Environmental control interventions for frontotemporal dementia with reversed sleep-wake cycles.
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of environmental control interventions using an integrated chip tag monitoring system for a frontotemporal dementia (FTD) patient.


METHODS
The subject was a male FTD patient (Pick type) with reversed sleep-wake cycles. For a 2-week period, the doors to all patients' rooms in the unit were kept open as a form of environmental control, and in the following 2 weeks, all doors were kept closed (intervention A). To increase his activity levels, a staff walked with him for 2 weeks (intervention B), while all the doors to patients' rooms in the unit were kept closed.


RESULTS
In intervention A, daytime ambulation increased, whereas nighttime ambulation decreased significantly. During intervention B, nighttime ambulation increased significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
Environmental controls seem to be effective for restoring sleep-wake cycles in even an advanced-stage FTD patient, whereas exercise program by the staff aggravated the problem.
Yamakawa
Miyae
M
Department of Clinical Nursing, Division of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan. miyatabu@sahs.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Shigenobu
Kazue
K
Makimoto
Kiyoko
K
Zhu
Canqun
C
Ashida
Nobuyuki
N
Tabushi
Kaoru
K
D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006272:Health Facility Environment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D020178:Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014851:Wakefulness; D016138:Walking / Q000523:psychology