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Published on: August 4, 2018
Cognitive, behavioral, and physiological changes in Alzheimer disease patients as a function of incontinence
Rita D Jewart1, Joanne Green, Ching-ju Lu
1Department of Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Wesley Woods Health Center, 1841 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA. rjewart@emory.edu
Objective:
Authors evaluated the cognitive, neurophysiologic, and behavioral effects of incontinence medications in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD).
Methods:
Nine patients were evaluated, both on and off incontinence medication, for cognitive status, neuropsychiatric status, activities of daily living, and serum anticholinergic level. Caregivers were interviewed to evaluate behavioral status and caregiver burden.
Results:
Patients showed better performance on specific measures of cognition and behavior when not taking medication for incontinence. A significant, inverse correlation was found between mental status and anticholinergic level.
Conclusion:
Although the sample size was small, the findings suggest that, in patients with AD, incontinence medications with anticholinergic properties may have detrimental effects on mental status and behavior.
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