Management of behavior disturbance in Alzheimer disease: current knowledge and future directions.
Assessment and treatment of behavior problems in patients with Alzheimer disease and related disorders is a seriously neglected area of study. Despite the fact that such problems are integral to the disorder, little is known about effective management. This article summarizes the current thinking on five areas of prime importance to patients, care providers, and health care professionals: agitation, assault/aggression, screaming, wandering, and depression/apathy/withdrawal. Methodological guidelines for studying these disorders are provided. Emphasis is on recognizing that behavior problems are important areas of study in their own right as well as in conjunction with studies of cognition.
Teri
L
L
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle 98195.
Rabins
P
P
Whitehouse
P
P
Berg
L
L
Reisberg
B
B
Sunderland
T
T
Eichelman
B
B
Phelps
C
C
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000639:trends; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012931:Social Environment
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs