Neuropsychiatric syndromes in dementia. Results from the European Alzheimer Disease Consortium: part I.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to identify neuropsychiatric subsyndromes of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory in a large sample of outpatients with Alzheimer's disease (AD).


METHODS
Cross-sectional data of 2,354 patients with AD from 12 centres from the European Alzheimer's Disease Consortium were collected. Principal component analysis was used for factor analysis.


RESULTS
The results showed the presence of 4 neuropsychiatric subsyndromes: hyperactivity, psychosis, affective symptoms and apathy. The subsyndrome apathy was the most common, occurring in almost 65% of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
This large study has provided additional robust evidence for the existence of neuropsychiatric subsyndromes in AD.
Aalten
Pauline
P
Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University Hospital, Maastricht, The Netherlands. p.aalten@np.unimaas.nl
Verhey
Frans R J
FR
Boziki
Marina
M
Bullock
Roger
R
Byrne
Eleanor Jane
EJ
Camus
Vincent
V
Caputo
Miriam
M
Collins
Debby
D
De Deyn
Peter Paul
PP
Elina
Kazi
K
Frisoni
Giovanni
G
Girtler
Nicola
N
Holmes
Clive
C
Hurt
Catherine
C
Marriott
Anna
A
Mecocci
Patrizia
P
Nobili
Flavio
F
Ousset
Pierre Jean
PJ
Reynish
Emma
E
Salmon
Eric
E
Tsolaki
Magda
M
Vellas
Bruno
B
Robert
Philippe H
PH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index