Psychiatric symptoms associated with dementia in older people with learning disability.
BACKGROUND
This paper describes a study of non-cognitive features of dementia in a population of 105 people over 50 years of age, with learning disability.


METHODS
The study involved psychiatric assessment using the Psychiatric Assessment Schedule for Adults with a Developmental Disability (PAS-ADD), a semi-structured psychiatric interview developed specifically for people who have learning disability. Dementia was diagnosed using a combination of informant interviewing and observation of cognitive change over a three year period.


RESULTS
Sample members with definite dementia had higher levels of sleep difficulty, hypersomnia, irritability, inefficient thought, loss of interest and anhedonia. Discriminant function analysis showed that non-cognitive features could help discriminate between definite and probable cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Results support the previously reported observation for the general population that cognitive and non-cognitive features are only weakly related. The study suggests that psychiatric symptom information may be useful in screening for dementia in people with learning disability.
Moss
S
S
Hester Adrian Research Centre, University of Manchester.
Patel
P
P
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests