Age and psychosis in degenerative dementia.
Among psychiatric inpatients with primary degenerative dementia, those with psychotic symptoms (N = 20) were older than those without (N = 20) (t = 3.48; p < 0.001). Persecutory delusions were the most frequent psychotic phenomena. Duration of dementia overlapped, but scores on the Global Deterioration Scale and the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia were lower in the psychotic group after correcting for age. The limited literature concerning demographic and clinical correlates of psychosis in dementia is reviewed; the age difference noted is consistent with two other reports.
Nambudiri
D E
DE
Division of Geriatric Services, New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, USA.
Teusink
J P
JP
Fensterheim
L
L
Young
R C
RC
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003702:Delusions / Q000209:etiology; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors