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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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| A retrospective study of the behavioural and psychological symptoms of mid and late phase Alzheimer's disease | | Author(s) | D J Hart, D Craig, S A Compton |
| Journal title | International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, vol 18, no 11, November 2003 |
| Pages | pp 1037-1042 |
| Keywords | Dementia ; Symptoms ; Behaviour disorders ; Personality disorders ; Longitudinal surveys. |
| Annotation | Behavioural and psychological symptoms are common in Alzheimer's disease (AD). These symptoms appear on average within 4 years of the appearance of the first symptoms of the dementing process. Carers in this cohort of advanced AD patients endure high levels of distress. This UK study reports on patients with a history of AD of 3 years of or more, along with information from carers or next-of-kin regarding caregiver distress. The mean age of patients was 77, and duration of illness 87 months. Of the psychological symptoms occurring at any stage, depression (56%), delusion (55%) and anxiety (52%) were most common, with hallucinations, elation and disinhibition occurring less frequently. In general, behavioural changes were more common, with apathy occurring in 88% of patients, motor behaviour in 70%, aggression in 66%, irritability and appetite changes in 60%, and sleep disturbance in 54%. Mean onset of psychological symptoms was 47 months, and of behavioural symptoms 48 months. Behavioural disturbance seemed to cause more caregiver distress than psychological change. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-031217213 A |
| Classmark | EA: CT: EP: EK: 3J |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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