title: Behavioral Symptoms in Motor Neuron Disease and Their Negative Impact on Caregiver Burden.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The spectrum of abnormal behaviors in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease (ALS/MND) has been described, but its practical meaning, namely its impact on caregiver burden, has not been clearly documented in Chinese population. This study aimed to assess the distribution of abnormal behaviors in Chinese population, and to analyze the relationship between behavior changes and caregiver burden.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-five patients with ALS/MND have been consecutively enrolled into registry platform of Peking Union Medical College Hospital. An investigation was performed to these patients and their caregivers using the revised ALS function rating scale, Frontal Behavioral Inventory-ALS version, the Frontal Assessment Battery, and the Caregiver Burden Inventory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-eight (43.1%) patients displayed abnormal behaviors of varying degrees, with one fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of frontotemporal lobe degeneration. Irritability, logopenia, and inflexibility ranked top 3 of abnormal behavior list. Correlation analysis revealed that the degree of behavioral change and frontal cognitive status were significantly associated with caregiver burden, with more extensive impact from disinhibitive behaviors. Analysis of covariance analysis showed that after associated factors were corrected, caregivers of patients with moderate to severe behavior change reported significantly heavier developmental burden, physical burden, and total burden than those with no behavioral change.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neurobehavioral symptoms could present in around 40% of Chinese patients with ALS/MND, and the distribution of these behaviors was also unique. Besides, abnormal behaviors were highly related to caregivers' burden.
authors: Bo
authors: B
authors: Cui
authors: Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Neurosciences Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors: Li-Ying
authors: LY
authors: Cui
authors: Ming-Sheng
authors: MS
authors: Liu
authors: Xiao-Guang
authors: XG
authors: Li
authors: Jun-Fang
authors: JF
authors: Ma
authors: Jia
authors: J
authors: Fang
authors: Qing-Yun
authors: QY
authors: Ding
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life