Year: 2010
Type: article
Abstract: Our objective was to compare patterns of neuropsychiatric symptoms across several types of dementia to discern patterns of psychiatric symptoms that are unique to the specific neuropathologic conditions. We used confirmatory factor analysis to compare the neuropsychiatric profiles of 4 dementia types and 2 mixed diagnosis types using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-Q). The sample of 2,963 individuals are from the 2003 National Alzheimer Coordinating Committee (NACC) with diagnosis types of AD, VAD, DLB, PDD, and two mixed groups AD-VAD, and AD-DLB. We included patients with Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scores of 1 or higher. The factor structure was comparable across dementia types, indicating that the NPI could be used to compare groups. Examination of group difference indicated the groups differed significantly in their mean levels of mood, psychotic, and frontal symptoms suggesting different profiles of neuropsychiatric symptoms that differed by dementia type. Psychiatric profiles differ across dementia types and may provide useful information regarding the non-cognitive symptoms of dementia that may contribute to knowledge about pathological origins, disease course, and appropriate treatments.
Source: Alzheimer s & Dementia
Institutions: University of Kansas, University of Kansas Medical Center
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2072391238