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Using Retinal Imaging to Study Dementia
Published on: November 6, 2017
Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms in Neurocognitive Disorders: Specific Patterns in Dementia Subtypes
Réka Majer1, Viktória Simon2, László Csiba3,1
1MTA-DE Cerebrovascular and Neurodegenerative Research Group, Debrecen, Hungary.
Background:
Behavioural and psychological symptoms in dementia (BPSD) form an important sub-syndrome of dementia. We assessed the frequency and severity of BPSD in a random sample of Hungarian treatment-naïve dementia patients. Furthermore, we examined the relationship between cognitive symptoms and BPSD and the pattern of BPSD in specific types of dementias.
Methods:
Patients (n=131) were classified into 3 groups: Alzheimer's (AD), vascular (VD), and mixed (MD) dementia. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog) and Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) neuropsychological tests were employed.
Results:
Mean age and MMSE score did not differ significantly among groups. BPSD was frequent (100% prevalence, NPI mean total Frequency score: 14.58, SD=7.55); abnormal motor behaviour showed the highest frequency. Hallucinations and delusions were related to the aetiology of dementia and were independent of the level of cognitive deterioration, whereas irritability, sleep-wake cycle dysfunctions, and eating-appetite change were associated with cognitive deterioration and were independent from aetiology. Both aberrant motor behaviour and disinhibition were significantly associated with aetiology and cognitive deterioration.
Conclusions:
BPSD symptoms are significant constituents of dementia syndromes, affecting quality of life and substantially contributing to the caregiver's burden. Specific symptom patterns can be identified in different types of dementia.
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