Relationship between Severity of Dementia and Behavioral Psychopathology in Probable Alzheimer's Disease.
- Author:
Jung Hyun YOON
1
;
Baik Seok KEE
;
Bum Woo NAM
;
Sang Kook KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Psychiatry, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Dementia;
Alzheimer's disease;
Behavior;
Psychopathology
- MeSH:
Alzheimer Disease*;
Delusions;
Dementia*;
Diagnosis;
Education;
Humans;
Psychopathology*
- From:Journal of Korean Geriatric Psychiatry
1998;2(1):73-77
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Behavioral problems are thought to be pervasive and devasting to patients with dementia of the Alzheimer's type and their families. Despite this, little empirical data are available concerning the nature of such impairments, their rate of occurrence or their relationship to the disease process. This study was designed to investigate the nature and the rates of behavioral disturbance among DAT patients. The subjects involved in this study were 72 patients who were hospitalized and had primary diagnosis of dementia of the Alzheimer's type. Severity of the dementia was assessed by MMSE, and abnormal behavior by E-BEHAVE-AD. Pearson correalation was used to analysis data. The subjects were divided into mild/moderate dementia group and severe, and then evaluated significant differences. Independent-samples T-test was used to analysis data. The results were as follows: 1) Wandering and delusional ideation were associated with declining MMSE score 2) Wandering was only differenciated between mild to moderate group. In conclusion, problems found associated with level of impairment such as wandering and delusion are thought to be characteristic of the disease and therefore predictable. Problems found not associated with level of impairment, are likely to be idiosyncratic. The former should probably be incorporated into education and intervention programs, the latter addressed as needed on an individual basis.
