Poster Presentations

Session Title: Alzheimer's Disease (AD) including Non-Cognitive Aspects
Presentation Date: Friday, March 14 – Saturday, March 15, 2009

THE PHENOMENOLOGY OF THE BEHAVIORAL DISTURBANCES IN THE ALZHEIMER´S AND VASCULAR DEMENTIA

I. Barbov¹, R. Krsteska², I. Petrov^1
1Clinic for Neurology, Skopje, Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of, ²Psychiatric Hospital 'Skopje', Department for Geriatric Psychiatry, Skopje, Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of

The aim of this research work is to analyze the Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of dementia-BPSD, respectively the neuropsychiatric symptoms of Alzheimer´s disease and vascular dementia.
Comparing the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia between patients with Alzheimer´s disease and vascular dementia would provide differential diagnostic information.
The study was a prospective one, and it included 2 groups of 30 patients diagnosed as Alzheimer´s and vascular dementia (by ICD 10), treated in the Clinic for neurology and the Psychiatric Hospital "Skopje"-Skopje.
Were used: Standardized clinical interview, the Behavioural Pathology in Alzheimer´s disease Rating Scale (BEHAVE-AD), the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI), and None standardized sociological-demographic questionnaire.
The obtained results have shown that the average age is higher in patients with Alzheimer´s disease compared with patients with vascular dementia and more severe cognitive impairment are present in patients with Alzheimer´s disease.
Paranoid and Delusional Ideation are more common in patients with Alzheimer´s disease. The activity disturbances are increased by the severity of the disease.
From the beginning of the disease the average time is three years. The patients who came on examination are in the high percentage in the moderate and severe stage in the both groups.
The Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of dementia are present in all patients in the both groups.
The education of healthcare providers for the Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of dementia is needed as well as change of the attitude toward treatment of dementia in general.