Nuisance parameters in the assessment of noncognitive manifestations of dementia

Predictors of Depressive Symptoms in Persons With Alzheimer's Disease

In a 4-year longitudinal study, we evaluated factors related to the development of depressive symptoms in 410 persons with Alzheimer's disease. We measured depressive symptoms annually by using the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale, which we completed by using structured interviews with family members. On the basis of informant ratings of premorbid personality, we associated neuroticism with a higher rate of depressive symptoms, particularly mood disturbances. We associated greater cognitive impairment with a small reduction in mood symptoms and a modest increase in somatic symptoms. Among demographic variables, somatic symptoms were more common in men and mood symptoms were inversely related to age. Depressive symptoms in Alzheimer's disease appear to follow a more predictable pattern of expression than previously described.

The relationship between severity of dementia and subjective well-being

The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between cognitive deficits and self-reported subjective well-being (depression, life satisfaction, and perceived social support). Sixty-three participants who suffered from mild to moderate dementia were interviewed with standardized measurements of subjective well-being. Reliability and validity of the instruments were satisfactory. Zero-order correlations showed significant correlations between depression, life satisfaction, and perceived social support. Cognitive functioning correlated negatively with perceived social support. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that the interaction of physical diseases and cognitive functioning produced a significant change in depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. Participants with mild dementia reported more depressive symptoms and less life satisfaction than persons with more severe dementia, if there were few constraints on physical health.

Caregivers of persons with stroke: their physical and emotional wellbeing

This descriptive study was undertaken as a pilot test for several questionnaires designed to examine the well-being of caregivers of persons with stroke. This predominantly female sample was found to have moderately few physical symptoms, but to be in considerable emotional distress. Nearly half the sample had anxiety and depression scores above the level identified as suspicious for clinically relevant distress as indexed by the Symptom Questionnaire. Anger was also a salient finding: 40% of those questioned scored above the cutoff level for hostility and several caregivers expressed anger verbally during data collection. The degree of psychological distress in these individuals is of importance to all health care professionals and deserves increased attention, both from the perspective of the researcher and from the perspective of the clinician.