title: Identifying cognitive and demographic variables that contribute to carer burden in dementia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Carer burden has been associated with other carer-reported factors (e.g. depression), but less is known about the influence of more independent variables. We aimed to determine the impact of cognitive deficits, demographic variables and dementia subtype on carer burden.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with Alzheimer's dementia (n = 35) or frontotemporal lobar degeneration (n = 61) underwent assessment of anterograde memory, word generation, impulse control and emotion recognition. Age, sex, relationship type, disease duration and diagnosis were also considered. Carers completed the Zarit Burden Interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In bivariate regression analyses, carer burden was related to age, diagnosis, memory, impulse control and emotion recognition. Stepwise multivariate regression revealed independent contributions by patient age, memory and emotion recognition, explaining 23% of the variance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings could help refine interventions and carer support.
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology Unit, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Sydney Medical School, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia. laurie.miller@sydney.edu.au
authors.forename: Laurie A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Eneida
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mioshi
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Savage
authors.forename: Suncica
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lah
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Hodges
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Piguet
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012938:Social Perception; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors