Angelika Thöne-Otto

The WHO Dementia Global Action Plan states that rehabilitation services for dementia are required to promote health, reduce disability, and maintain quality of life for those living with dementia. Current services, however, are scarce, particularly for people with young-onset dementia (YOD). This article, written by an international group of multidisciplinary dementia specialists, offers a three-part overview to promote the development of rehabilitation services for YOD. Firstly, we provide a synthesis of knowledge on current evidence-based rehabilitative therapies for early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (EOAD), behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), primary progressive aphasia (PPA), and posterior cortical atrophy (PCA). Secondly, we discuss the characteristics of rehabilitation services for YOD, providing examples across three continents for how these services can be embedded in existing settings and the different roles of the rehabilitation multidisciplinary team. Lastly, we conclude by highlighting the potential of telehealth in making rehabilitation services more accessible for people with YOD. Overall, with this paper, we aim to encourage clinical leads to begin introducing at least some rehabilitation into their services, leveraging existing resources and finding support in the collective expertise of the broader multidisciplinary dementia professional community.

Objective: We assessed the psychometric properties, established normative data for the German Multifactorial Memory Questionnaire (MMQ), and analyzed its association with neuropsychiatric factors across the life span to provide a validated metamemory assessment for a German-speaking population. Methods: The three MMQ scales (memory satisfaction, self-rated ability, and strategy application) were translated into German, considering cultural, linguistic, and conceptual aspects. To validate the MMQ and assess associations with neuropsychiatric factors, the Complainer Profile Identification, Geriatric Depression Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Short-Form-Health Survey were applied in an online study in 336 healthy participants with follow-up after 8 months. Results: Psychometric evaluation of the German MMQ showed normal distribution of all scales and good to excellent validity, internal consistency, and retest reliability. We provide percentiles and normative data for z-score conversion. Importantly, even subclinically elevated scores in depressiveness and anxiety were associated with decreased memory satisfaction and self-rated ability. Furthermore, although the influence of age on the German MMQ scales was minimal, effects of neuropsychiatric factors such as sleep quality, anxiety, and depressiveness on MMQ Satisfaction and Ability varied across the life span. Conclusions: Our study provides a validated German translation of the MMQ with normative data and reliability measures, including reliable change scores. We show the impact of neuropsychiatric factors on the MMQ scales across the life span and emphasize the relevance of a multifactorial approach to metamemory as a measure of individualized everyday functionality and the importance of including neuropsychiatric factors into both research and clinical assessments of metamemory.

Objective:We assessed psychometric properties and established normative data for the German Multifactorial Memory Questionnaire (MMQ) and analyzed its association with neuropsychiatric factors across the lifespan to provide a validated metamemory assessment for a German-speaking population.Method:The three MMQ scales (memory satisfaction, self-rated ability, and strategy application) were translated into German, considering cultural, linguistic, and conceptual aspects. To validate the MMQ and assess associations with neuropsychiatric factors, the Complainer Profile Identification, Geriatric Depression Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Short-Form-Health Survey were applied in an online study in 336 healthy participants with follow-up after eight months.Results:Psychometric evaluation of the German MMQ showed normal distribution of all scales and good to excellent validity, internal consistency, and retest reliability. We provide percentiles and normative data for z-score conversion. Importantly, even subclinically elevated scores in depressiveness and anxiety were associated with decreased memory satisfaction and self-rated ability. Furthermore, although the influence of age on the German MMQ scales was minimal, effects of neuropsychiatric factors such as sleep quality, anxiety, and depressiveness on MMQ Satisfaction and Ability varied across the lifespan.Conclusions:Our study provides a validated German translation of the MMQ with normative data and reliability measures, including reliable change scores. We show the impact of neuropsychiatric factors on the MMQ scales across the lifespan and emphasize the relevance of a multifactorial approach to metamemory as a measure of individualized everyday functionality and the importance of including neuropsychiatric factors into both research and clinical assessments of metamemory.

This study introduces a 3-week group program designed for patients with neurocognitive post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS). The program represents a combination of evidence-based components of neurorehabilitation and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Following a detailed assessment, we develop a personalized bio-psycho-social model that integrates perceived complaints and identifies modifiable and influencing factors. We employed physiotherapeutic, cognitive, and communicative training methods to improve patients’ awareness of energy limits and implement compensatory strategies, including pacing and mindfulness techniques. N = 33 patients completed the program between June 2021 and November 2022. A pre-post comparison of questionnaire-based self-assessments revealed significant positive effects on mood, self-efficacy, and participation but not on fatigue symptoms. The study provides recommendations for the neuropsychological treatment of patients with PCS.

Zusammenfassung: Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht die aktuelle wissenschaftliche Evidenz zur Diagnostik und Therapie neuropsychologischer Störungen nach Hirnschädigung, wie sie bis 2020 in Leitlin... Guideline-Based Standards for the Structural and Process Quality of Neuropsychological Diagnostics and Therapy Recent years have seen the establishment of evidence-based guidelines for ne...

Zusammenfassung: Was ist neuropsychologische Supervision? Häufig steht das Verständnis des Befundes im Zentrum: So z. B. die Frage, wie hängen unterschiedliche kognitive Funktionsbeeinträchtigungen und -ressourcen zusammen und wie sind sie ätiologisch bzw. funktionell-neuroanatomisch einzuordnen? Weitere Aufgabe der Supervision ist es, die Entwicklung einer reflektierten therapeutischen Persönlichkeit zu unterstützen. Dabei ist der/die Supervisor_in stets auch Lehrer_in, er/sie fördert die Qualitätssicherung bei der Erbringung heilkundlicher Aufgaben und ermöglicht die Reflektion persönlicher Anteile. Bisher sind die meisten Supervisor_innen in der Neuropsychologie autodidaktisch tätig, da es bislang kaum definierte Methoden gibt. Der Artikel versteht sich als Einladung, im Rahmen der Reform der Weiterbildung auch die Charakteristika, Methoden und Inhalte der Supervision in der Klinischen Neuropsychologie weiterzuentwickeln.