| Poster | Poster Session 11 Program Schedule
02/17/2024
10:45 am - 12:00 pm
Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120)
Poster Session 11: Cultural Neuropsychology | Education/Training | Professional Practice Issues
Final Abstract #98
New Onset or Existing Psychopathology as a Precursor to Dementia: A Case Series with Latinx Patients
Jessica Spat-Lemus, Montclair State University, Montclair, United States
Andrew Lokai, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, United States
Sophia Lall, Montclair State University, Montclair, United States
Alice Gavarette Olvera, Queens College, City University of New York, Queens, United States
Amanda Sacks-Zimmerman, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, United States
Heidi Bender, Weill Cornell Medicine, New YOrk, United States
Category: Dementia (Alzheimer's Disease)
Keyword 1: cross-cultural issues
Keyword 2: dementia - subcortical
Keyword 3: neuropsychological assessment
Objective:
Owing to the rising population of Latinx elders in the U.S., increased attention identifying precursors to incipient dementia in this population is a clinically- and ethically-important step to delivering equitable, culturally-informed care. Yet, multiple barriers preclude accurate, timely symptom characterization; including, under-utilization of mental health resources, diminished access to care, and a deeply-rooted mistrust of organized medicine. Also, Latinx individuals with dementia have higher rates of behavioral symptoms compared to White counterparts (Sink, Convinsky, Newcomer, & Yaffe, 2004; Babulal et al, 2018); both at baseline and also as they age, further complicating and delaying accurate clinical diagnosis. We present three cases of Latinx American elders with dementias to detail pre-existing medical and mental health risk factors, in order to better identify possible avenues for formalized future study.
Participants and Methods:
The case series includes three predominantly Spanish-speaking patients, ranging in age from 58 to 82; all were evaluated in the context of symptoms consistent with possible dementia. A culturally-sensitive approach, including the values of personalismo, familismo, and respeto, was employed. The evaluation involved a clinical interview and a Spanish-language neuropsychological assessment battery (i.e., intellectual functioning, executive functioning, language, memory and visuospatial abilities).
Results:
Patients presented with behavior-based symptoms in the context of long-standing psychological symptoms pre-dating the evaluation, as well as complex medical histories, early life stressors/trauma, current psychosocial challenges.
Conclusions:
This case series suggests that while psychological symptoms appear to confer a greater risk for dementia, this cannot currently be empirically assessed due to the paucity of linguistically and culturally sensitive assessment tools appropriate for this under-studied patient population.
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