TY - JOUR
T1 - Longitudinal course of behavioral problems during Alzheimer's disease
T2 - Linear versus curvilinear patterns of decline
AU - McCarty, Harry J.
AU - Roth, David L.
AU - Goode, Kathryn T.
AU - Owen, Jason E.
AU - Harrell, Lindy
AU - Donovan, Kristine
AU - Haley, William E.
N1 - Background. Patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) are commonly assumed to experience a linear decline in behavioral functioning that parallels progressive cognitive decline. However, some researchers have suggested that specific behavioral problems either decline at different rates or improve in late dementia. Methods.
PY - 2000/4
Y1 - 2000/4
N2 - Background. Patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) are commonly assumed to experience a linear decline in behavioral functioning that parallels progressive cognitive decline. However, some researchers have suggested that specific behavioral problems either decline at different rates or improve in late dementia. Methods. The present analyses examined 150 AD patients at an initial assessment, 61 of whom were also evaluated annually on two additional occasions. Measures of cognitive impairment and behavioral problems were obtained. Results. Cross-sectional results indicated curvilinear associations between dementia severity and certain behavioral problems (forgetful behaviors, and emotional and impulsive behaviors). Longitudinal analyses further indicated trends for curvilinear rates of behavioral disturbance across time, with some problem areas showing improvement as AD progresses through the most severe stages. Conclusions. Even though Alzheimer's disease is a progressive dementia characterized by increasing cognitive deterioration, it appears to be inaccurate to expect behavioral functioning to show the same linear decline across time.
AB - Background. Patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) are commonly assumed to experience a linear decline in behavioral functioning that parallels progressive cognitive decline. However, some researchers have suggested that specific behavioral problems either decline at different rates or improve in late dementia. Methods. The present analyses examined 150 AD patients at an initial assessment, 61 of whom were also evaluated annually on two additional occasions. Measures of cognitive impairment and behavioral problems were obtained. Results. Cross-sectional results indicated curvilinear associations between dementia severity and certain behavioral problems (forgetful behaviors, and emotional and impulsive behaviors). Longitudinal analyses further indicated trends for curvilinear rates of behavioral disturbance across time, with some problem areas showing improvement as AD progresses through the most severe stages. Conclusions. Even though Alzheimer's disease is a progressive dementia characterized by increasing cognitive deterioration, it appears to be inaccurate to expect behavioral functioning to show the same linear decline across time.
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U2 - 10.1093/gerona/55.4.M200
DO - 10.1093/gerona/55.4.M200
M3 - Article
C2 - 10811149
SN - 1079-5006
VL - 55
SP - M200-M206
JO - Journals of Gerontology - Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
JF - Journals of Gerontology - Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
IS - 4
ER -