title: Can impairment in memory, language and executive functions predict neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease (AD)? Findings from a cross-sectional study.
abstract: The authors performed a cross-sectional study to examine the relationship between specific cognitive domains and behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia (BPSD) in 125 patients with probable AD. Cognitive deficits were evaluated with the mini mental state examination (MMSE), trail-making test (TMT), Rey auditory verbal learning test (RAVLT), and semantic fluency test (SFT) and phonemic fluency test (PhFT), whereas the neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI) was used to rate BPSD. Patients' performance in cognitive tests significantly correlated with total NPI scores (p<0.0001). After controlling for demographic and clinical characteristics, cognitive impairments in memory, executive function, and language (RAVLT, TMT, PhFT, SFT) importantly estimated total NPI scores (p<0.001, multivariate regression models). These findings suggest that the evaluation of cognitive domains may have a predictive value for the occurrence of BPSD.
authors.affiliation: Memory and Alzheimer's Disease Unit, Instituto Andaluz de Neurociencia y Conducta, Alamos, 17, 29012 Malaga, Spain. jmgalberca@ianec.com
authors.forename: José María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: García-Alberca
authors.forename: José Pablo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lara
authors.forename: Marcelo Luis
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Berthier
authors.forename: Belén
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Miguel Ángel
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Barbancho
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: González-Barón
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015995:Prevalence