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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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Natural history of behavioural changes and psychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease
— a longitudinal study | | Author(s) | Tony Hope, Janet Keene, Christopher G Fairburn |
| Journal title | The British Journal of Psychiatry, vol 174, January 1999 |
| Pages | pp 39-44 |
| Keywords | Dementia ; Symptoms ; Behaviour disorders ; Longitudinal surveys. |
| Annotation | Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other types of dementia are characterised by numerous psychiatric and behavioural changes. Little is known of their natural history. This longitudinal study investigated the sequence and pattern of these changes throughout the course of dementia in 100 people, initially living at home with their carers. At 4-monthly intervals, behavioural and psychiatric symptoms were assessed using the Present Behavioural Examination (PBE) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Follow-up continued for up to 9 years (mean 3.3; standard deviation, sd 2.4). Patterns of onset and disappearance of these symptoms, their sequence and association with time of death and cognitive decline were analysed. Autopsy confirmed a diagnosis of pure AD in 48 subjects, and data for this sub-group are presented. Some changes tend to occur earlier than others, but changes can occur at almost any time in the course of dementia. Thus, the natural history of behaviour changes in AD shows great individual variation, although some changes tend to follow a recognisable sequence. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-990119002 A |
| Classmark | EA: CT: EP: 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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