Treatment of mood and behavioral disorders in Alzheimer's Disease (original) (raw)
Related papers
Review Article: Management of Behavioral Symptoms in Progressive Degenerative Dementias
The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 2003
Management of behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and other progressive degenerative dementias poses continuous challenge to both family and professional caregivers. Behavioral symptoms are complex in nature and require that caregivers understand their presumed causes and intervene appropriately using validated caregiving techniques. Unfortunately, confusing terminology hampers improvement in management techniques. This review attempts to clarify terminology and specifically the behavioral symptoms ''agitation'' and ''resistiveness to care'' that require different management techniques. Several conceptual frameworks for behavioral symptoms of dementia are presented. These frameworks include behavioral models, a psychiatric model, and a comprehensive model that combines both behavioral and psychiatric strategies. Using precise terminology consistently and providing care based on a conceptual framework will facilitate the education of caregivers in appropriate techniques for management of behavioral symptoms of dementias.
Aggressive behavior in patients with dementia: Correlates and managementg gi_730 408..413
Aim: To consider the phenomenon of aggressive behavior perpetrated by people with dementia. Methods: We searched electronic databases and key journals using the search terms: aggressive behavior; dementia; behavioral and psychological symptoms. Results: Aggressive behavior (AB) is probably one of the principal problems in dementia. Aggression is linked to internal factors (depression, psychosis, pain) and external determinants (caregiver burden, social stimulation, quality of caregiver–patient relationship). It has been suggested that challenging behavior in people with dementia reflects their premorbid personality traits. Conclusion: Over the course of the illness AB occurs in 30 to 50% of patients and causes extreme stress for caregivers. Careful identification of target symptoms and their consequences, non-pharmacological approaches, and use of the least harmful medication for the shortest period of time should be the guiding principle of treatment. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2011; 11: 408–413. Keyword: aggressive behavior, behavioral and psychological symptoms, dementia. With the exception of intelligence, aggression is the most stable attribute of humans (Olweus, 1979)
Management of behavioral problems in Alzheimer's disease
International Psychogeriatrics, 2010
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex progressive brain degenerative disorder that has effects on multiple cerebral systems. In addition to cognitive and functional decline, diverse behavioral changes manifest with increasing severity over time, presenting significant management challenges for caregivers and health care professionals. Almost all patients with AD are affected by neuropsychiatric symptoms at some point during their illness; in some cases, symptoms occur prior to diagnosis of the dementia syndrome. Further, behavioral factors have been identified, which may have their origins in particular neurobiological processes, and respond to particular management strategies. Improved clarification of causes, triggers, and presentation of neuropsychiatric symptoms will guide both research and clinical decision-making. Measurement of neuropsychiatric symptoms in AD is most commonly by means of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory; its utility and future development are discussed, as are the limitations and difficulties encountered when quantifying behavioral responses in clinical trials. Evidence from clinical trials of both non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatments, and from neurobiological studies, provides a range of management options that can be tailored to individual needs. We suggest that non-pharmacological interventions (including psychosocial/psychological counseling, interpersonal management and environmental management) should be attempted first, followed by the least harmful medication for the shortest time possible. Pharmacological treatment options, such as antipsychotics, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine, need careful consideration of the benefits and limitations of each drug class.
Behavioural and Psychological Problems in Dementia
Acta Scientific Medical Sciences, 2020
Behavioural disturbances in the form of agitation and aggression occur frequently in persons with dementia. Mean prevalence of behavioural disturbances in dementia is reported to be as high as 46.2%. Various psychological and behavioural symptoms reported in dementia apart from agitation and aggression include apathy, delusions, hallucinations, irritability, eating disturbances and sleep disorders. Other symptoms seen include hyperactivity, affective symptoms including depression and anxiety. The neurobiological changes seen in dementia include decrease in cholinergic and serotonergic activity, alterations in the noradrenergic systems; decrease in the norepinephrine level and an increase in the level of its major metabolite 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphcnylglycol. Tools used for assessing include the behavioral pathology in Alzheimer's disease rating scale (BFHAVE-AD), the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI), the neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI) and the behavioral rating scale for dementia (BRSD). A variety of treatments are available to alleviate the behavioural symptoms. Antipsychotics have been found to be the treatment of choice for behavioural disturbances. Treatment of depression in dementia comprises pharmacotherapy and nonpharmacological strategies, such as psychological interventions to enhance quality of life. Psychological intervention begins with the development of a daily routine and the organization of activities which the patient enjoys. A detailed treatment regime is discussed in the article below.
Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between behavioural and psychological symptoms of Alzheimer's disease with caregiver burden and depression. METHODS: In this prospective and clinic-based study, 71 patients over 65 years of age diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease according to DSM IV diagnostic criteria who were admitted to Bakirkoy Prof. Dr. Mazhar Osman Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosurgery between April 2014 and November 2014 and their 71 care givers were included in the study. Information on patients and caregivers were assessed using the sociodemographic and clinical data form. The Standardized Mini Mental State Examination (SMMSE) and the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) were used to determine disease severity and stage. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) was used to assess the behavioural and psychological symptoms of the patients. Caregivers' burden and depression were assessed using the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale (ZCBS) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). SPSS 22.0 program was used for the statistical analysis of data. RESULTS: The average age of the caregivers was 52, 81.7% (n: 58) were female and 53.5% (n: 38) were the patients' daughters. Caregiver burden was found to be mild in 50.7% (n: 36), moderate in 15.5% (n: 11) and heavy in 33.8% (n: 24) of caregivers. Depression was found to be mild in 19.7% (n: 14), moderate in 19.7% (n: 14) and severe in 4.2% (n: 3) of caregivers. The most common behavioural and psychological symptoms were; apathy (60.6%), delusions (57.7%), depression / dysphoria (56.3%), hallucinations (53.5%), irritability (47.9%), anxiety (32.4%), abnormal motor behaviour (29.6%), agitation / aggression (26.8%), eating-appetite changes (26.8%) and elation / euphoria (1.4%). Patient caregivers in the group with more behavioural and psychological symptoms had more caregiving burden and depression. Symptoms having a significant effect on caregiver burden were delusions, hallucinations, agitation/aggression, depression/dysphoria, anxiety, apathy, disinhibition, irritability, abnormal motor behaviour. Behavioural and psychological symptoms that correlate with caregiver depression are agitation/aggression, anxiety, disinhibition, irritability. In the correlation analysis between NPE and ZCBS factor groups, only the factor 4 showing the economic burden did not show any significant correlation. CONCLUSION: Results show that behavioural and psychological symptoms in Alzheimer's patients increase the caregiver burden and cause caregiver depression. Preventive measures to prevent the emergence of such symptoms and effective ad rapid intervention are required. Further multi-center studies with a prospective design, involving different cultures, patients from a wider population, different care settings are required.
[Neuropsychiatric and behavioral symptomatology in Alzheimer disease]
Actas españolas de psiquiatría
Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) show high incidence of behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPS).The occurrence of BPS has a great impact on the patients and caregiver's quality of life, increases caregiver's burden, and in many cases precipitates admission of the patients to a geriatric center. On the other hand, the importance of the BPS is increasing because most of them are susceptible to being treated effectively, mainly thanks to the use of drug measures and behaviour modification techniques. This study describes the pathophysiological mechanisms of BPS in AD and its relationship with cognitive and functional impairment of patient and caregiver's burden and current therapies.
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2007
Background: Behavioral and psychological symptoms, such as verbal or physical aggression, aberrant motor behaviors, psychotic symptoms, anxiety, depressive symptoms and apathy are common among people with dementia. The aim of the present study was to compare the one-week prevalence of behavioral and psychological symptoms and psychotropic drug treatment among people with cognitive impairment living in institutional care, in two large, comparable samples from 2000 and 2007. Methods: A comparison was made between two cross-sectional samples, collected in 2000 and 2007, comprising 4054 participants with cognitive impairment living in geriatric care units in the county of Västerbotten, Sweden. The Multi-Dimensional Dementia Assessment Scale (MDDAS) was used to assess cognitive impairment and behavioral and psychological symptoms. The use of psychotropic drugs was recorded. Results: Between 2000 and 2007, 15 out of 39 behavioral or psychological symptoms had become less common and no symptoms had become more common, after controlling for demographic changes. Four out of six behaviors within the cluster of aggressive behaviors had declined in prevalence. Patients prescribed antidementia drugs increased from 5.1% to 18.0% and antidepressant drug use increased from 43.2% to 49.1%, while anxiolytic, hypnotic, sedative and antipsychotic drug use remained largely unchanged. Conclusion: The prevalence of many behavioral symptoms had declined from 2000 to 2007, and among these changes, the decline in aggressive behaviors probably has the greatest clinical impact.
BEHAVIORAL DISTURBANCES IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: A NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL THERAPEUTIC APPROACH
Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 2004
Behavioral disturbances in patients with dementia are among the primary causes of institutionalization. Although the majority of authors agree that such symptoms are wellcontrolled with non-pharmacological support, almost all studies have been focused on symptomatic drug therapy (typical or atypical neuroleptics). The aim of our study was to evaluate the reduction of psychiatric symptoms revealed with the test called empirical behavioral pathology in Alzheimer disease (E-Behave-AD) in a population of patients with AD whose caregivers underwent training to learn various communication strategies to utilize with family members. We evaluated 35 patients with AD (18 males, 17 females, average age 76.5 ± 5.9 years). Of these patients, 18 (9 males, 9 females, average age 75.1 ± 6.5 years) were relatives of caregivers who underwent training for six months, four groupmeetings and two individual ones. During the training, caregivers learned about the possibility of communication with persons with AD. They were taught how to interact with the AD patients in various phases of the illness and how to utilize effectively both verbal and non-verbal language. Other 17 patients (9 males, 8 females, average age 76.1 ± 4.9 years) were followed as a control group. During the period of observation, all patients were given rivastigmine or donezepil. The two groups were homogenous for age, sex, antipsychotic drug therapy, and initial scores on mini-mental state examination (MMSE), activity of daily living (ADL), instrumental activity of daily living (IADL), and E-Behave-AD. After six months, we evaluated the patients with an analogous battery of tests. The analysis of data proceeded from the verification of homogeneity of test subjects and of the control group with t-test for non-paired data. We used the χ 2 statistics to compare the qualitative variables between test subjects and the control group. For all statistical tests, a p < 0.05 was considered significant. In the group of patients with caregivers who underwent training, a statistically significant decrease in the E-Behave-AD score (p < 0.001) was observed after six months (7.7 vs. 10.5; p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant modification in the scores for the ADL, IADL, and MMSE (ADL 4.7 vs. 4.3, p = 0.09; IADL 3.2 vs. 3.1, p = 0.4; MMSE 17.3 vs. 15.1, p = 0.1). Numerous evidences in literature underline the centrality of the language deficit in dementia, particularly in AD. A re-establishment, even if partial, of the channels of communication between AD patients and doctors, as well as between patients and caregivers, can reduce the frequency and intensity of behavioral disturbances in persons with AD.
Struggles in Caring for a Loved One with Alzheimer's Disease
2012
Like many chronic illnesses in the elderly, Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a debilitating and extensive disorder that affects not only those directly afflicted with it, but also their friends and family. In a heartfelt personal account of both of her parents being diagnosed with Alzheimer's, a daughter and avid caregiver encourages us to ask many important questions. Her name is Marcell and her anecdotal article is entitled, "If I Only Knew Then What I Know Now" (Marcell, 2004). It was published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association and will be used as a stepping stone for assessing important geriatric issues such as patient-aggression, delayed diagnosis, and caregiver burnout.