Noncognitive Disturbances in Alzheimer's Disease: Frequency, Longitudinal Course, and Relationship to Cognitive Symptoms

摘要: OBJECTIVE: To investigate the frequency and longitudinal course of symptoms depression, agitation, psychosis in a longitudinally studied sample patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). DESIGN: Longitudinal study AD follow-up assessments at 6-month intervals for an average more than 3 years. SETTING: Disease Research Center Mount Sinai Medical Bronx VA Center, New York. PARTICIPANTS: A total 153 patients. MEASUREMENTS: Blessed Test Information, Memory Concentration (BIMC) Assessment Scale cognitive (ADAS-Cog) noncognitive (ADAS-NC) subscales. RESULTS: At entry into study, 90% had behavioral disturbance that was rated as mild or worse on one 10 ADAS items; 40% least rating moderate severe. Correlational analyses indicated that, exception two mood-related items, were not highly correlated another. Only concentration, strongly severity impairment. On average, showed progressively functioning over time measured both by ADAS-Cog BIMC. The mean did change during 5-year follow up. any evaluation negatively behavior next 6 months decline. CONCLUSION: Mild disturbances are common, whereas to severe less frequent this population patients. Disturbances mood manifestations agitation psychotic closely related another show little progressive worsening time. Rather, they tend be episodic such increasing is usually followed improvement later. problems manifestation dysfunction rather AD. Implications these results treatment discussed. J Am Geriatr Soc 45:1331–1338, 1997.