My Reserch History

My Research History Jan, 1. 2011

Here, I would like to express great appreciation for many people to help me to the following researches.

2019　The sustained and selective effectiveness of a videophone conversation for individuals with dementia．Journal of Alzheimers Research and Therapy.1, (1), 6-14. https://openaccesspub.org/article/1032/jalr-19-2636.pdf

Abstract

 Studies reported that a videophone conversation allows individuals with dementia to be psychologically stable even after a 3 h conversation session. The individuals who exhibited difficulty in watching TV programs could still enjoy a conversation. This follow-up study investigated the effectiveness of a videophone conversation using five subjects with mild to moderate dementia. Two sessions were conducted during the study. In Session A, a subject convers with a talking partner through videophone for 30 min, and in Session B, a subject watches his/her favorite TV program. Sessions A and B were rotated on a day-by-day basis. Their psychological stability was evaluated by caregivers using the revised GBS scale (concomitant evaluation) and the overall psychological stability 3 h after each session (delayed evaluation) was also assessed. The significant psychological stability was obtained for two subjects in the concomitant evaluation, and one subject in the delayed evaluation. This indicates that a videophone conversation is a promising remote intervention for assisting individuals with dementia. Further investigation with the participation of more subjects must be conducted.

2016, Videophone Conversation of Two Individuals With Dementia Using an Anime Agent System、7th International Conference on Digital Human Modeling and Applications in Health, Safety, Ergonomics and Risk Management. Kiyoshi Yasuda, Masao Fuketa, Kazuhiro Morita, Jyun-ich Aoe, , Noriaki Kuwahara., Lecture Notes in Computer Science Series, Vol. 9745, 2016, pp 317-326, DOI10.1007/978-3-319-40247-5_32, Springer International Publishing.

2013, Daily assistance for individuals with dementia via videophone. American Journal of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, 28(5), 508-516.

                                                   Abstract

We previously developed remote reminiscence conversation and schedule prompter systems via the videophone to improve psychological stability and to assist individuals with dementia to perform household tasks. Our results showed that the psychological stability of 1 patient persisted for 3 hours after remote conversations. The task completion rate afforded by the schedule prompter system, which displays a video reminder series automatically, was 52%. In the present study, we also investigated whether psychological stability was sustained in other patients. Furthermore, motivational prompter videos were added to enhance the original schedule prompter system. We found that 1 in 4 patients living at home showed greater stability while conversing with a conversation partner on the videophone than while watching television programs, and that she remained stable for 3 hours after remote conversations. The task completion rate afforded by the revised schedule prompter system was 82%. These 2 remote systems are promising tools for assisting individuals with dementia in their daily lives.

Abstract

This paper introduces the concept of a ‘personalized reminiscence photo video’ as a convenient method for reminiscence intervention. The video utilizes a slideshow video of personal photos with narration, background music, and pan/zoom visual effects. An experiment was done using 15 individuals with dementia who watched personalized reminiscence photo videos as well as two types of TV shows: a variety show and a News show. Eighty percent of the subjects showed more attention to their personalized reminiscence photo video than to the other two types of TV shows.

Abstracts

In order to facilitate conversation for people with moderate-to-severe aphasia, a conversation-support system has been developed. This system consists of three electronic resources: a vocabulary data file, an encyclopaedia, and homepages on the Internet. The vocabulary data file we created contains approximately 50,000 words. These words function as keywords in conversation. Fifteen people with non-fluent and moderate-to-severe aphasia participated in the experiment. Participants conversed with their communication partners about four topics under use and non-use conditions. Comparison of the points between the use and non-use conditions showed that significantly more information was conveyed when the vocabulary data file was used. The vocabulary date file succeeded in eliciting more information from people with moderate-to-severe aphasia within a limited timeframe. Presentation of the keyword or proper name lists related to the topics was shown to be a useful conversation resource for people with moderate-to-severe aphasia.

Abstract

This study evaluated the effectiveness for three individuals of music and messages which were automatically output by an IC recorder. After music was presented, messages instructed them to go to a day care center, behave more peacefully and eat more at meals, respectively. These stimuli were highly effective for guiding the above activities. This study suggests that automatic output of music and messages has potential as a strategy for guiding individuals with dementia at their home. For the third individual, the music and messages were output through a doll.

Abstract

This study attempted to evaluate the use of an IC Recorder　and Chat Box for voice output to a patient with Alzheimer’s disease. Messages were recorded by a speech therapist and played to prompt the patient’s daily activities, including reminders not to leave the house to take the dog for a walk. The patient did well in initiating actions in response to the spoken messages. His most troublesome behavior, leaving the house, ceased completely.

Abstract

The IC Recorder can output about 500 previously-recorded messages at programmed times. The spoken messages prompted various daily tasks of eight patients with acquired memory impairments. One of these tasks such as diary writing, or a letter-writing drill was selected for each patient as a main task, and its completion was logged. These completion data demonstrated that the messages output by the IC Recorder were highly effective to prompt the main tasks for five out of eight patients.

Abstract

Mild aphasic subjects, age-matched normals, and younger normals listened to four serially-presented radio news stories, and a single radio news story. Half of the aphasic subjects performed as well as age-matched normals in a single news story comprehension. However, they demonstrated a drastic deterioration in performance when asked to listen to a series of four news stories. Age-matched normals, and aphasic subjects, to a lesser extent, showed an impairment in the comprehension and storage of the news story heard last in a series of four news stories. These results were discussed in terms of the comprehension and storage resources of working memory.

Abstract

This experiment compared comprehension of famous personal and geographical names with that of common nouns in three groups of severe aphasic subjects, and across three　modalities. Results revealed that the global aphasic group comprehended famous personal names significantly better than they did common nouns, and were better in the reading comprehension modality. CT images suggested that the left occipital lobe and the left posterior inferior temporal gyrus, as well as the right hemisphere, may have relevance to the comprehension of written famous personal names.

Abstract

We report a patient who showed a dissociation between impaired semantic memory and preserved autobiographic memory. A 56-year-old woman, developed a meningioma. Magnetic Resonance Imaging revealed bilateral lesions in the temporal lobes and in the right basal frontal lobe. The patient's intellectual deterioration and anterograde amnesia were mild. Autobiographic memory remained intact, while semantic memory for public events, historical figures, cultural items and knowledge of low frequency words and technical terms related to her profession were severely impaired. We hypothesize that bilateral lesions of the anterior half of the middle region of the temporal lobe plays a crucial role in causing deficits in semantic memory.

Abstract

Memory loss is the main symptom of Alzheimer's disease. These memory disorders manifest themselves as a deficit in processing information and an inability to retrieve information when it is needed and make effective use of it. For example, a person who is no longer able to locate the toilet becomes incontinent. The best way of helping people with this condition is therefore to provide them with information as and when they need it. Memory aids must thus be designed, or commercially available computer equipment adapted, to facilitate their access to this information. I explored a number of different memory aids from multifunctional diary systems to electronic reminders that can effectively help people remember useful information.

Abstract

Recent studies have revealed that proper names are neuropsychologically and anatomically processed in a manner which differs from the processing of common nouns. The current review described proper names, which are labels attached to referents, as being without semantic meaning. The clinical data were presented regarding comprehension and retrieval of peoples' names, and memory of their unique properties. The literature reviewed above suggests that after the initial memory consolidation of a name and a person by the left hemisphere's hippo/parahippocampus, the memory become established in the adjoining fusiform gyrus. Consequently, it is hypothesized that the fusiform gyrus forms a processing network for peoples' names with the temporal pole and postero temporo/occipital lobe. The literature concerning geographical names, and topographical names are also reviewed.

Absract

Information technology to record daily behavior by wearing Video Recorder have been studied. However, no system has been developed for daily use of people with dementia. We developed a prototype system to assist recoding and searching of one-day behavior of vest-wearer on which two IC recorders and a portable video recorder are equipped. Vest-wearer records on IC recorder the key words and the time of occurrence. The recorded information is analyzed by a speech recognition software on personal computer. Then, by using these literally-converted information, vest- wearer can search for the specific visual scene on the video record. The operating procedures for these tolls were visually presented by a note pad on the vest, and also verbally and automatically presented by another IC recorder. A patient with mild cognitive impairment succeeded to record his daily behavior for 12 hours in a day.

Abstract.

We have created two remote assisting systems, the remote reminiscence talking and scheduling prompter using video phone, and used them with four individuals with dementia living in their homes. For two out of four individuals, reminiscence talking and scheduling prompter are effective respectably, compared to TV watching and care giver’s instructions. The psychological stability of one individual has continued for three hours even after the remote reminiscence talking finished. We suggest that remote reminiscence talking and scheduling prompter are very promising for caring individuals with dementia.

Abstract

The core deficit of dementia is memory impairment. Therefore, I have developed a number of different memory aids, from multifunctional diary system to memory pads. These aids including, electronic reminders, can effectively help people remember useful information. As the dementia progresses, people react less to verbal instructions. Psychological and behavioral disorders also occur. For people with this dementia stage, songs and dolls were also used for their psychological stability.

Abstracts

Caregivers bear a great burden of toileting assistance for those patients with　dementia. We propose a system that can help the patients to relieve themselves in the toilet activities by giving cognitive support through an appropriate voice and visual guidance, in line with their task progress. The system observes 3-D user appearances and recognizes the task progress based on his/her position and postures. We performed an evaluation experiment with 7 subjects with dementia in simulation environment. Five patients had successfully fulfilled their required task, partly with the help of voice guidance by an experimenter from the monitor room.