Dementia associated mental and behavioural disturbances in elderly people in the community: findings from the first Nakayama study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of mental and behavioural disturbances associated with dementia in elderly people living in the Japanese community of Nakayama.


METHODS
A door to door three phase population survey was carried out on all persons aged 65 years and older living at home. The study included a psychiatric interview, neurological and neuropsychological examination, and cranial computed tomography. Participants with dementia were rated on the neuropsychiatric inventory.


RESULTS
Of 1438 inhabitants, 1162 (81.0%) completed the protocol. The prevalence of dementia was 4.8%. Of the 60 participants with dementia (Alzheimer's disease 35%, vascular dementia 47%, and dementia from other causes 17%), 53 (88.3%) had shown one or more mental and behavioural disturbances. Apathy/indifference (56.7%), followed by agitation/aggression (35%), aberrant motor behaviour (31.7%), and irritability (31.7%) were the common symptoms. More productive (positive) symptoms such as delusions and aberrant motor behaviour were found in the Alzheimer group than in the vascular dementia group.


CONCLUSIONS
A wide range of dementia associated mental and behavioural disturbances developed in the majority of community dwelling individuals with dementia. The findings suggest that a screening programme focusing on identifying these symptoms should be included in the physician's diagnostic tools for dementia.
Ikeda
M
M
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Ehime University School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan. mikeda@m.ehime-u.ac.jp
Fukuhara
R
R
Shigenobu
K
K
Hokoishi
K
K
Maki
N
N
Nebu
A
A
Komori
K
K
Tanabe
H
H
D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000374:Aggression; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation