Dementia and Mental Health Research

Members

Theme Leader :
Tsuyoshi Okamura, M.D., Ph.D.

Sub Leader :
Ayako Edahiro, D.D.S., Ph.D.

Researcher :
Hiroki Inagaki, Ph.D., Chiaki Ura, Ph.D., Mika Sugiyama, Ph.D., Fumiko Miyamae, Ph.D., Mari Yamashita, Ph.D.

Adjunct Researcher :
Mutsuko Okamura PHN, Yukiko Kugimiya PHN, Hana Sakurai, Kozaburo Shimizu, Masako Yamamura, Tsutomu Taga

Keywords

Dementia, Depression, Delusion, Delirium, Mental Health Well-being, Quality of Life, Cognitive Function, Community-based Integrated Care System, Dementia Friendly Communities, Rights-Based Approach, Medical Center for Dementia, Early-Onset Dementia, Care Farm, Buddhism

Major Research Titles

  1. Research projects to build dementia-friendly communities
  2. Development of novel methods for dementia care
  3. Community-based participatory research in Tokyo
  4. Development of methodology of geriatric social medicine in 100 years life era

Profile

Our mission is to create a society where people can live with hope and dignity, whether they have dementia or not, which we call Dementia-friendly community (DFC).
To this aim, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Itabashi Ward, UR and we have established a centre for community-based participatory research in Takashimadaira, Tokyo, which has been operating for nearly a decade. There, we are developing new methods of dementia care by combining quantitative and qualitative research, high-risk and population approaches, epidemiological and action research.
For example, dementia care in partnership with Buddhist temples is among the most advanced research in the world. We are also conducting research on care farms in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, research on post-diagnosis support for people with dementia in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and research on self-realization for people with dementia through working in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
In addition to this, we ourselves are a team with a culture of enjoying research, enjoying life and caring for each other.

References (published papers in 2023 only)

  1. Ohta T, Sasai H, Osuka Y, Kojima N, Abe T, Yamashita M, Obuchi SP, Ishizaki T, Fujiwara Y, Awata S, Toba K. Age- and sex-specific associations between sarcopenia severity and poor cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults in Japan: The IRIDE Cohort Study. Front Public Health. 2023;11:114804. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1148404
  2. Ura C, Iizuka A, Yamashita M, Ito K, Okamura T. Use of the telephone, a universally implemented communication tool, in building peer support networks for people with cognitive decline. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2023 Jun;23(6):457-458. doi: 10.1111/ggi.14590. Epub 2023 May 3. PMID: 37132533.
  3. Yamazaki S, Ura C, Okamura T. Time regained: awareness of not young anymore is a trigger for the ageing Hikikomori person to return to society. Psychogeriatrics. 2023 Jul;23(4):730-731. doi: 10.1111/psyg.12977. Epub 2023 May 28. PMID: 37245524.
  4. Abe T, Yamashita M, Fujiwara Y, Sasai H, Obuchi SP, Ishizaki T, Awata S, Toba K; IRIDE Cohort Study investigators. Fluctuations in Cognitive Test Scores and Loss to Follow-up in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The IRIDE Cohort Study. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2023 Aug 10. doi: 10.1159/000531764. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37562370.
  5. Mitsutake S, Yano S, Ishizaki T, Furuta K, Hatakeyama A, Sugiyama M, Awata S, Ito H, Toba K. Association of functional and cognitive impairment severity with discharge to long-term care facilities in older patients admitted to a general acute care hospital from home. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2023 Dec;115:105111. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2023.105111. Epub 2023 Jun 26. PMID: 37421690.
  6. Ito K, Tsuda S, Hagiwara M, Okamura T. Encouraging death communication in a death-avoidant society: analysis of interviews with death café organizers. BMC Health Serv Res. 2023 Sep 4;23(1):944. doi: 10.1186/s12913-023-09967-7. PMID: 37667361; PMCID: PMC10476286.
  7. Okamura T, Taga T, Inagaki H, Miyamae F, Ura C, Sugiyama M, Edahiro A, Shirobe M, Motokawa K, Kojima N, Osuka Y, Iwasaki M, Sasai H, Hirano H, Awata S. Barrier to sharing a dementia diagnosis with neighbors in Tokyo. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2023 Oct;23(10):761-763. doi: 10.1111/ggi.14662. Epub 2023 Sep 11. PMID: 37691496.
  8. Murayama H, Sugiyama M, Inagaki H, Ura C, Miyamae F, Edahiro A, Motokawa K, Okamura T, Awata S. The Relationship Between Cognitive Decline and All-Cause Mortality Is Modified by Living Alone and a Small Social Network: A Paradox of Isolation. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2023 Nov 14;78(11):1927-1934. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbad134. PMID: 37725961.
  9. Miyamae, F., Sugiyama, M., Taga, T.Okamura, T. Peer support meeting of people with dementia: a qualitative descriptive analysis of the discussions. BMC Geriatr 23, 637 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-023-04329-8
  10. Iizuka A, Yamashita M, Ura C, Okamura T. GO revisited: qualitative analysis of the motivating factors to start and continue playing GO. Journal of Community Health Nursing 01 Jan 2023, 40(1):52-63. DOI: 10.1080/07370016.2022.2119087
  11. Okamura T, Ura C, Wakui T. Achievements and challenges of family associations for caregivers of people with dementia. GGI in press
  12. Yamazaki S, Ura C, Inagaki H, Sugiyama M, Miyamae F, Edahiro A, Ito K, Iwasaki M, Sasai H, Okamura T, Hirano H, Awata S. Social isolation and well-being among families of middle-aged and older hikikomori people. Psychogeriatrics. 2023 Nov 6. doi: 10.1111/psyg.13042. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37932240.
  13. Edahiro A, Okamura T, Arai T, Ikeuchi T, Ikeda M, Utsumi K, Ota H, Kakuma T, Kawakatsu S, Konagaya Y, Suzuki K, Tanimukai S, Miyanaga K, Awata S. What happens if your colleague was the first person to notice that you have young-onset dementia? Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2023 Nov 21. doi: 10.1111/ggi.14733. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37990422.
  14. Hatanaka S, Osuka Y, Kojima N, Motokawa K, Hayakawa M, Mikami Y, Iwasaki M, Inagaki H, Miyamae F, Okamura T, Hirano H, Awata S, Sasai H. Relationship between phase angle and lower-extremity function in older adults: Itabashi Longitudinal Study on Aging. Nutrition, in press
  15. Naoki Deguchi 1 , Yosuke Osuka 1,2† , Narumi Kojima 1† , Keiko Motokawa 1 , Masanori Iwasaki 1 ,Hiroki Inagaki 1 , Fumiko Miyamae 1 , Tsuyoshi Okamura 1 , Hirohiko Hirano 1 , Shuichi Awata 34 ,Hiroyuki Sasai 1* The Questionnaire for Medical Checkup of Old-Old is non-inferior to the Kihon Checklist in screening frailty among independent older adults aged 75 years and older: The Itabashi Longitudinal Study on Aging GGI in press
  16. Chiaki Ura 1, Hiroki Inagaki 1, Mika Sugiyama 1, Fumiko Miyamae 1, Ayako Edahiro 1, Kae Ito 2, Masanori Iwasaki 1,3, Hiroyuki Sasai 1, Tsuyoshi Okamura 1, Hirohiko Hirano 1,Shuichi Awata 4. A neighbour to consult with is important in dementia- friendly communities: Associated factors of self-efficacy allowing older adults to continue living alone in community settings. Psychogeriatrics in press
  17. Abe T, Yamashiro D, Yamashita M, Ueda T, Sasai H, Fujiwara Y, Awata S, Toba K. Assessments of cognitive function of older adults in community general support centers: The IRIDE cohort study. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2023 Nov, 23(11):887-888.
  18. Fujiwara Y, Seino S, Nofuji Y, Yokoyama Y, Abe T, Yamashita M, Hata T, Fujita K, Murayama H, Shinkai S, Kitamura A. The relationship between working status in old age and cause-specific disability in Japanese community-dwelling older adults with or without frailty: A 3.6-year prospective study. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2023 Nov, 23(11):855-863.
  19. Hatanaka S, Sasai H, Shida T, Osuka Y, Kojima N, Ohta T, Abe T, Yamashita M, Obuchi SP, Ishizaki T, et al. Association between dynapenia and cognitive decline in community-dwelling older Japanese adults: The IRIDE Cohort Study. Geriat Gerontol Int. 2023. in press
  20. Abe T, Seino S, Hata T, Yamashita M, Ohmori N, Kitamura A, Shinkai S, Fujiwara Y. Transportation modes and social participation in older drivers and non-drivers: Results from urbanised Japanese cities. Journal of Transport Geography. 2023 May, 109:103598-103598.
  21. Tsuyoshi Okamura, Chiaki Ura, Yukiko Kugimiya, Mutsuko Okamura, Masako Yamamura, Hidemi Okado, Mayumi Kaneko, Mari Yamashita, Tomoko Wakui. Inaccessibility, unresponsiveness, inconsistency, and invisibility of informal caregivers of older persons with cognitive impairment: community-based participatory research。BMC geriatrics
  22. Daimaru K, Osuka Y, Kojima N, Mizukami K, Motokawa K, Iwasaki M, Inagaki H, Miyamae F, Okamura T, Hirano H, Awata S, Sasai H. Associations of polypharmacy with frailty severity and each frailty phenotype in community-dwelling older adults: Itabashi Longitudinal Study on Aging. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2024 Jan 2. doi: 10.1111/ggi.14789. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38169078.
  23. Deguchi N, Osuka Y, Kojima N, Motokawa K, Iwasaki M, Inagaki H, Miyamae F, Okamura T, Hirano H, Awata S and Sasai H (2024) Sex-specific factors associated with acceptance of smartwatches among urban older adults: the Itabashi longitudinal study on aging. Front. Public Health. 12:1261275. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1261275