Neuropsychiatric symptoms and syndromes in a large cohort of newly diagnosed, untreated patients with Alzheimer disease

Association Between CSF Beta-Amyloid and Apathy in Early-Stage Alzheimer Disease

AIM

The apathetic syndrome is a common clinical feature in patients with Alzheimer diseases (AD), from preclinical phases to late stages of dementia, and it is strongly related to major disease outcomes. Unfortunately, no specific pharmacological treatments for apathy have been accomplished so far. Translational evidences have previously shown that a link between apathy and hallmarks of AD-related pathophysiology, that is, β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, exists. However, only few studies investigated the association between core biomarkers of AD and apathy scores, finding conflicting results.

METHODS

Thirty-seven patients were identified as having AD dementia according to National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer Association 2011 criteria. All participants underwent an extensive diagnostic workup including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) assessment to measure the concentrations of Aβ₄₂, t-tau, and pTau_181. To follow, they were stratified as: apathy absence, apathy mild, and apathy severe according to the Neuro Psychiatric Inventory-apathy item scores. We investigated for potential associations between apathy scores and CSF biomarkers concentrations as well as for differences in terms of clinical and CSF biomarkers data across the 3 apathy groups.

RESULTS

The CSF Aβ₄₂ concentrations were negatively correlated with apathy scores. In addition, patients with severe apathy had significantly lower Aβ₄₂ levels compared to nonapathetic ones.

CONCLUSION

Based on our results, we encourage further studies to untangle the potential association between the complex pathophysiological dynamics of AD and apathy which may represent an innovative reliable clinical outcome measure to use in clinical trials, investigating treatments with either a symptomatic or a disease-modifying effect.

Decreased perfusion of the posterior cingulate gyri shown by a cingulate island score is a possible marker of vulnerability to behavioural and psychological symptoms of Alzheimer's disease: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

The cingulate island score (CIScore), which indicates the Z-score ratio of the posterior cingulate gyri to the medial occipital area, has been shown to be useful for differentiating dementia with Lewy bodies from Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our aim was to investigate associations between the clinical symptoms of AD and the CIScore as an index of the relative decrease in perfusion of the posterior cingulate gyri that occurs in the early stages of AD.

METHODS

Seventeen patients with early-stage AD and 13 patients with amnesic mild cognitive impairment were examined. Z-score maps of technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer single-photon emission computed tomography images acquired from the patients were converted, and the CIScore was determined by using the easy Z-score imaging system. The relationships between the CIScore and clinical symptom scores were tested.

RESULTS

A significant correlation was identified between the CIScore and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire score. No significant correlations were identified between the CIScore and other measures of cognitive function. Based on a CIScore of 0.39, we correctly differentiated patients with and without behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), with a sensitivity of 72.2% and specificity of 75.0%.

DISCUSSION

Using technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer single-photon emission computed tomography, we observed that decreased posterior cingulate gyri perfusion, relative to the medial occipital area, in prodromal and early AD was closely associated with behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. Therefore, our findings suggest that CIScore is not only useful for discriminating dementia with Lewy bodies from AD, but it can also be clinically used as a specific indicator of the vulnerability to behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in the early stages of AD.

Memantine Differentially Regulates Tau Phosphorylation Induced by Chronic Restraint Stress of Varying Duration in Mice

Exposure to chronic psychiatric stress has been linked to Alzheimer's disease-related tau hyperphosphorylation and abnormalities in glutamate neurotransmission. However, the pathological relationship between glutamatergic dysfunction and tau phosphorylation in the cerebral cortex under chronic psychiatric stress is not fully understood. The present study investigated the effects of memantine (MEM, 5 and 10 mg/kg), an uncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, on chronic restraint stress- (CRS-) induced tau phosphorylation in mice. CRS administered for 16 or 28 consecutive days (1 h daily) induced significant tau phosphorylation in the brain. MEM treatment suppressed the elevation of phosphorylated tau (P-tau) levels induced by 16-day CRS in a dose-dependent manner. P-tau reduction was accompanied by the attenuation of the upregulation of GSK3β and CDK5 expression and the downregulation of PP2A activity induced by CRS. Additionally, MEM reduced CRS-induced upregulation of NMDA receptor subunit levels (GluN2A, GluN2B) in the frontal cortex. However, MEM markedly enhanced tau phosphorylation in the frontal cortex and other cerebral cortical regions following 28 days of CRS. The stimulatory effect of MEM on CRS-induced tau phosphorylation was correlated with increased activities of AKT, JNK, and GSK3β, inactivation of PP2A, and downregulation of Pin1 and HSP70. Moreover, MEM did not effectively reverse the NMDA receptor upregulation induced by 28-day CRS and even increased GluN2B subunit levels. In contrast to the duration-dependent effects of MEM on P-tau levels, MEM produced an anxiolytic effect in both regimens as revealed by elevated plus maze testing. However, MEM did not affect the body weight reduction induced by CRS. Thus, MEM exerts distinctive effects on CRS-induced tau phosphorylation, which might be related to the expression of GluN2B. The differential effects of MEM on P-tau levels have crucial implications for its clinical application.

Insulin Peptides as Mediators of the Impact of Life Style in Alzheimer's disease

The search for the cause of Alzheimer's disease (AD), that affects millions of people worldwide, is currently one of the most important scientific endeavors from a clinical perspective. There are so many mechanisms proposed, and so disparate changes observed, that it is becoming a challenging task to provide a comprehensive view of possible pathogenic processes in AD. Tauopathy (intracellular neurofibrillary tangles) and amyloidosis (extracellular amyloid plaques) are the anatomical hallmarks of the disease, and the formation of these proteinaceous aggregates in specific brain areas is widely held as the ultimate pathogenic mechanism. However, the triggers of this dysproteostasis process remain unknown. Further, neurofibrillary tangles and plaques may only constitute the last stages of a process of still uncertain origin. Thus, without an established knowledge of its etiology, and no cure in the horizon, prevention - or merely delaying its development, has become a last-resort goal in AD research. As with other success stories in preventive medicine, epidemiological studies have provided basic knowledge of risk factors in AD that may contribute to understand its etiology. Disregarding old age, gender, and ApoE4 genotype as non preventable risk factors, there are diverse life-style traits - many of them closely related to cardiovascular health, that have been associated to AD risk. Most prominent among them are diet, physical and mental activity, exposure to stress, and sleep/wake patterns. We argue that all these life-style factors engage insulinergic pathways that affect brain function, providing a potentially unifying thread for life-style and AD risk. Although further studies are needed to firmly establish a link between faulty insulinergic function and AD, we herein summarize the evidence that this link should be thoroughly considered.

Sex Differences in the Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Patients With Alzheimer's Disease

The aim of this study was to describe sex differences in neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Baseline scores on the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory, Neurobehavioral Rating Scale-Agitation subscale, and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory from patients with AD enrolled in a multicenter trial of citalopram for the treatment of agitation were analyzed. We found not only that patients with AD having agitation were likely to exhibit many other NPSs but also that the women in this study were more likely to exhibit a broader range of NPS than were the men. These results suggest greater heterogeneity in the clinical presentation of women compared to men, and thus in the potential targets for treatment in these patients. Further characterization of sex differences in NPS can inform future efforts aimed at establishing subtypes of patients for whom various treatment approaches will be most appropriate.

A systematic meta-review of self-management support for people with dementia

Self-management support for people with dementia is important to help them and their family caregivers to cope with challenges in daily live. Insight into the effects of self-management support interventions on people with dementia is however lacking, despite existing relevant systematic reviews. We therefore conducted a meta-review of relevant systematic reviews, following the PRISMA statement. Systematic literature searches were conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Embase and PsycINFO. The searches were done in December 2015, and all relevant references until then were taken into consideration. No conclusions about the effects of self-management support interventions on people with dementia could be drawn. Recommendations for future research and practice include that self-management support interventions and effect measurements should be wider in scope than psychological well-being.

Efficacy and Safety of Atypical Antipsychotics for Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia Among Community Dwelling Adults

Introduction:

Options for the treatment of the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are limited. Atypical antipsychotics are often used but have questionable efficacy and are generally considered high risk. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of using any atypical antipsychotic for the treatment of BPSD among outpatients.

Methods:

Retrospective observational study of an academic outpatient memory disorders clinic. Participants included any community-dwelling patient with a diagnosis of dementia, not trauma induced, with documented BPSD treated with an atypical antipsychotic for at least 2 weeks. Medical records were reviewed from January 1, 1990 to March 23, 2010. Safety outcomes were documented from the time of antipsychotic initiation, and behavioral/psychological efficacy outcomes were documented beginning 2 weeks after antipsychotic therapy was initiated, until the last documentation available.

Results:

A total of 87 distinct antipsychotic treatment periods for 81 unique patients were included. Antipsychotic treatment was continued for more than a year in 33% of patients and only 17% of patients discontinued antipsychotic treatment over the entire period. The behavioral/psychological outcomes improved for 24 (28%) treatments, remained stable for 17 (20%) treatments, and worsened for 46 (53%) treatments. Adverse events were reported by 53% of patients, with the most common adverse events being metabolic, fall related, type, and vascular. Few adverse events were severe. The odds ratio of adverse events per every 90-day increase in duration of treatment was 1.20 ( P = 0.02).

Conclusion:

Antipsychotic treatment improved behavioral/psychological symptoms for less than one-third of patients and increased the potential risk of adverse events for more than half of patients.

Risk of death associated with new benzodiazepine use among persons with Alzheimer disease: A matched cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the risk of death associated with new benzodiazepine and related drug (BZDR) use in a nationwide cohort of persons with Alzheimer disease (AD).

METHODS

The register-based MEDALZ cohort, including all community-dwelling Finns diagnosed with AD during 2005 to 2011 (n = 70 718), was used. Clinically verified AD diagnoses were obtained from the Special Reimbursement Register. Drug use periods were modeled from BZDR purchases, derived from the Prescription Register. To study new users, persons who had any BZDR use during the year preceding the AD diagnosis were excluded. For each person initiating BZDR use (n = 10 380), 2 nonusers (n = 20 760) were matched on age, gender, and time since AD diagnosis. The outcome was 180-day mortality, and BZDR use was compared with nonuse with Cox regression. Multivariable analyses were adjusted for Charlson comorbidity index, socioeconomic position, hip fractures, psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, stroke, and other psychotropic drug use.

RESULTS

During the follow-up, 5 excess deaths per 100 person-years occurred during BZDR use in comparison to nonuse, and mortality rates were 13.4 (95% confidence interval [CI], 12.2-14.5) and 8.5 (95% CI, 7.9-9.1), respectively. Benzodiazepine and related drug use was associated with an increased risk of death (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.4 [95% CI, 1.2-1.6]), and the association was significant from the initiation of use. Benzodiazepine use was associated with an increased risk of death, whereas benzodiazepine-related drug use was not.

CONCLUSIONS

Benzodiazepine and related drug use was associated with an increased risk of death in persons with AD. Our results support treatment guidelines stating that nonpharmacological approaches should be the first-line option for symptomatic treatment of AD.

Reliability and structural validity of the Chinese version of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Nursing Home version

BACKGROUND

With the increasing number of dementia patients in China, there is a pressing need for a reliable and valid Chinese instrument that can measure neuropsychiatric symptoms in institutionalized dementia patients. This study examined the reliability and structural validity of the Chinese version of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Nursing Home version (NPI-NH), in a sample of institutionalized dementia patients in China.

METHODS

A total of 112 residents with dementia (Clinical Dementia Rating = 1: 10.7%; Clinical Dementia Rating = 2: 39.3%; Clinical Dementia Rating = 3: 50.0%) and 30 informants participated in this cross-sectional study. Reliability was tested using Cronbach's α and intra-class correlation coefficient. Principal component analysis was used to evaluate the factor structure of the inventory.

RESULTS

Of the patients, 92.9% had at least one neuropsychiatric symptom. Apathy (57%) was the most common symptom. The Chinese version of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Nursing Home version, showed acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's α for the total scale, frequency, severity, and disturbance subscales were 0.64, 0.70, 0.73, and 0.80, respectively) and test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient for the total scale, frequency, severity, and disturbance subscales were 0.93, 0.92, 0.89, and 0.91, respectively). Five factors-psychomotor behaviour, affective symptoms, psychosis, sleep disorders, and eating disorders-were identified for the total scale. The cluster symptoms aggression and irritability, depression and anxiety, and delusions and hallucinations were three of the optimally stable groups of symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that the Chinese version of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Nursing Home version, is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating neuropsychiatric symptoms in institutionalized dementia patients.

Differential associations between sensory loss and neuropsychiatric symptoms in adults with and without a neurocognitive disorder

BACKGROUND

To investigate the differential associations between sensory loss and neuropsychiatric symptoms among older adults with and without diagnosed neurocognitive disorder.

METHODS

The sample comprised 1,393 adults (52.3% men) aged between 72 and 79 years from a community-based cohort study. There were 213 cases of mild and 64 cases of major neurocognitive disorders. The main outcome was number of informant reported symptoms on the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Sensory loss was defined by visual acuity worse the 0.3 logMAR (6/12 or 20/40) and self-reported hearing problems.

RESULTS

Clinically relevant NPI symptoms were reported in 182 (13.1%) participants, but no individual symptom occurred in more than 5% of the total sample. Among participants diagnosed with a major neurocognitive disorder, those with any sensory loss had over three times (95%CI: 1.72-11.78) greater rates of NPI symptoms than those with unimpaired levels of sensory functioning. There were no differences in the number of neuropsychiatric symptoms by type of sensory loss, and no additional risk associated with a dual sensory loss compared to a single sensory loss. There was no evidence of an association between sensory loss and number of neuropsychiatric symptoms among cognitively healthy adults.

CONCLUSIONS

The extent to which this association is the result of underlying neuropathology, unmet need, or interpersonal factors is unclear. These findings have significant implications for dementia care settings, including hospitals and respite care, as patients with sensory loss are at increased risk of neuropsychiatric symptoms and may require additional psychosocial support. Interventions to manage sensory loss and reduce the impact of sensory limitations on neuropsychiatric symptoms are needed.

Affective and emotional dysregulation as pre-dementia risk markers: exploring the mild behavioral impairment symptoms of depression, anxiety, irritability, and euphoria

BACKGROUND

Affective and emotional symptoms such as depression, anxiety, euphoria, and irritability are common neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in pre-dementia and cognitively normal older adults. They comprise a domain of Mild Behavioral Impairment (MBI), which describes their emergence in later life as an at-risk state for cognitive decline and dementia, and as a potential manifestation of prodromal dementia. This selective scoping review explores the epidemiology and neurobiological links between affective and emotional symptoms, and incident cognitive decline, focusing on recent literature in this expanding field of research.

METHODS

Existing literature in prodromal and dementia states was reviewed, focusing on epidemiology, and neurobiology. Search terms included: "mild cognitive impairment," "dementia," "prodromal dementia," "preclinical dementia," "Alzheimer's," "depression," "dysphoria," "mania," "euphoria," "bipolar disorder," and "irritability."

RESULTS

Affective and emotional dysregulation are common in preclinical and prodromal dementia syndromes, often being harbingers of neurodegenerative change and progressive cognitive decline. Nosological constraints in distinguishing between pre-existing psychiatric symptomatology and later life acquired NPS limit historical data utility, but emerging research emphasizes the importance of addressing time frames between symptom onset and cognitive decline, and age of symptom onset.

CONCLUSION

Affective symptoms are of prognostic utility, but interventions to prevent dementia syndromes are limited. Trials need to assess interventions targeting known dementia pathology, toward novel pathology, as well as using psychiatric medications. Research focusing explicitly on later life onset symptomatology will improve our understanding of the neurobiology of NPS and neurodegeneration, enrich the study sample, and inform observational and clinical trial design for prevention and treatment strategies.

All Is Not Lost: Positive Behaviors in Alzheimer's Disease and Behavioral-Variant Frontotemporal Dementia with Disease Severity

Background: Anecdotal evidence indicates that some patients with dementia exhibit novel or increased positive behaviors, such as painting or singing, after the disease onset. Due to the lack of objective measures, however, the frequency and nature of these changes has not been formally investigated.

Objective: This study aimed to systematically identify changes in these behaviors in the two most common younger-onset dementia syndromes: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD).

Methods: Sixty-three caregivers of patients with dementia (32 caregivers of AD patients and 31 caregivers of bvFTD patients) participated in the study. Caregivers rated the presence and frequency of positive and negative behavior changes after the onset of dementia using the Hypersensory and Social/Emotional Scale (HSS) questionnaire, focusing on three domains: sensory processing, cognitive skills, and social/emotional processing. Six composites scores were obtained reflecting these three domains (two composite scores for each domain). Differences across scores and ratios of increased and decreased behaviors were analyzed between AD and bvFTD, at different disease severity levels.

Results: After disease onset, significant changes in the sensory processing domain were observed across disease severity levels, particularly in AD. Composite scores of the other domains did not change significantly. Importantly, however, some novel or increased positive behaviors were present in between 10% (Music activities) and 70% (Hypersensitivity) of AD and bvFTD patients, regardless of disease severity.

Conclusions: We provide the first systematic investigation of positive behaviors in AD and bvFTD. The newly developed HSS questionnaire is a valid measure to characterize changes and progression of positive behaviors in patients with dementia.

Frequency of Depressive Syndromes in Elderly Individuals with No Cognitive Impairment, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer's Disease Dementia in a Memory Clinic Setting

AIMS

The aims of this study were to investigate the frequency of various depressive syndromes in elderly individuals with no cognitive impairment (NC), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease dementia (AD) in a memory clinic setting, and then to test whether severe and milder forms of depressive syndromes are differentially associated with the cognitive groups.

METHODS

For 216 NC, 478 MCI, and 316 AD subjects, we investigated the frequency of depressive syndromes, defined by three different categories: major and minor depressive disorder (MaDD and MiDD) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, as well as depression according to the National Institute of Mental Health provisional diagnostic criteria for depression in Alzheimer's disease (NIMH-dAD).

RESULTS

The frequency of MaDD did not show any significant difference among NC, MCI, and AD. In contrast, the frequencies of MiDD and NIMH-dAD were higher than those of MaDD and showed significant group differences with a gradual increase from NC to AD.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that the degenerative process of Alzheimer's disease contributes to the occurrence of mild depressive conditions, but not to severe depression.

Depression and Dementia in Old-Old Population: History of Depression May Be Associated with Dementia Onset. The Tome Project

Background: In this study, we investigated the relationship among a history of depression, depressive states, and dementia in a community-based old-old cohort.

Methods: From 2012 to 2013, we recruited 200 subjects residing in Tome, Japan. Ultimately, 181 subjects were enrolled in our study and completed the whole study protocol. We used the World Mental Health-Composite International Diagnostic Interview 3.0 to evaluate whether subjects had a history of depression or other affective disorders. Simultaneously, 3.0 Tesla brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed for each subject.

Results: Of 181 subjects, 66 were normal (clinical dementia rating [CDR] = 0), 88 had MCI (CDR = 0.5), and 27 had dementia (CDR = 1 or above). Nine of the 181 subjects (4.9%) had a history of depressive episodes. CDR was significantly higher in subjects with a history of depression (0.9 vs. 0.4, p = 0.046) than in those without it. Seventy-two of the 181 subjects (39.7%) exhibited depressive symptoms. Subjects with depression exhibited lower Mini–Mental State Examination scores (21.6 vs. 23.3, p = 0.008), higher CDR scores (0.6 vs. 0.3, p = 0.004), and more atrophy of the medial temporal lobe (4.4 vs. 3.7, p = 0.036).

Conclusion: A history of depression should be considered a risk factor for all-cause dementia. In the old-old population, depression is associated with a higher prevalence of dementia, lower cognitive performance, and a smaller hippocampus.

Motor Abnormalities: From Neurodevelopmental to Neurodegenerative Through "Functional" (Neuro)Psychiatric Disorders

Background

Motor abnormalities (MAs) of severe mental disorders have been traditionally neglected both in clinical practice and research, although they are an increasing focus of attention because of their clinical and neurobiological relevance. For historical reasons, most of the literature on MAs has been focused to a great extent on schizophrenia, and as a consequence their prevalence and featural properties in other psychiatric or neuropsychiatric disorders are poorly known. In this article, we evaluated the extent to which catatonic, extrapyramidal and neurological soft signs, and their associated clinical features, are present transdiagnostically.

Methods

We examined motor-related features in neurodevelopmental (schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, autism spectrum disorders), "functional" (nonschizophrenic nonaffective psychoses, mood disorders) and neurodegenerative (Alzheimer's disease) disorders. Examination of the literature revealed that there have been very few comparisons of motor-related features across diagnoses and we had to rely mainly in disorder-specific studies to compare it transdiagnostically.

Results

One or more motor domains had a substantial prevalence in all the diagnoses examined. In "functional" disorders, MAs, and particularly catatonic signs, appear to be markers of episode severity; in chronic disorders, although with different degree of strength or evidence, all motor domains are indicators of both disorder severity and poor outcome; lastly, in Alzheimer's disease they are also indicators of disorder progression.

Conclusions

MAs appear to represent a true transdiagnostic domain putatively sharing neurobiological mechanisms of neurodevelopmental, functional or neurodegenerative origin.

Core outcome measures for interventions to prevent or slow the progress of dementia for people living with mild to moderate dementia: Systematic review and consensus recommendations

BACKGROUND

There are no disease-modifying treatments for dementia. There is also no consensus on disease modifying outcomes. We aimed to produce the first evidence-based consensus on core outcome measures for trials of disease modification in mild-to-moderate dementia.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

We defined disease-modification interventions as those aiming to change the underlying pathology. We systematically searched electronic databases and previous systematic reviews for published and ongoing trials of disease-modifying treatments in mild-to-moderate dementia. We included 149/22,918 of the references found; with 81 outcome measures from 125 trials. Trials involved participants with Alzheimer's disease (AD) alone (n = 111), or AD and mild cognitive impairment (n = 8) and three vascular dementia. We divided outcomes by the domain measured (cognition, activities of daily living, biological markers, neuropsychiatric symptoms, quality of life, global). We calculated the number of trials and of participants using each outcome. We detailed psychometric properties of each outcome. We sought the views of people living with dementia and family carers in three cities through Alzheimer's society focus groups. Attendees at a consensus conference (experts in dementia research, disease-modification and harmonisation measures) decided on the core set of outcomes using these results. Recommended core outcomes were cognition as the fundamental deficit in dementia and to indicate disease modification, serial structural MRIs. Cognition should be measured by Mini Mental State Examination or Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale. MRIs would be optional for patients. We also made recommendations for measuring important, but non-core domains which may not change despite disease modification.

LIMITATIONS

Most trials were about AD. Specific instruments may be superseded. We searched one database for psychometric properties.

INTERPRETATION

This is the first review to identify the 81 outcome measures the research community uses for disease-modifying trials in mild-to-moderate dementia. Our recommendations will facilitate designing, comparing and meta-analysing disease modification trials in mild-to-moderate dementia, increasing their value.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO no. CRD42015027346.

Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms Impact Clinical Competence in Alzheimer's Disease

Decision-making is considered a fundamental aspect of personal autonomy and can be affected in psychiatric and neurologic diseases. It has been shown that cognitive deficits in dementia impact negatively on decision-making. Moreover, studies highlighted impaired clinical competence in neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. In this context, the current study explored the relationship between behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and clinical competence, especially the capacity to consent to treatment, in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Seventy-one patients with mild to moderate AD participated, completing assessments for capacity to consent to treatment, general cognition and neuropsychiatric disturbances. For each neuropsychiatric symptom, patients with and without the particular disturbance were compared on the different subscales of the MacArthur Competence Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T; Understanding, Appreciation, Reasoning and Expression). The results showed that patients presenting delusions, as well as apathetic patients, had a lower ability to express a clear treatment choice compared to patients without these symptoms. By contrast, patients with dysphoria/depression had higher scores on this variable. Additionally, AD patients with euphoria had more difficulties discussing consequences of treatment alternatives compared to patients without this disturbance. None of the differences were confounded by global cognition. There were no between-group differences in clinical decision-making for patients with hallucinations, agitation/aggression, anxiety, irritability, disinhibition and aberrant motor behavior. These findings highlight the importance of taking BPSD into account when assessing decision-making capacity, especially clinical competence, in AD. Furthermore, reducing BPSD may lead to better clinical competence in patients with AD, as well as to improvements in patients and caregivers' quality of life.

Síntomas neuropsiquiátricos como factor de confusión en la detección de la demencia

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to evaluate whether the neuropsychiatric symptoms interfere with cognitive impairment detection in primary care and to describe which of them generate more confusion.

DESIGN

Descriptive and observational study.

LOCATION

Mobile psychiatric unit in collaboration with primary healthcare centers in Barcelona.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 104 patients over 65years referred to mobile psychiatric unit from primary healthcare clinicians suspecting mental disease.

MAIN MEASUREMENTS

All patients received a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis. We included in the study the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Neuropsichiatric Inventory, Severe Psychiatric Illness scale, Global Assessment of Functioning, Clinical Global Impression and Word Health Organisation Dissability Assessment Schedule.

RESULTS

55.8% of patients referred from primary care had altered MMSE score. Neuropsychiatric symptoms more frequently associated with suspected cognitive impairment were delusions, hallucinations, agitation, disinhibition, irritability and purposeless motor behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

When psychiatric symptoms of Severe Mental Disorder (SMD) are detected in elderly individuals with no history of SMD, cognitive impairment should be suspected and a screening test be done.

Development of a core outcome set for disease modification trials in mild to moderate dementia: a systematic review, patient and public consultation and consensus recommendations

BACKGROUND

There is currently no disease-modifying treatment available to halt or delay the progression of the disease pathology in dementia. An agreed core set of the best-available and most appropriate outcomes for disease modification would facilitate the design of trials and ensure consistency across disease modification trials, as well as making results comparable and meta-analysable in future trials.

OBJECTIVES

To agree a set of core outcomes for disease modification trials for mild to moderate dementia with the UK dementia research community and patient and public involvement (PPI).

DATA SOURCES

We included disease modification trials with quantitative outcomes of efficacy from (1) references from related systematic reviews in workstream 1; (2) searches of the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group study register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, EMBASE, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature and PsycINFO on 11 December 2015, and clinical trial registries [International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) and clinicaltrials.gov] on 22 and 29 January 2016; and (3) hand-searches of reference lists of relevant systematic reviews from database searches.

REVIEW METHODS

The project consisted of four workstreams. (1) We obtained related core outcome sets and work from co-applicants. (2) We systematically reviewed published and ongoing disease modification trials to identify the outcomes used in different domains. We extracted outcomes used in each trial, recording how many used each outcome and with how many participants. We divided outcomes into the domains measured and searched for validation data. (3) We consulted with PPI participants about recommended outcomes. (4) We presented all the synthesised information at a conference attended by the wider body of National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) dementia researchers to reach consensus on a core set of outcomes.

RESULTS

We included 149 papers from the 22,918 papers screened, referring to 125 individual trials. Eighty-one outcomes were used across trials, including 72 scales [31 cognitive, 12 activities of daily living (ADLs), 10 global, 16 neuropsychiatric and three quality of life] and nine biological techniques. We consulted with 18 people for PPI. The conference decided that only cognition and biological markers are core measures of disease modification. Cognition should be measured by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) or the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - Cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog), and brain changes through structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a subset of participants. All other domains are important but not core. We recommend using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory for neuropsychiatric symptoms: the Disability Assessment for Dementia for ADLs, the Dementia Quality of Life Measure for quality of life and the Clinical Dementia Rating scale to measure dementia globally.

LIMITATIONS

Most of the trials included participants with Alzheimer's disease, so recommendations may not apply to other types of dementia. We did not conduct economic analyses. The PPI consultation was limited to members of the Alzheimer's Society Research Network.

CONCLUSIONS

Cognitive outcomes and biological markers form the core outcome set for future disease modification trials, measured by the MMSE or ADAS-Cog, and structural MRI in a subset of participants.

FUTURE WORK

We envisage that the core set may be superseded in the future, particularly for other types of dementia. There is a need to develop an algorithm to compare scores on the MMSE and ADAS-Cog.

STUDY REGISTRATION

The project was registered with Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials [ www.comet-initiative.org/studies/details/819?result=true (accessed 7 April 2016)]. The systematic review protocol is registered as PROSPERO CRD42015027346.

FUNDING

The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

Simulated presence therapy for dementia

BACKGROUND

Dementia is a common and serious neuropsychiatric syndrome, characterised by progressive cognitive and functional decline. The majority of people with dementia develop behavioural disturbances, also known as behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Several non-pharmacological interventions have been evaluated to treat BPSD in people with dementia. Simulated presence therapy (SPT), an intervention that uses video or audiotape recordings of family members played to the person with dementia, is a possible approach to treat BPSD.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of SPT on behavioural and psychological symptoms and quality of life in people with dementia.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched ALOIS (the Specialised Register of the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group), CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library) (9 February 2016), MEDLINE Ovid SP (1946 to 6 January 2017), Embase Ovid SP (1972 to 6 January 2017), PsycINFO Ovid SP (1806 to 6 January 2017), CINAHL via EBSCOhost (1980 to 6 January 2017), LILACS via BIREME (all dates to 6 January 2017), ClinicalTrials.gov (ClinicalTrials.gov) (all dates to 6 January 2017), and the World Health Organization (WHO) Portal (apps.who.int/trialsearch) (all dates to 6 January 2017). We also checked the reference lists of relevant articles to identify any additional studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials, including cross-over studies, that evaluated the efficacy of SPT, consisting of personalised audio or videotape recordings of family members, in people with any form of dementia.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two authors independently selected studies, assessed risk of bias and extracted data. No meta-analyses were conducted because of substantial heterogeneity among the included studies.

MAIN RESULTS

Three trials with 144 participants met the inclusion criteria. Two of the trials had a randomised cross-over design, one was a cross-over trial which we classified as quasi-randomised.Participants in the included studies were people with dementia living in nursing homes. They were predominantly women and had a mean age of over 80 years. SPT was performed using an audio or video recording prepared by family members or surrogates. It varied in its content, frequency of administration and duration. All the studies compared multiple treatments. In one study, SPT was compared with two other interventions; in the other two studies, it was compared with three other interventions. Specifically, SPT was compared to usual care, personalised music (two studies), a 'placebo' audiotape containing the voice of a person (two studies), and one-to-one social interaction performed by trained research assistants (one study). In terms of outcomes evaluated, one study considered agitation and withdrawn behaviour (both assessed with three methods); the second study evaluated verbal disruptive behaviour (assessed with three methods); and the third study evaluated physically agitated behaviour and verbally agitated behaviour (the method used was not clearly described).According to the GRADE criteria, the overall quality of the evidence was very low due to very small numbers of participants and risk of bias in the included studies; (none of the trials was at low risk of selection bias; all the trials were at high risk of performance bias; one trial was at high risk of attrition bias; and all had unclear selective reporting).Because of variation in the participants, the format of SPT, the comparison interventions, and the measures used to assess outcomes, we judged the results unsuitable for a meta-analysis.Within each trial, the effect of SPT on behaviour, compared to usual care, was mixed and depended on the measure used. Two trials which included a personalised music intervention reported no significant differences between simulated presence and music on behavioural outcomes. Because the overall quality of the evidence was very low, we were very uncertain regarding all the resultsNone of the studies evaluated quality of life or any of our secondary outcome measures (performance of activities of daily living, dropout and carer burden).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

We were unable to draw any conclusions about the efficacy of SPT for treating behavioural and psychological symptoms and improving quality of life of people with dementia. New high-quality studies are needed to investigate the effect of SPT.

The need for harmonisation and innovation of neuropsychological assessment in neurodegenerative dementias in Europe: consensus document of the Joint Program for Neurodegenerative Diseases Working Group

Cognitive, behavioural, and functional assessment is crucial in longitudinal studies of neurodegenerative dementias (NDD). Central issues, such as the definition of the study population (asymptomatic, at risk, or individuals with dementia), the detection of change/decline, and the assessment of relevant outcomes depend on quantitative measures of cognitive, behavioural, and functional status.

Currently, we are far from having available reliable protocols and tools for the assessment of dementias in Europe. The main problems are the heterogeneity of the tools used across different European countries, the lack of standardisation of administration and scoring methods across centres, and the limited information available about the psychometric properties of many tests currently in widespread use. This situation makes it hard to compare results across studies carried out in different centres, thus hampering research progress, in particular towards the contribution to a “big data” common data set.

We present here the results of a project funded by the Joint Program for Neurodegenerative Diseases (JPND) and by the Italian Ministry of Health. The project aimed at providing a consensus framework for the harmonisation of assessment tools to be applied to research in neurodegenerative disorders affecting cognition across Europe. A panel of European experts reviewed the current methods of neuropsychological assessment, identified pending issues, and made recommendations for the harmonisation of neuropsychological assessment of neurodegenerative dementias in Europe.

A consensus was achieved on the general recommendations to be followed in developing procedures and tools for neuropsychological assessment, with the aim of harmonising tools and procedures to achieve more reliable data on the cognitive-behavioural examination. The results of this study should be considered as a first step to enhancing a common view and practise on NDD assessment across European countries.

Language background in early life may be related to neuropsychiatry symptoms in patients with Alzheimer disease

Background

The relationship between early life experience and the occurrence of neuropsychiatry symptoms (NPSs) in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) is unclear.

Methods

From 2012 to 2014, we prospectively recruited 250 patients with probable AD from the memory clinic of Taipei Veterans General Hospital. All patients underwent standard assessments, including brain magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography, neuropsychological tests, neuropsychiatry inventory (NPI-Q) and related blood tests. A linear regression analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between NPSs and age, gender, disease severity, depression, language background (with or without Japanese education).

Results

Among the 250 participants, 113 (45.2%) were women. Their average age was 82.6 years. Of all the participants, 93 (37.2%) had received formal Japanese education, whereas 157 (62.8%) did not receive Japanese education. The participants with Japanese education were slightly younger (83.1 ± 3.6 vs. 81.4 ± 3.4, P = 0.006), with a higher proportion of them were women (30.5% vs. 69.8%, P < 0.001) and fewer years of total education (10.8 ± 4.5 vs. 7.7 ± 3.2, P < 0.001), compared to the participants without Japanese education. NPI-Q scores significantly differed between the two groups (15.8 vs. 24.1, P = 0.024). Both disease severity and language background predicted NPI-Q scores.

Conclusions

Language background in early life may be related to NPSs in patients with AD, and this effect is more significant in patients with a lower education level than in those with a higher education level. More NPSs may be the result of negative effects on dominant language or early life experiences.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12877-017-0435-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Dementia Caregiver Burden: a Research Update and Critical Analysis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This article provides an updated review of the determinants of caregiver burden and depression, with a focus on care demands and especially the differential effects of various neuropsychiatric symptoms or symptom clusters. Moreover, studies on caregivers for frontotemporal and Lewy body dementias were referred to in order to identify differences and similarities with the mainstream literature based largely on Alzheimer caregivers.

RECENT FINDINGS

As a group, neuropsychiatric symptoms are most predictive of caregiver burden and depression regardless of dementia diagnosis, but the effects appear to be driven primarily by disruptive behaviors (e.g., agitation, aggression, disinhibition), followed by delusions and mood disturbance. Disruptive behaviors are more disturbing partly because of the adverse impact on the emotional connection between the caregiver and the care-recipient and partly because they exacerbate difficulties in other domains (e.g., caring for activities of daily living). In behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, not only are these disruptive behaviors more prominent but they are also more disturbing due to the care-recipient's insensitivity to others' feelings. In Lewy body dementia, visual hallucinations also appear to be distressing. The disturbing nature of disruptive behaviors cuts across dementia conditions, but the roles played by symptoms that are unique or particularly serious in a certain condition need to be explored further.

Managing behavioral disturbances in a patient with dementia

A 92-year-old patient with Parkinson disease and dementia provides an opportunity for the advanced practice registered nurse to shift thinking about behavioral disturbances in dementia, away from controlling behavior with pharmacologic approaches, such as antipsychotics, toward understanding behavior by applying the nonpharmacologic Describe, Investigate, Create, and Evaluate method.

The Incidence of Benzodiazepine and Related Drug Use in Persons with and without Alzheimer's Disease

BACKGROUND

Benzodiazepines and related drugs (BZDR) are occasionally used to treat certain symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the risks related to BZDR use are high in older persons. Although frequent BZDR use has been reported in persons with AD, no previous study has focused specifically on the incidence of BZDR use in this population.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the incidence of BZDR use in persons with and without AD during a five-year follow-up.

METHODS

The Finnish nationwide, register-based MEDALZ cohort includes all AD cases who received a clinically verified AD diagnosis in 2005-2011 (n = 70,718) and their matched comparison persons. Incidence of BZDR, including benzodiazepines (lorazepam, oxazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, and nitrazepam) and Z-drugs (zolpidem and zopiclone), use was investigated in the cohort from two years before to three years after the diagnosis of AD. Further, initial BZDRs were investigated.

RESULTS

The incidence of BZDR use was higher in persons with AD starting from 12 months before the diagnosis and peaked at six months after the diagnosis of AD (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.5-2.8). Benzodiazepines were more frequently initiated by persons with AD, with the incidence peaking at six months after the diagnosis (IRR = 4.5, 95% CI = 4.1-4.9) and remaining over three times higher than in comparison persons until three years after the diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

Early symptomatic treatment with BZDRs is contrary to AD treatment guidelines. As BZDRs impair cognition, the observed early treatment with BZDRs may complicate the monitoring of AD treatment effectiveness.

Classification of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms Requiring Antipsychotic Treatment in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease: Analysis of the CATIE-AD Study

BACKGROUND

The Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) comprises 12 items, which were conventionally determined by psychopathological symptoms of patients with dementia. The clinical rating scales with structured questionnaires have been useful to evaluate neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) of patients with dementia over the past twenty year.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to classify the conventional NPSs in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) requiring antipsychotic treatment for their NPSs into distinct clusters to simplify assessment of these numerous symptoms.

METHODS

Twelve items scores (product of severity and frequency of each symptom) in the NPI taken from the baseline visit were classified into subgroups by principle component analysis using data from 421 outpatients with AD enrolled in the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness-Alzheimer's Disease (CATIE-AD) Phase 1. Chi square tests were conducted to examine the co-occurrence of the subgroups.

RESULTS

We found four distinct clusters: aggressiveness (agitation and irritabilities), apathy and eating problems (apathy and appetite/eating disturbance), psychosis (delusions and hallucinations), and emotion and disinhibition (depression, euphoria, and disinhibition). Anxiety, aberrant motor behavior, and sleep disturbance were not included by these clusters. Apathy and eating problems, and emotion and disinhibition co-occurred (p = 0.002), whereas aggressiveness and psychosis occurred independent of the other clusters.

CONCLUSIONS

Four distinct category clusters were identified from NPSs in patients with AD requiring antipsychotic treatment. Future studies should investigate psychosocial backgrounds or risk factors of each distinct cluster, in addition to their longitudinal course over treatment intervention.

Inappropriate behaviors and hypersexuality in individuals with dementia: An overview of a neglected issue

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia are very common in patients affected by dementia, and are associated with high rates of institutionalization. Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia consist of aggressive behavior, delusions, hallucinations, depression, apathy, wandering, stereotyped and inappropriate sexual behavior. Interestingly, the latter has been reported to be relatively uncommon, but causing immense distress to patients and their caregivers. The genesis of inappropriate behavior is considered a combination of neurological, psychological and social factors. Although assessment is mainly carried out by clinical observation and interviews with caregivers, the most appropriate management of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, including hypersexuality, is a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, according to specific symptoms, degree of cognitive dysfunction and subtype of dementia. The present narrative review will mainly focus on aggressiveness, disinhibition, aberrant motor, and sexually inappropriate behavior diagnostic work-up and treatment, in an attempt to provide both the patients and their caregivers with useful information to better manage these symptoms and improve their quality of life. Space is particularly dedicated to inappropriate sexual behavior, which is still considered a neglected issue. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 865-874.

Phenomenology of Depression in Alzheimer's Disease

Depression is among the most frequent psychiatric comorbid conditions in dementia. There is no strong consensus as to what criteria should be used to diagnose depression in AD. This is at least partially explained by the overlap between symptoms of depression and symptoms of AD. Recent studies using latent class analysis provided clarification to this diagnostic dilemma. All nine DSM-IV symptoms of major depression were found to characterize a class with a high chance (96% ) of having a clinical diagnosis of major depression, and symptoms of anxiety were also frequent. Other psychiatric symptoms may also be included under the construct of depression in AD, since both apathy and anxiety are among the most frequent comorbid conditions for major depression in AD. Subtypes of depression should also be validated in this condition. For instance, increased awareness of cognitive and functional deficits is significantly associated with dysthymia but not with major depression, suggesting that different depressive syndromes in AD may have different etiology.

Psychiatric and Medical Comorbidity in the Primary Care Geriatric Patient-An Update

The mental health needs of older primary care patients are now widely recognized if not widely addressed. The range of behavioral health approaches including co-locating psychiatrists and integrating mental health professionals as care managers into primary care sites is extensive and growing. Nonetheless the primary care provider remains the first line of defense against mental disorders, most commonly depression and anxiety that accompany and exacerbate common physical conditions. The excess, potentially avoidable disability that results from comorbidity makes it imperative that early recognition and evidence based intervention occur. Multi-morbidity and polypharmacy make intervention a challenge. Psychotherapy can help overcome comorbidity depression however the most accessible intervention would be an antidepressant FDA approved for both anxiety and depressive disorders. For all these reasons, a focus on physical conditions most commonly associated with mental disorders can foster early recognition before the older patient's care becomes overwhelmingly complicated.

Predicting the progression of Alzheimer's disease dementia: A multidomain health policy model

INTRODUCTION

We develop a multidomain model to predict progression of Alzheimer's disease dementia (AD).

METHODS

Data from the US National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (n = 3009) are used to examine change in symptom status and to estimate transition probabilities between health states described using cognitive function, functional ability, and behavior. A model is used to predict progression and to assess a hypothetical treatment scenario that slows mild to moderate AD progression.

RESULTS

More than 70% of participants moved state over 12 months. The majority moved in domains other than cognitive function. Over 5 years, of those alive more than half are in severe AD health states. Assessing an intervention scenario, we see fewer years in more severe health states and a potential impact (life years saved) due to mortality improvements.

DISCUSSION

The model developed is exploratory and has limitations but illustrates the importance of using a multidomain approach when assessing impacts of AD and interventions.

Simulated presence therapy for dementia: a systematic review protocol

INTRODUCTION

The majority of patients with dementia develop behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Non-pharmacological interventions are an appealing alternative for the treatment of BPSD in patients with dementia. Simulated presence therapy (SPT) is a simple and inexpensive non-pharmacological intervention that can be used to treat BPSD. We propose a Cochrane protocol for the collection and assessment of evidence concerning the efficacy of SPT to treat relevant outcomes in people with dementia.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

We will search the following electronic databases: the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group's Specialised Register MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, LILACS, CENTRAL and a number of trial registers as well as grey literature sources. We will include randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials (including cross-over studies) that evaluated SPT in people with dementia. Comparators such as usual care with no additional activity, or any activity that differs in content and approach from SPT, but is additional to usual care, will be considered. The primary outcomes of interest will comprise behavioural and psychological symptoms, as measured by relevant scales, and quality of life. Two review authors working independently and in tandem will be involved in title and abstract screening, full-text screening and data abstraction. Where possible, quantitative data will be pooled, and relative risk and mean difference with 95% CI will be employed for dichotomous and continuous data, respectively. Assessment of risk of bias will be performed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethics approval is not required. The final results of this systematic review will be presented to the Cochrane Library and will also be disseminated at relevant conference presentations.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42015029778.

Association of neuropsychiatric syndromes with global clinical deterioration in Alzheimer's disease patients

BACKGROUND

Data on the relationship between behavioral disturbances in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and global clinical deterioration is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to explore potential correlations of neuropsychiatric syndromes with global clinical deterioration in patients with AD, with particular consideration on severity levels of dementia.

METHODS

AD patients (n = 156) aged 76.7 years from Brazilian clinical centers were assessed to diagnose the five neuropsychiatric syndromes measured by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Clinician rating scale (NPI-C): psychosis, agitation, affective, apathy, and sleep. These syndromes were then analyzed for their correlation with the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS). To analyze the association of neuropsychiatric syndromes with the GDS, considering the total sample and patients grouped by dementia severity levels, we applied the coefficient of multiple correlation (Ryy), adjusted multiple linear regression, and the coefficient of determination (R2yx). We tested the significance of correlation coefficients using the Student t-test for simple correlations (a single independent variable) and analysis of variance (ANOVA) for multiple correlations. ANOVA was also used to compare means of demographic and some clinical variables at different levels of dementia.

RESULTS

For the total sample, apathy and agitation syndromes were most strongly correlated (0.74; 0.72, respectively) with clinical deterioration according to the GDS, followed by psychosis (0.59), affective (0.45), and sleep syndromes (0.34). Agitation significantly correlated with mild and moderate dementia (CDR 1: 0.45; and CDR 2: 0.69, respectively). At CDR 2, agitation and affective syndromes were most strongly correlated (0.69; 0.59, respectively) with clinical deterioration while at CDR 3, the apathy syndrome was most strongly correlated with clinical deterioration (0.52).

CONCLUSIONS

Agitation, apathy, and affective disorders were the syndromes most strongly correlated with global deterioration in AD patients, becoming more evident at severe stages of dementia.

The importance of behavioural and pyschological symptoms in Alzheimer's disease

INTRODUCTION

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), present in the vast majority of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), cause extensive impairment in all areas, including functionality. Early diagnosis and management are critical, especially since these symptoms are not included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) as a diagnostic criterion of AD, but only as specific features of some patients. The main purpose of this review is to highlight the importance of these behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, particularly in AD. In addition, we discuss why these symptoms have not been included in the latest DSM-V.

DEVELOPMENT

We conducted a literature search through various databases to gather data about BPSD in AD, and found a total of 12 articles.

CONCLUSIONS

BPSD are present in almost all patients and result in cognitive and functional impairment. The prevalence of these symptoms varies depending on the study and the symptom in question. In our view, BPSD should be included among the DSM diagnostic criteria for AD.

The use of facial expressions for pain assessment purposes in dementia: a narrative review

Facial expressions convey reliable nonverbal signals about pain and thus are very useful for assessing pain in patients with limited communicative ability, such as patients with dementia. In this review, we present an overview of the available pain observation tools and how they make use of facial expressions. Utility and reliability of facial expressions to measure pain in dementia are discussed, together with the effect of dementia severity on these facial expressions. Next, we present how behavioral alterations may overlap with facial expressions of pain, and may even influence the extent to which pain is facially expressed. The main focus is on disinhibition, apathy and emotional changes. Finally, an overview of theoretical considerations and practical implications is presented for assessing pain using facial expressions in clinical settings.

Psychosis associated behavioral and psychological signs and symptoms in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's dementia

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of psychosis in mild cognitive impairment (MCI, Petersen's criteria) and patients with Alzheimer's dementia, and to characterize the associated behavioral and psychological signs and symptoms of dementia (BPSD).

METHOD

A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from an ongoing, prospective, longitudinal study on BPSD was performed, including 270 MCI and 402 AD patients. BPSD assessment was performed through Middelheim Frontality Score (MFS), Behave-AD, Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) and Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD). Psychosis was considered to be clinically relevant when delusions and/or hallucinations occurred at least once in the last two weeks prior to the BPSD assessment.

RESULTS

The prevalence of psychosis in AD (40%) was higher than in MCI (14%; p < 0.001). AD patients with psychosis showed more severe frontal lobe, BPSD, agitation and depressive symptoms (MFS, Behave-AD, CMAI and CSDD total scores), whereas MCI patients with psychosis only showed more severe frontal lobe and physically non-aggressive agitated behavior. In addition, only in psychotic AD patients, all BPSD and types of agitation were more severe compared to non-psychotic AD patients. Comparing MCI and AD patients, MCI patients with psychosis did not show more severe frontal lobe, behavioral and psychological (Behave-AD), depressive symptoms or agitation than AD patients without psychosis.

CONCLUSION

AD patients clearly display psychosis associated BPSD, whereas MCI patients only display more severe frontal lobe symptoms and physically non-aggressive agitated behavior, but also less pronounced than in AD.

Relationship between dementia severity and behavioural and psychological symptoms in early-onset Alzheimer's disease

BACKGROUND

The features of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are influenced by dementia stage. In early-onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD), the association between BPSD and dementia stage remains unclear because of the difficulty of recruiting subjects with a wide range of disease severity. We used a combination of community-based and hospital-based approaches to investigate the relationship between dementia severity and BPSD in EOAD patients.

METHODS

Sixty-three consecutive EOAD outpatients and 29 EOAD patients from a community-based survey were divided into three dementia severity groups according to the Clinical Dementia Rating scale (CDR): mild (CDR 0.5-1, n = 55), moderate (CDR 2, n = 17), and severe (CDR 3, n = 20). BPSD were rated using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory.

RESULTS

Scores of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory subscales agitation, euphoria, apathy, disinhibition, irritability, and aberrant motor behaviour increased significantly with increased dementia severity. Hallucinations were greater in the moderate group than in the mild group. For delusions, depression, and anxiety, no significant differences were observed among the three severity groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The pattern of apathy, agitation, disinhibition, irritability, and aberrant motor behaviour worsening with severity progression in EOAD is similar to the pattern in late-onset Alzheimer's disease. In contrast, hallucinations, depression, and anxiety showed different patterns in EOAD.

Agitation-associated behavioral symptoms in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's dementia

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of agitation in mild cognitive impairment (MCI, Petersen's criteria) and patients with Alzheimer's dementia (AD), and to characterize the associated behavioral symptoms.

METHOD

A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a prospective, longitudinal study on behavioral symptoms was performed, including 268 MCI and 393 AD patients. Behavioral assessment was performed through Middelheim Frontality Score (MFS), Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease Rating Scale (Behave-AD) and Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD). Agitated behavior was considered to be clinically relevant when one or more items of the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) occurred at least once a week.

RESULTS

The prevalence of agitation in AD (76%) was higher than in MCI (60%; p < 0.001). Patients with agitation showed more severe frontal lobe, behavioral and depressive symptoms (MFS, Behave-AD and CSDD total scores). In agitated AD patients, all behavioral symptoms and types of agitation were more severe compared to non-agitated AD patients, but in agitated MCI patients only for diurnal rhythm disturbances. This resulted in more severe Behave-AD global scores in patients with agitation as compared to patients without agitation. Comparing MCI and AD patients, MCI patients with agitation showed more severe behavioral and depressive symptoms than AD patients without agitation. The structure of agitation in AD consisted of more aggressive and physically non-aggressive behavior than in MCI.

CONCLUSION

Frontal lobe, behavioral and depressive symptoms are more severe in MCI and AD patients with clinically relevant agitation as compared to patients without agitation. However, this association is less pronounced in MCI.

The neuropsychiatric profile of posterior cortical atrophy

We analyzed scores obtained at the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) by 20 patients with posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) and contrasted it with 20 patients having Alzheimer disease (AD). Patients with hallucinations and delusions were not included due to the high probability of a diagnosis of Lewy body disease. Prevalence of behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD) was 95% in the PCA group, the most frequent being apathy and anxiety. Cluster analysis on NPI subscales highlighted a behavioral subsyndrome characterized by agitated temper and irritability. Depression, anxiety, and apathy did not cluster with any other BPSD nor with each other. The PCA group showed a significantly higher proportion of anxious patients and worse anxiety score than patients with AD. No correlation was found between NPI data and demographic, clinical, or neuropsychological features nor were there significant differences for the same variables between anxious and nonanxious cases with PCA. In agreement with anecdotal reports, anxiety seems particularly relevant in PCA.

Correlation between both morphologic and functional changes and anxiety in Alzheimer's disease

INTRODUCTION

Although anxiety symptoms are often observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD), little attention has been paid to this symptom compared with other neuropsychiatric symptoms.

METHODS

Twenty-six patients with mild AD underwent both magnetic resonance imaging and single photon emission tomography with technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer. Neuropsychiatric symptoms were evaluated using the Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease Scale (Behave-AD). We investigated the relationship between anxiety and neuroimaging using Statistical Parametric Mapping 8 software.

RESULTS

The Behave-AD anxiety score was correlated with hyperperfusion in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortices and a reduction in the gray matter volume in the right precuneus and inferior parietal lobule.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that anxiety in AD could overlap with the neural correlates of anxiety disorders, and that the specific degeneration associated with AD might be associated with anxiety.

Assessment and management of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia include agitation, depression, apathy, repetitive questioning, psychosis, aggression, sleep problems, wandering, and a variety of inappropriate behaviors. One or more of these symptoms will affect nearly all people with dementia over the course of their illness. These symptoms are among the most complex, stressful, and costly aspects of care, and they lead to a myriad of poor patient health outcomes, healthcare problems, and income loss for family care givers. The causes include neurobiologically related disease factors; unmet needs; care giver factors; environmental triggers; and interactions of individual, care giver, and environmental factors. The complexity of these symptoms means that there is no "one size fits all solution," and approaches tailored to the patient and the care giver are needed. Non-pharmacologic approaches should be used first line, although several exceptions are discussed. Non-pharmacologic approaches with the strongest evidence base involve family care giver interventions. Regarding pharmacologic treatments, antipsychotics have the strongest evidence base, although the risk to benefit ratio is a concern. An approach to integrating non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic treatments is described. Finally, the paradigm shift needed to fully institute tailored treatments for people and families dealing with these symptoms in the community is discussed.

Principles and management of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's dementia

Neuropsychiatric symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (NPS-AD) are highly prevalent and lead to poor medical and functional outcomes. In spite of the burdensome nature of NPS-AD, we are continuing to refine the nosology and only beginning to understand the underlying pathophysiology. Cluster analyses have frequently identified three to five subsyndromes of NPS-AD: behavioral dysfunction (for example, agitation/aggressiveness), psychosis (for example, delusions and hallucinations), and mood disturbance (for example, depression or apathy). Recent neurobiological studies have used new neuroimaging techniques to elucidate behaviorally relevant circuits and networks associated with these subsyndromes. Several fronto-subcortical circuits, cortico-cortical networks, and neurotransmitter systems have been proposed as regions and mechanisms underlying NPS-AD. Common to most of these subsyndromes is the broad overlap of regions associated with the salience network (anterior cingulate and insula), mood regulation (amygdala), and motivated behavior (frontal cortex). Treatment strategies for dysregulated mood syndromes (depression and apathy) have primarily targeted serotonergic mechanisms with antidepressants or dopaminergic mechanisms with psychostimulants. Psychotic symptoms have largely been targeted with anti-psychotic medications despite controversial risk/benefit tradeoffs. Management of behavioral dyscontrol, including agitation and aggression in AD, has encompassed a wide range of psychoactive medications as well as non-pharmacological approaches. Developing rational therapeutic approaches for NPS-AD will require a firmer understanding of the underlying etiology in order to improve nosology as well as provide the empirical evidence necessary to overcome regulatory and funding challenges to further study these debilitating symptoms.

Anxiety is not associated with the risk of dementia or cognitive decline: the Rotterdam Study

OBJECTIVE

Anxiety and depression frequently co-occur in the elderly and in patients with dementia. Prior research has shown that depression is related to the risk of dementia, but the effect of anxiety on dementia remains unclear. We studied whether anxiety symptoms and anxiety disorders are associated with the risk of dementia and cognition.

METHODS

We studied 2,708 nondemented participants from the prospective, population-based Rotterdam Study who underwent the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (sample I, baseline 1993-1995) and 3,069 nondemented participants who underwent screening for anxiety disorders (sample II, baseline 2002-2004). In 1993-1995, anxiety symptoms were assessed using the HADS. In 2002-2004, anxiety disorders were assessed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. In both study samples, participants were continuously monitored for dementia until January 1, 2011. Cognition was tested in 2002-2004 and at a follow-up visit in 2009-2011 in sample II only.

RESULTS

In sample I, 358 persons developed dementia, and in sample II, 248 persons developed dementia. We did not find an association with the risk of dementia for anxiety symptoms (hazard ratio 1.05, 95% confidence interval: 0.77-1.43, Wald statistic 0.08, p = 0.77, df = 1) or for anxiety disorders (hazard ratio 0.92, 95% confidence interval: 0.58-1.45, Wald statistic 0.14, p = 0.71, df = 1). We could demonstrate an association of anxiety disorders with poor cognition cross-sectionally, but this attenuated after additional adjustments.

CONCLUSION

Our findings do not offer evidence for an association between anxiety symptoms or anxiety disorders with the risk of dementia or with cognition. This suggests that anxiety is not a risk factor nor a prodrome of dementia in an elderly, community-dwelling population.

Neurobiology of delusions, memory, and insight in Alzheimer disease

OBJECTIVE

Delusional thoughts are common among patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) and may be conceptually linked to memory deficits (cannot recall accurate information, which leads to inaccurate beliefs) and poor insight (unable to appreciate the illogic of beliefs). This study's goals were to examine the clinical associations among delusions, memory deficits, and poor insight; explore neurobiologic correlates for these symptoms; and identify shared mechanisms.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional analysis, 88 outpatients with AD (mean Mini-Mental State Exam score: 19.3) were studied. Delusional thoughts were assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, level of inaccurate insight was assessed with the Neurobehavioral Rating Scale, and memory was assessed with the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale memory subscale. (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography was used to measure regional cortical metabolism. Relationships between clinical ratings and regional cortical metabolic activity (voxel-based) were assessed using SPM2.

RESULTS

Patients with delusions had lower Dementia Rating Scale memory subscale scores. Neurobehavioral Rating Scale inaccurate insight scores were no different in those with and without delusions. Cortical metabolic activity was lower in the right lateral frontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, and bilateral temporal cortex in patients with delusions. Low cortical metabolic activity in the right lateral, inferior, and medial temporal cortex was associated with poorer memory. This region partially overlapped the region of hypometabolism associated with delusions. In contrast, low cortical metabolic activity in bilateral medial frontal cortex was associated with poor insight.

CONCLUSION

Delusions in AD are associated with dysfunction in specific frontal and temporal cortical regions. Delusions are partially clinically and neurobiologically linked to memory deficits but not to poor insight.

Impact of a cognitive rehabilitation intervention on neuropsychiatric symptoms in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease

The main goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of a cognitive rehabilitation programme on 12 behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). This six-month single-blind block-randomised cross-over controlled study was conducted with 15 mild to moderate AD participants and their caregivers. All participants received a four-week home-based cognitive rehabilitation programme to learn/re-learn an instrumental activity of daily living. They were assessed up until three months following the end of the intervention. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-12) was employed to evaluate patients' BPSD at seven assessment points during the course of the study. A general linear mixed model analysis performed on the NPI data revealed that aberrant motor behaviours (AMB) increased significantly more in the treatment condition than in the control condition. In addition, both groups registered a significant reduction of delusional symptoms during the second half of the study. Employing a multi-symptom approach to assess participants' BPSD, this cross-over randomised controlled study showed that an individualised cognitive rehabilitation intervention was generally well-tolerated by mild to moderate AD patients. Future cognitive rehabilitation studies conducted with this population should pay attention to AMB symptom changes.