Abstract

Emotions can be analyzed from facial expressions, but accurate evaluation is difficult due to individual differences and external influences.QOL in the elderly tends to be associated with sleep, and research is underway into using facial photos for determining dementia and analyzing emotions.

This study examined the relationship between sleep and emotions in elderly people with dementia and examined whether emotional analysis based on facial expressions is useful for judging QOL.

How the study was conducted?

For 61 facility residents, we examined the relationship between sleep and SOLO’s Emotional Index, which analyzes facial expressions based on Russell’s Circumplex Model. The sleep condition was evaluated using a sheet-type Vibrometer (NEMURI SCAN).

1. Perform initial evaluation (before intervention) for all items within 14 days.
2. SOLO psychotherapy is performed 3 days a week after the initial evaluation. Measure emotions after implementation with SOLO.
Then, the sleep state on the day of implementation is measured by sleep SCAN.
3. The intervention method is divided into two groups, a group with SOLO psychotherapy and a group without SOLO psychotherapy.The assignment of each group is randomly performed by the envelope method.
4. The intervention in each group will continue for 6 months.

Results

Among the sentiment indexes, significant associations between:
1. Stress and Sleeping Time
2. Valence and Body Movements During Sleep
3. Well-Being and Periodic Limb Movement Index were recognized
4. Correlation between Valence and Sleep efficiency was suggested.

Using the emotional index, we derived the regression formula of Sleep time, periodic body motion index, sleep activity, and sleep efficiency

Conclusions

1. Facial analysis of elderly people with dementia was found useful for evaluating QOL.
2. Periodic Limb Movement Index, which reflects reduction in QOL linked to Periodic Movement Disorder, can be calculated using an emotional index.

Principal investigator

Hiroyuki Nitta Hiroyuki SHINDEN PhD (1)
Hiroki Inoue PhD (2)

Researcher

Shoichi HORITA Certified Social Worker (3)
Kana Motomura Certified Social Worker (4)

Statistical Analysis Advisor

* Yohei Kawasaki PhD (5)

1) Chairman of Santenkai Medical Corporation
2) Director of Kiire Central Clinic
3) Counselor and Deputy General Manager of Business Division of
Nursing Care Facility for the Elderly 4) Counselor of Kiire no Sato,
Japan Red Cross College of Nursing 5) Faculty of Nursing, Japan Red Cross College of Nursing Associate Professor, Visiting Associate Professor at Chiba University