Neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are core features of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Once thought to emerge primarily in people with late-stage disease, these symptoms are currently known to manifest commonly in very early disease and in prodromal phases, such as mild cognitive impairment. Despite decades of research, reliable treatments for dementia-associated NPS have not been found, and those that are in widespread use present notable risks for people using these medications. An Alzheimer's Association Research Roundtable was convened in the spring of 2010 to review what is known about NPS in Alzheimer's disease, to discuss classification and underlying neuropathogenesis and vulnerabilities, and to formulate recommendations for new approaches to tailored therapeutics.