D G Harwood1, R L Ownby, W W Barker, R Duara. 1. Wien Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL 33140, USA. dylan@sodre.net
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to (a) determine the factor structure of the Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease Scale (BEHAVE-AD), and (b) examine the associations of the observed factors to the level of cognitive impairment. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of geriatric patients evaluated at an outpatient memory disorders clinic. SAMPLE: One hundred and fifty-one consecutive patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD) according to NINCDS-ADRDA diagnostic criteria. RESULTS: Principal factors analysis with Varimax rotation resulted in a five-factor solution that accounted for 40.0% of the common variance. The factors included agitation/anxiety (agitation, anxiety of upcoming events; other anxiety), psychosis (delusions of theft, suspiciousness/paranoia; visual hallucinations), aggression (verbal aggressiveness; physical threats/violence; fear of being left alone; other delusions), depression (tearfulness; depressed mood) and activity disturbance (wandering; delusion one's house is not one's home). Several factors were associated with level of cognitive impairment as assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the BEHAVE-AD measures a wide range of behavioral pathology that can be empirically represented by five independent symptom clusters among outpatient AD patients.
OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to (a) determine the factor structure of the Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease Scale (BEHAVE-AD), and (b) examine the associations of the observed factors to the level of cognitive impairment. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of geriatric patients evaluated at an outpatientmemory disorders clinic. SAMPLE: One hundred and fifty-one consecutive patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD) according to NINCDS-ADRDA diagnostic criteria. RESULTS: Principal factors analysis with Varimax rotation resulted in a five-factor solution that accounted for 40.0% of the common variance. The factors included agitation/anxiety (agitation, anxiety of upcoming events; other anxiety), psychosis (delusions of theft, suspiciousness/paranoia; visual hallucinations), aggression (verbal aggressiveness; physical threats/violence; fear of being left alone; other delusions), depression (tearfulness; depressed mood) and activity disturbance (wandering; delusion one's house is not one's home). Several factors were associated with level of cognitive impairment as assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the BEHAVE-AD measures a wide range of behavioral pathology that can be empirically represented by five independent symptom clusters among outpatient AD patients.
Authors: A Lukas; R Kilian; B Hay; R Muche; C A F von Arnim; M Otto; M Riepe; M Jamour; M D Denkinger; T Nikolaus Journal: Z Gerontol Geriatr Date: 2012-06 Impact factor: 1.281
Authors: Zahinoor Ismail; Chetachi A Emeremni; Patricia R Houck; Sati Mazumdar; Jules Rosen; Tarek K Rajji; Bruce G Pollock; Benoit H Mulsant Journal: Am J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2013-01-02 Impact factor: 4.105