Apathy in Parkinson's disease: differences between caregiver's report and self-evaluation

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Apathy is a common and disabling symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD), affecting up to 62% of patients.
• Limited research exists on discrepancies between patient self-evaluation and caregiver reports of apathy in PD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in apathy assessment between self-evaluation (SE) and caregiver reporting (CR) in Parkinson's disease.
• To explore relationships between apathy evaluations (SE and CR) and cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions of PD.

Main Methods:

• Forty-eight Parkinson's disease patients were evaluated using the Apathy Evaluation Scale in self- (AES-SE) and caregiver-report (AES-CR) versions.
• Cognitive (Mini-Mental State Examination, Frontal Assessment Battery), affective, and behavioral symptoms were assessed.

Main Results:

• Apathy Evaluation Scale scores were significantly higher in self-evaluation (AES-SE) compared to caregiver reports (AES-CR).
• Neither AES version correlated with depression, but both correlated with motor impairment, disease stage, and behavioral symptoms.
• Cognitive assessments (MMSE, FAB) showed significant negative correlations only with AES-SE scores.

Conclusions:

• Significant discrepancies exist in apathy assessment depending on whether self- or caregiver-reports are used.
• These differences must be considered for accurate assessment and management of apathy in Parkinson's disease.
• Apathy assessment in PD requires a multi-perspective approach, integrating both patient and caregiver viewpoints.