 children with CVT examined with use of a broad battery of instruments. The mean age of the first symptoms of TS was significantly lower than the onset of chronic motor/vocal tics. A younger age of onset of TS indicated more severe tics. Eighty per cent had a first-degree relative with a psychiatric disorder such as tic disorder, obsessive-compulsive behaviour, attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or depression. A non-significant increase with regard to reduced optimality score in the pre-, peri-, or neonatal periods was found in children with TS compared to controls. No differences were found concerning socio-economic status. Psychiatric comorbid disorders were found in 92% of the children with TS. ADHD was most common. Patterns of psychiatric comorbidity were similar in children with TS and CVT. Children with TS perform poorer than the population in general with respect to cognitive functioning and self-perception. The results are discussed as they relate to the need for case identification, diagnosis, intervention, and treatment.

In the last decades our knowledge concerning cardiovascular risk factors has grown rapidly through results from longitudinal studies. However, despite new treatment, in Western countries coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of death and stroke is still the leading cause of severe disability. The studies reported in these papers examine the relationships between stroke/transient ischaemic attack (TIA) and a number of different factors measured on two different occasions in men born in Uppsala 1920-1924 and are epidemiological in their character. The findings indicate that in addition to already established risk factors, indices of an unhealthy dietary fat intake and high serum lipoprotein(a) are independent predictors of stroke/TIA. Among different glucometabolic variables a low insulin sensitivity index derived from the euglycaemic insulin clamp and proinsulin carries a high predictive value for later stroke, independently of diabetes. Moreover, cognitive test performance measured with Trail Making Test B at age 70 is a strong and independent predictor of brain infarction, indicating that the risk is already increased in the subclinical phase of milder cognitive dysfunction. Performance at a pre-stroke Trail Making Test is also of predictive value for mortality after first-ever stroke/TIA, but none of the studied pre-stroke variables or cognitive tests was found to be related to dependency after an event. In summary these studies provide further knowledge about predictors of stroke and of mortality after first-ever stroke. They also indicate the possible importance of new markers of risk, such as the level of lipoprotein(a), profile of fatty acids in the diet, low insulin sensitivity derived from clamp investigations, level of proinsulin, and cognitive performance measured with Trail Making Tests.

This final thesis is focused on analysing the support of cognitive development of the clients of a social services centre through its activities which are aimed at a concrete target group senior citizens. The aim of the thesis is to find out whether the senior citizens' cognitive skills are developed through these activities or whether these activities have other meanings for the clients. Another aim is to find out whether the criteria concerning development of cognitive skills, the way they were defined by Reuven Feuerstein, are fulfilled. Another part of the thesis is also a description of the activities held by the social services centre so that a reader could understand the results better.

The objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of the Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment training (FIE) in respondents with Parkinson's disease (PD) in comparison with another type of cognitive training. The specific aim of the study was to verify whether there were differences between the effectiveness of the FIE and the training of the individual cognitive domains for cognitive functions in respondents with PD. The study included patients with PD who underwent an examination by a neuropsychological battery before the beginning of the training in order to evaluate the level of cognitive functions. Based on the demographic characteristics and the overall score in the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale-II (DRS-II), the respondents (n = 24) were randomly divided into two research groups. The experimental group (EXP) trained using the FIE method for 60 minutes once a week during three months. The control group (CON) trained the individual cognitive domains. After the cognitive training the respondents were examined again in order to detect changes of the level of each one of the cognitive functions. The examination revealed significant differences in the first and the second phases of testing in the EXP respondents (n = 12) in the level of current anxiety (p = 0.024), memory for non-verbal...

The aim of the thesis was to investigate the importance of physical function for survival in very old people, and furthermore, whether physical exercise could influence physical function, cognitive function, and dependence in activities of daily living (ADLs) in older people with dementia living in nursing homes. The world’s population is ageing. Given the age-related increase in chronic disease such as dementia   and compounded by physical inactivity, the prevalence in need for assistance and are in daily activities in older people is expected to increase in the near future. Gait speed, a measure of physical function, has been shown to be associated with health and survival. However, studies of the  oldest  people  in  the  population,  including  those  dependent  in ADLs,  living  in  nursing  homes  and  with  dementia,  are  few.  Moreover,  in people  with  dementia  physical  exercise  may  improve  physical and  cognitive function and  reduce  dependence  in  ADLs.  Further large studies with high methodological quality and with designs incorporating attention control groups are needed in this population. In addition, no study has compared exercise effects between dementia types. The association between gait speed and survival was investigated in a population based cohort study of 772 people aged 85 years and over. Usual gait speed was assessed over 2.4 metres and mortality followed for five years. Cox proportional hazard regression models adjusted for potential confounders were used in analyses. Effects of physical exercise in people with dementia were investigated in a randomised controlled trial that included 186 participants with various dementia types living in nursing homes. Participants were allocated to the High-Intensity Functional Exercise  (HIFE) program or a seated control activity, which both lasted 45 minutes and held five times  fortnightly for four months. Dependence in ADLs was assessed with Functional Independence Measure and Barthel ADL Index, and balance with Berg Balance Scale. Usual gait speed was evaluated over 4.0 metres in two tests; first using habitual walking aid if any, and thereafter without walking aid and with minimum living support. Global cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale, and   executive function using Verbal fluency. Blinded testers performed assessments at baseline, four (directly after intervention completion) and seven months. Analyses used linear mixed models in agreement with the intention-to-treat principle. Gait speed was found to be an independent predictor of five-year all-cause mortality, where inability to complete the gait test or a gait speed below 0.5 iv meters per second (m/s) was associated with higher mortality risk. In analyses of exercise effects on ADLs there was no difference between groups in the complete sample. Interaction analyses showed a difference in exercise effect according to dementia type at seven months. Positive between-group exercise effects were found for dependence   in ADLs in participants with non-Alzheimer’s type of dementia (non-AD) at four and seven months. In balance, a difference between groups was found at four but not at seven months in the complete  sample, and interaction analyses indicated a difference in effect according to dementia type at four and seven months. Positive between-group exercise effects were found in participants with non-AD.  No difference between groups in gait speed was found in the complete sample, where the majority habitually walked with a walking aid. In interaction analyses exercise effects differed according to walking aid use. Positive between-group exercise effects in gait speed were found in participants that walked unsupported at four and seven months. No difference between groups in cognitive function was found in the complete sample. The effects of exercise on gait speed and cognitive function did not differ according to sex, cognitive level, or dementia type. In conclusion, among people aged 85 or older, including those dependent in ADLs and with dementia, gait speed seems to be a useful clinical indicator of health status. Inability to complete the gait test or a gait speed below 0.5 m/s appears to be associated with higher five-year mortality risk. In older people with mild to moderate dementia living in nursing homes, a four-month high-intensity functional exercise program appeared to attenuate loss of dependence in ADLs and improve balance, albeit only in participants with non-AD type of dementia. Further studies are needed to validate this result. Furthermore, exercise had positive effects on gait speed when tested unsupported, in contrast to when walking aids or minimum support were used. The result implies that the use of walking aids in the gait speed test may conceal exercise effects. The exercise program had no superior effects on global cognition or executive function when compared with an attention control activity. This thesis suggests that, in older people with dementia, exercise effects on physical function rather than cognitive function may explain effects on dependence in ADLs.

Dans de nombreuses activités physiques et sportives, la performance dépend de l’efficacité des processus physiologiques et cognitifs sollicités dans l’action. Plus précisément, il semblerait que celle-ci soit fréquemment influencée par l’efficacité des processus décisionnels qui s’effectuent sous pression temporelle. A ce titre, ce travail de thèse s’intéresse à l’effet de l’administration de trois supplémentations nutritionnelles classiquement consommées par les athlètes (hydrates de carbone, caféine et guarana) sur le fonctionnement cognitif au cours d’un exercice. Nos résultats indiquent que l’ingestion isolée de ces trois composés améliore la vitesse du traitement de l’information lors d'une tâche décisionnelle dès la fin d’un exercice. Par ailleurs, l’utilisation de la caféine en rinçage de bouche semble aussi pertinente, puisque nos résultats suggèrent une amélioration probable de l’efficacité des processus relatifs à la gestion d’un conflit au cours de l’exercice. Enfin, une diminution de la perception de l’effort est aussi rapportée lors de l’ingestion de caféine et de guarana, ou de l’utilisation d’hydrates de carbone en rinçage de bouche. L’ensemble de ces résultats indique une potentialisation de l’effet de l’exercice sur la performance cognitive. Il suggère aussi que la mise en place de supplémentations nutritionnelles lors d’un exercice améliore l’efficacité de processus cognitifs qui s’avèrent être essentiels à la performance sportive. / In sport and exercise activities, successful performances strongly depend on the ability to simultaneously carry out cognitive and physical demands. More precisely, it would seem that performance is frequently influenced by the efficacy of decision-making realized under strong temporal pressure. The aim of this thesis work is to assess the effect of nutritional supplements that is carbohydrate, caffeine and guarana on cognitive functions during an acute exercise. Overall, our results suggest that ingestion of these three supplements enhance speed of information processing during a decision-making task at the end of exercise. Additionally, caffeine mouth rinsing seems worthwhile since a likely enhancement of inhibition processes has been reported after use during exercise. Finally, a decrease of perceived exertion has been reported with caffeine and guarana ingestion along with carbohydrate mouth rinsing. In conclusion, our results indicate the potentiation of exercise effects on cognitive function. Furthermore, they suggest nutritional supplements could enhance cognitive processes during exercise in what may be a predictive factor of performance enhancement.

The semesters thesis is focused on Measurement of Reaction Time and Attention. Part of this work is a definition of reaction time and factors influencing reaction time. Measuring reaction time in context of the theory of intelligence C-H-C is described together with this theory. There are included related tests, specifically Stroop test, Flanker test, Go/No-go test and N-back test. Next there is mentioned online problematics containing hardware and software delays and diagnostic and measuring of the network. The last part of the work is dedicated to a practical part.

The goal of this thesis is to determine the current risk factors for individuals who are 65 years or older and using public transportation. The theoretical portion contains comments from literary sources which deal with transportation phychology with a focus on lower the cognitive abilities and psycho-motor skills and their effect as Well as the assistance features of cars. The analytical portion describes the future development of an aging population, ratings of statistics showing the accident proneness of senior citizens, examples of accidents, and casuistry from transport psychologist workplace. An analysis of the results from measuring reaction time of seniors and to compare it with younger generations. The final portion is dedicated to solutions that may be able to contribute to lower the number of accidents involving seniors of public transportation grounds.