title: Personality, Alzheimer's disease and behavioural and cognitive symptoms of dementia: the PACO prospective cohort study protocol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alzheimer's disease is characterised by a loss of cognitive function and behavioural problems as set out in the term "Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia". These behavioural symptoms have heavy consequences for the patients and their families. A greater understanding of behavioural symptoms risk factors would allow better detection of those patients, a better understanding of crisis situations and better management of these patients. Some retrospective studies or simple observations suggested that personality could play a role in the occurrence of behavioural symptoms. Finally, performance in social cognition like facial recognition and perspective taking could be linked to certain personality traits and the subsequent risks of behavioural symptoms. We propose to clarify this through a prospective, multicentre, multidisciplinary study. Main Objective: -To assess the effect of personality and life events on the risk of developing behavioural symptoms. Secondary Objectives: -To evaluate, at the time of inclusion, the connection between personality and performance in social cognition tests; -To evaluate the correlation between performance in social cognition at inclusion and the risks of occurrence of behavioural symptoms; -To evaluate the correlation between regional cerebral atrophy, using brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging at baseline, and the risk of behavioural symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study type and Population: Prospective multicentre cohort study with 252 patients with Alzheimer's disease at prodromal or mild dementia stage. The inclusion period will be of 18 months and the patients will be followed during 18 months. The initial evaluation will include: a clinical and neuropsychological examination, collection of behavioural symptoms data (Neuropsychiatric-Inventory scale) and their risk factors, a personality study using both a dimensional (personality traits) and categorical approach, an inventory of life events, social cognition tests and an Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Patients will be followed every 6 months (clinical examination and collection of behavioural symptoms data and risk factors) during 18 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study aims at better identifying the patients with Alzheimer's disease at high risk of developing behavioural symptoms, to anticipate, detect and quickly treat these disorders and so, prevent serious consequences for the patient and his caregivers.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClincalTrials.gov: NCT01297140.
authors.affiliation: Centre Mémoire de Ressources et de Recherche, Neurology unit, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, 42055 Saint Etienne, France. isabelle.rouch@chu-lyon.fr.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rouch
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dorey
authors.forename: Nawèle
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boublay
authors.forename: Marie-Anne
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Henaff
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dibie-Racoupeau
authors.forename: Zaza
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Makaroff
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harston
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benoit
authors.forename: Marie-Odile
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Barrellon
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fédérico
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Laurent
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Padovan
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krolak-Salmon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*