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Behavioral Syndromes in Alzheimer's Disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 January 2005

D. P. Devanand ,
Carolyn D. Brockington ,
Bobba J. Moody ,
Richard P. Brown ,
Richard Mayeux ,
Jean Endicott  and
Harold A. Sackeim
D. P. Devanand
Affiliation:
Memory Disorders Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, U.S.A. Department of Biological Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, U.S.A. Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, U.S.A. Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, U.S.A.
Carolyn D. Brockington
Affiliation:
Memory Disorders Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, U.S.A. Department of Biological Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, U.S.A.
Bobba J. Moody
Affiliation:
Memory Disorders Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, U.S.A. Department of Biological Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, U.S.A. Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, U.S.A. Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, U.S.A.
Richard P. Brown
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, U.S.A. Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, U.S.A. Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, U.S.A.
Richard Mayeux
Affiliation:
Memory Disorders Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, U.S.A. Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, U.S.A.
Jean Endicott
Affiliation:
Research Assessment and Training Unit, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, U.S.A. Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, U.S.A. Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, U.S.A.
Harold A. Sackeim
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, U.S.A. Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, U.S.A. Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, U.S.A.
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Abstract

The Behavioral Syndromes Scale for Dementia (BSSD) is a new instrument that showed strong internal consistency and interrater reliability in an outpatient sample of 106 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease. Factor analysis provided support for a priori symptom groupings, particularly the syndromes of disinhibition and apathy-indifference. Dependency (87%), denial of illness (63%), and motor agitation (55%) were common, while sexual disinhibition (2.9%) and self-destructive behaviors (2.9%) were rare. Virtually all symptoms were predominantly minimal to mild in severity. Patients with longer illness duration were more apathetic. Disinhibited behaviors and apathy-indifference increased with greater severity of dementia. Catastrophic reactions, aggression, and agitation were associated with greater functional impairment. There was great heterogeneity in symptom presentation. In Alzheimer's disease, several behavioral changes might be direct manifestations of underlying brain pathology, rather than being solely secondary to cognitive impairment.

Type
Second Place (tie) 1991 IPA Research Awards in Psychogeriatrics
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 4 , Issue 4 , October 1992 , pp. 161 - 184
Copyright
© 1992 Springer Publishing Company

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