Behavioral and psychological symptoms, cognitive impairment and caregiver burden related to Alzheimer's disease patients treated in an outpatient memory clinic

Aim: The relationships among behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), cognitive impairment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and the caregiver burden of their caregivers were investigated in an outpatient memory clinic. Methods: Forty-six pairs of AD patients and their family caregivers were involved in this study. Neuropsychiatry Inventory (NPI) was used to estimate BPSD, to which memory symptoms were added as a subcategory of BPSD. MMSE, word fluency, clock drawing test and category-cued memory test were used for cognitive measurement. Zarit burden interview (ZBI) and CES-D were used to assess caregiver burden. Results: Among 11 BPSD subcategories, memory symptoms, apathy, depression, delusion, aggression and anxiety were prevalent. BPSD was a strong determinant of caregiver burden. Among BPSD symptoms, anxiety, aggression and aberrant motor behavior were significantly related to ZBI. In terms of the relationship between BPSD and cognitive impairment, the scores for delusion and apathy were significantly related to the cognitive decline. On the other hand, patients who showed symptoms related to memory and depression had higher cognitive function than those who did not. Conclusion: These analyses will contribute to better assessment of AD patients and their caregivers, hopefully resulting in better support for them.