The senile dementias are progressive brain disorders, which result in severe intellectual and behavioral decline. Although these illnesses cannot be treated medically, interventions with dementia patients and their families can be very useful. Interventions include education about the disease, problem-solving and support. Treatment modalities which have been helpful are: counseling the primary caregivers, family meetings and support groups for caregivers.
Sequential behavioral and neuropsychological assessments of an artist with probable Alzheimer's disease were made over a 2 1/2-year period. His painting skills underwent dramatic deterioration and a concomitant decline in intellectual ability occurred. Psychological measures suggested that his visuoconstructive skills were relatively less vulnerable to disruption by Alzheimer's disease than were other cognitive functions and that the diminished artistic ability involved motivational, mnemonic, and organizational skills until the later stages of the disease. These observations may contribute to understanding the neurological basis of artistic creativity, as well as the more specific effects of Alzheimer's disease on neuropsychological abilities.
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