Memory is not Everything: Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia worldwide. It has cognitive, functional and behavioral consequences. The latter are often underestimated or wrongly considered “as accessories”, when in reality are an important part of the clinical picture and prognostic factor. It is therefore essential that physicians are trained to detect and treat depression, apathy, psychotic symptoms, agitation/aggression or sleep disorders that are frequently present in this disease. Both, the clinical presentation and the management of these symptoms, may differ from other psychiatric or neurologic disorders. Therefore, it is important to know their specificity and understand that they are core symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.