TY - JOUR
T1 - Comorbidity of Psychopathological Domains in Community-Dwelling Persons with Alzheimer's Disease
AU - Tractenberg, Rochelle E.
AU - Weiner, Myron F.
AU - Patterson, Marian B.
AU - Teri, Linda
AU - Thal, Leon J.
PY - 2003/6
Y1 - 2003/6
N2 - In this post hoc analysis of baseline responses to the CERAD Behavior Rating Scale for Dementia in a clinical trial of interventions for agitation in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the authors investigated the distribution of, and relationships between, agitation, depression, and psychosis in 148 individuals with AD. Prevalence of depressive symptoms was highest (78.4%), followed by agitation (77.6%) and psychotic symptoms (69.3%); 51.1% of the sample had symptoms in all 3 domains. Cross-sectionally, psychotic symptoms were most closely associated with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, while agitation was less so. Depressive symptoms were relatively consistently prevalent across MMSE levels. After controlling for the presence of agitated symptoms, psychosis and depression were significantly associated, but neither symptoms of psychosis nor of depression were associated with agitation when depression or psychosis, respectively, was controlled for. Significant psychopathological comorbidity should be considered in the design of clinical trials targeting particular psychopathology in this disease population.
AB - In this post hoc analysis of baseline responses to the CERAD Behavior Rating Scale for Dementia in a clinical trial of interventions for agitation in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the authors investigated the distribution of, and relationships between, agitation, depression, and psychosis in 148 individuals with AD. Prevalence of depressive symptoms was highest (78.4%), followed by agitation (77.6%) and psychotic symptoms (69.3%); 51.1% of the sample had symptoms in all 3 domains. Cross-sectionally, psychotic symptoms were most closely associated with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, while agitation was less so. Depressive symptoms were relatively consistently prevalent across MMSE levels. After controlling for the presence of agitated symptoms, psychosis and depression were significantly associated, but neither symptoms of psychosis nor of depression were associated with agitation when depression or psychosis, respectively, was controlled for. Significant psychopathological comorbidity should be considered in the design of clinical trials targeting particular psychopathology in this disease population.
KW - Agitation
KW - Alzheimer's
KW - Comorbidity
KW - Depression
KW - Psychopathology
KW - Psychosis
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U2 - 10.1177/0891988703016002006
DO - 10.1177/0891988703016002006
M3 - Article
C2 - 12801159
AN - SCOPUS:0042343843
SN - 0891-9887
VL - 16
SP - 94
EP - 99
JO - Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology
JF - Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology
IS - 2
ER -