title: [Wandering and Alzheimer's type disease. Descriptive study. REAL.FR research program on Alzheimer's disease and management].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Wandering is a common problem among patients with Alzheimer's disease. Few studies have examined this problematic behaviour in the community. The aim of the present study was to increase our understanding of wandering during Alzheimer's disease in subjects living in the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 571 patients with Alzheimer's disease living in the community. Objective cognitive status was assessed using a series of standardized neuropsychological tests. Nutritional assessment, risk of fall, autonomy were assessed as well as the burden of their family. The behavioural abnormalities of patients were assessed with their caregiver using the Neuro-Psychiatric Inventory. Patients with or without wandering were described.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of wandering was 12.6%. Patients with wandering appeared to have more severe cognitive impairment, less autonomy and were undernourished. Behavioural and psychological signs significantly associated with wandering were delirium, aggressiveness, irritability, depression, anxiety, euphoria, apathy, desinhibition and eating behaviour disorder. Subtype of Alzheimer's disease patients seemed to have frontal release behaviour.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Wandering is a common behaviour in Alzheimer's disease patients living in the community. Special care must be organized to help those frail patients and their caregivers.
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine interne et gérontologie clinique, CHU Purpan, Pavillon Junod, 170, avenue de Casselardit, 31300 Toulouse, France. yves.rolland@9online.fr
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rolland
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gillette-Guyonnet
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nourhashémi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andrieu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cantet
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Payoux
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Ousset
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vellas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001519:Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies