Neuropsychiatric symptoms in mild dementia with lewy bodies and Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Background/aims: To compare neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia with Lewy bodies(DLB).

Methods: Neuropsychiatric symptoms and caregiver distress were assessed using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) in mild DLB (n = 57) and AD (n = 126), and compared across the two groups using non-parametric tests.

Results: The DLB patients had a higher NPI totalscore (median 24 vs. 11.5, p < 0.005), more numerous symptoms (median 5 vs. 4, p = 0.001) and more clinically significant symptoms (3 vs. 1, p = 0.001). They also had higher item hallucinations (6 vs. 2, p < 0.005) and apathy (7 vs. 5, p = 0.002) subscores. Caregivers scored higher on the NPI total caregiver distress scale (12.5 vs. 6, p = 0.003).

Conclusions: In mild dementia, DLB patients have more neuropsychiatric symptoms and more associated caregiver distress compared with AD.