Kimberly Mueller, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Associate Professor
Communication Sciences and Disorders
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Episodes of Lucidity in Later Stage Dementia: The Role of SLPs in Research and Care
Episodes of lucidity (EL) in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) are defined as unexpected, spontaneous, and meaningful communication or connectedness in individuals thought to have lost the capacity for coherent interaction due to a progressive neurodegenerative process. While evidence for ELs has traditionally been limited to case studies and retrospective reports, recent initiatives from the National Institute on Aging have spurred studies aimed at operationalizing and directly measuring ELs. Understanding ELs could provide new insights into cognitive decline mechanisms, suggest potential therapeutic approaches, and improve caregiver strategies. Moreover, documenting ELs can reshape societal views on personhood in dementia.
This presentation will introduce a research framework to study ELs, including guiding principles, definitions, proposed measurement methods, and areas needing further exploration. A study at the University of Wisconsin–Madison using video observational data in a hospice care setting will be highlighted, along with the perspectives of caregivers, staff, and individuals with dementia on the ethical considerations and research priorities.
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have been largely absent from this field despite the centrality of communication to ELs. This presentation aims to raise awareness of ELs as a potential area of study for SLPs and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration in this emerging field.
This work was funded by NIA/NIH grant R33AG069827 (PI: Gilmore-Bykovskyi, Co-I: Mueller)