Bakgrund:Alzheimers sjukdom leder till nedsatta kognitiva förmågor. Det påverkar framförallt minne och kommunikationsförmåga och begränsar gradvis individens förmåga att klara vardagen själv. Närstående är viktiga i vården av den drabbade och det innebär ett stort ansvar eftersom vårdbehovet hos den drabbade ökar ju mer sjukdomen fortskrider. Syfte: Syftet var att belysa närståendes upplevelser av att vårda en anhörig med Alzheimers sjukdom. Metod: En kvalitativ litteraturöversikt baserad på nio vetenskapliga artiklar och hämtad från databaserna Cinahl Complete och PubMed. Resultat: Resultat visade både negativa och positiva upplevelser men de negativa upplevelserna dominerade Utmaningar orsakade av vårdrollen ledde till varierande känslor av börda, ensamhet, isolering, förlust och sorg. Vikten av att få stöd beskrevs. Utveckling i vårdarrollen ledde till acceptens av situationen och acceptens av den anhörige oavsett vilken fas hon/han befann sig i. Diskussion: Ökad kunskap hos vårdpersonal samt bättre förståelse av symtomen som manifestera tidigt i sjukdomens förlopp kan leda till tidigt diagnos. Anhöriga och närstående behöver känna sig sedda och behöver mötas med empati och lyhördhet. Detta i sin tur kan leda till tidiga insatser av resurser och stöd som behövs. Kompetens och god kommunikation är väsentlig för att sätta in de specifika resurser och stöd som behövs och därmed främja hälsa hos närstående och anhöriga. / Background: Alzheimer's disease leads to impaired cognitive abilities. It mainly affects memory and communication skills and gradually limits the individual's ability to cope with everyday life itself. Relatives are very important in the care of the affected person and this means a great responsibility since the need for care of the affected person increases as the disease progresses. Aim: The aim was to illuminate the experiences of loved ones caring for a relative with Alzheimer's disease Method: A qualitative review of literature based on nine scientific articles from the databases Cinahl complete and PubMed.  Results: Results showed both negative and positive experience, however, the negative experiences were in majority. Challenges caused by the caring role led to feelings of burden, loneliness, isolation, loss and grief. The importance of receiving support was described. Development in role of caregiver led, to the acceptance of the situation, and the acceptance of the relative no matter what phase of the illness he/she was in.  Discussion: Increased knowledge of healthcare professionals and a better understanding of the symptoms that manifest early in the course of the disease can lead to early intervention by relatives. Relatives and their loved ones need to feel seen and need to be met with empathy and sensitivity. This in turn can lead to early deployment of the resources and support needed. Competence and good communication are essential for putting in place these specific resources and support that is needed and thereby promoting the health of the relatives and their loved ones.

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Aging and kinase kinetics of Y77E11.A and Y17G7B.10 in C. Elegans Jacob Goodlaxson, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. The free radical theory of aging suggests that free radical induced oxidative damage may play a role in the pathogenesis of age-related neurological diseases. The reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) protects against redox stress by providing reducing equivalents to antioxidants such as glutathione and thioredoxin. A measurement of the kinase kinetics of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide demonstrated a decline in the rate of conversion from NAD into NADP. A homeostatic relationship of NADPH and NADP+ in mitochondria and cytosol may prevent the progression of aging due to the amelioration of the reactive oxygen species (ROS), and other charged particles. The NAPD+ cation is the chief acceptor of negatively charged particles which ionize and create free radical ions. Two previously uncharacterized proteins, Y77E11.A (NADK1) and Y17G7B.10 (NADK2), were studied for their possible kinetic role in producing and maintaining NADPH levels. The roles of NADK1 and NADK2 were determined by taking whole worm lysates of Caenorhabditis elegans deficient of these proteins, followed by supplementation with NAD, then monitoring of NADP levels. These two proteins were statistically important in the conversion of NAD to NADP+. These NADK’s displayed statistically significant reduction in NADP production which could lead to more redox stress. This research indicates that pro-longevity therapies should aim to maintain elevated levels of NADPH and NADP+ to hinder the aging process.

Alzheimer's disease is a widespread disease that has devastating effects on the human brain and mind. Ultimately, it leads to death and there are currently no treatment methods available that can stop the disease progression. The mechanisms involved behind the disease are not fully understood although it is known that amyloid fibrils play an important role in the disease development. These fibrils are able to form plaques that can trigger neuronal death, by interacting with receptors on the cell surface and the synaptic cleft or by entering the cell and disturb important functions such as metabolic pathways. To study the plaque formation of amyloid proteins, both in vitro and in vivo methods are used to investigate the characteristics of the protein. Luminescent conjugated oligothiophene probes are able to bind in to amyloid beta fibrils and emit light when excited by an external light source. This way fibrillation properties of the protein can be studied. Developing probes that can serve as biomarkers for detection of amyloid fibrils could change the way Alzheimer's is treated. Being able to detect the disease in its early disease course, and start treatments early, is suggested to stop the progression of neural breakdown. In this project a software is developed to analyze fluorescent microscopy images, taken on tissue stained with these probes. The software is able to filter out background noise and capture parts of the picture that are of interest when studying the amyloid plaques. This software generates results similar to if the images were to be analyzed using any software where the regions to analyze are selected manually, suggesting that the software developed produce reliable results unbiased by background noise.

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Den här studien undersöker hur och om det med hjälp av Benyons PACT-analys samt Gong ochTarasewichs 15 olika designprinciper, speciellt utformade till mobiler, kan utföra en hel processfrån konceptualisering och idé till en slutgiltig interaktiv app-prototyp som i den här studienkommer att benämnas som Skalman. Målgruppen och de tilltänkta användarna för Skalman ärpersoner med minnessvårigheter, till exempel personer diagnostiserade med Alzheimers. Syftetmed användandet av Skalman är att få fram ett hjälpmedel för målgruppen för att underlätta ochorganisera vardagen när minnet inte räcker till. PACT-analysen bygger på att användarna sätts ifokus för att hitta deras behov för ett hjälpmedel samt att en analysering av fyra olika områden,People, Activities, Context och Technologies görs. Därför kommer grunden av datainsamlingenför detta in från tre olika kvalitativa gruppintervjuer. De två första gruppintervjuernainkluderade två personer i varje grupp, en person med minnessvårigheter samt en anhörig tilldenna. Den sista gruppintervjun gjordes med Alzheimers Sverige för att samla in ytterligareinformation för att öka förståelsen för sjukdomen och dess svårigheter. Resultatet från PACTanalysenanvändes för att kunna bygga upp Skalmanprototypen tillsammans med de 15 olikadesignprinciperna. En LO-FI prototyp testades på respondenterna i gruppintervjuerna för attkunna utvärdera och kunna förbättra prototypen till det slutgiltiga resultatet i form av eninteraktiv HI-FI prototyp av Skalman. / The prototype for people with memory impairmentsThis study aims to examine how and if it is possible to use Benyons PACT-analysis togetherwith Gong and Tarasewichs 15 design principles, to make the process from an idea into a finalinteractive prototype. The prototype is named Skalman. This study focuses on people withmemory impairments, specifically those people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The aimwith the PACT-analysis was to analyse the target group through four different subjects, People,Activities, Context and Technologies and to use that to find the needs for Skalman that in theend will help the users to manage and organize their daily lives. Three group interviews weremade to collect data from the selected target group for the PACT-analysis. Two groupinterviews included a person with memory impairments/Alzheimer’s disease and one relative ofthis person to help and support throughout the interview. Thereafter an interview was made withthe chancellors of Alzheimer’s Sweden to gather additional information and to increase theunderstanding of the disease and its difficulties. The result of the analysis was then used,together with the design principles to develop a LO-FI prototype and was then tested on thetarget group in order to evaluate the prototype and to improve it to the final result of a HI-FIprototype of Skalman.

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Syftet med studien är att undersöka vilka effekter kontakten med sällskapsdjur har för äldre personers hälsa och välbefinnande. Metoden var en litteraturstudie där tio artiklar granskades. Studien visar att djurs närvaro har ett flertal positiva effekter framförallt i vården av äldre med Alzheimers sjukdom. Dessa uppvisade en högre grad av socialisering och en lägre grad av beteendestörningar i närvaron av djur. Även friska äldre påverkades positivt av relationen med djur då det gällde sociala kontakter och graden av fysisk aktivitet. Slutsatsen är att djurterapi är en intervention som har stor potential att fylla ett behov hos äldre människor som annars är svårt att tillgodose. / The purpose of this study was to examine what effects the presence of animals has on the health and wellbeing of elderly persons. The method used was to review ten articles. The study shows that pets have several positive effects, primarily in the care for elderly with Alzheimer’s disease. These individuals showed a higher degree of socialization and a lower degree of agitated behaviours in the presence of animals. Healthy elderly were also influenced in a positive way by the relation with animals in regards to socialization and the degree of physical activity. The conclusion is that pet-therapy is an intervention that has a great potential to fulfil a need in elderly people that is otherwise hard to provide for.

Bakgrund: Årligen insjuknar cirka 20 000 personer i Alzheimers sjukdom i Sverige. Olika förändringar av strukturen i hjärnan sker, vilket leder till blockering av nervimpulser som ger negativ påverkan på hjärnans minnescentrum. Alzheimers sjukdom beskrivs som anhörigas sjukdom då den har inverkan på deras livsvärld. Därmed ökar behovet av stöd från hälso- och sjukvården samt de kommunala verksamheterna. Syfte: Syfte var att belysa upplevelser av att vara anhörig till en familjemedlem med Alzheimers sjukdom. Metod: Examensarbetet baserades på kvalitativ metod med analys av berättelser (narrativ) utifrån självbiografier. Analysen utgick ifrån fyra självbiografier. Resultat: Resultatet presenterades med två teman: Kunna anpassa till den förändrade livssituationen och Upplevelser av sorg och glädje. Anhöriga upplevde bristande kunskaper och information om Alzheimers sjukdom samt förändring i vardagen, relationer och syn på döden. Konklusion: Anhöriga upplevde förändring av livsvärden när en familjemedlem insjuknar i Alzheimers sjukdom. Sjuksköterskors erfarenheter och bemötande har betydande roll för anhörigas syn på vården. / Background: Approximately 20 000 people become ill annually with Alzheimer's disease in Sweden. Several changes occur in the structure of the brain, which leads to blockage of nerve impulses that gives negative effects on the brain’s memory center. It is described as the disease of relatives since it has a direct impact on their lifeworld. Therefore, the need for support of healthcare and municipal activities increases. Aim: The aim was to illustrate the experiences of being a relative to a family member who has become ill with Alzheimer’s disease. Method: The method of the thesis was qualitative method with a narrative analysis based on autobiographies. Four autobiographies were included in the analysis.  Findings: The finding is presented in two themes: Adapting to the changed life situation and Experiences of sorrow and joy. Relatives experienced a lack of knowledge and information about Alzheimer’s disease and change in everyday life, relationships and view of death. Conclusion: The relatives’ experienced a change in their lifeworld when a family member becomes ill with Alzheimer’s disease. Nurses’ experiences and encounters has an important role regarding how relatives view the healthcare.