Scientists from South Korea have researched how common different dementia symptoms such as euphoria, apathy, or irritability are. In their study, they also considered the type and severity of dementia.
Euphoria, apathy, aggressiveness, or irritability: The behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are diverse. Scientists from South Korea have investigated in a review which of these symptoms are most common in people with dementia who still live at home and outside of long-term care facilities.
In contrast to previous surveys, the authors also took into account the severity of dementia, the type of dementia, and the age of the participants. From the researchers„ perspective, including these factors has advantages. This is because identifying the type of dementia and the BPSD characteristics associated with this dementia type can be “a promising strategy for effectively managing BPSD and promoting personalized treatment for dementia patients."
Between four and thirty-two percent
After evaluating a total of 27 large-scale studies on 13 different symptoms, the authors reached several conclusions. „According to our results, apathy, depression, anxiety, irritability, restlessness, and aggression were common individual BPSDs in Alzheimer's patients.“ Symptoms such as euphoria and mania were „only“ recorded in four percent of people with dementia, while apathy was the most common at 32 percent.
The frequency, meaning the prevalence of delusions, anxiety, apathy, irritability, euphoria, and mania, as well as abnormal motor behavior, was 1.72 to 2.88 times higher in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients compared to patients with vascular dementia (VD), while the prevalence of disinhibition was 1.38 times higher in VD patients, according to the study.
In general, the prevalence rates for hallucinations, euphoria, and disinhibition were low, falling below 15 percent in the overall sample as well as in the AD and VD patient groups. In contrast, the prevalence rates for depression, agitation, and aggression were high, at almost 30 percent.
Symptoms in advanced dementia are more frequent
Regarding the severity of dementia, the researchers found: „The prevalence of symptoms tended to increase with increasing severity.“ For example, the symptom of anxiety occurred in 30 percent of people with mild dementia, rose to 36 percent in people with moderate dementia, and was 42 percent in patients with severe dementia. An increase was also observed in other symptoms such as irritability, delusions, hallucinations, and disinhibition.
„The prevalence of depression, eating disorders, sleep disorders, and euphoria, on the other hand, remained “tendentially stable,„ while that of depression was “relatively constant at a moderate to high level" – across all severity levels. Here, the prevalence was 35 percent for people with mild dementia, 33 percent for people with moderate dementia, and 34 percent for people with severe dementia.
Tip for practice: Many of the behavioral and psychological dementia symptoms presented here can be treated with psychosocial interventions, among others. Examples include occupational therapy, music therapy, and aromatherapy.
Here is the link to the study:
