Author:
Yu Shu-yang,Lian Teng-hong,Guo Peng,Li Li-xia,Ding Du-yu,Li Dan-ning,Liu Li,Zhao Hui,Hu Yang,Zuo Li-jun,Gao Jun-hua,Yu Qiu-jin,Jin Zhao,Wang Rui-dan,Zhu Rong-yan,Wang Xiao-min,Zhang Wei
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Apathy is one of the most common symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), however, correlations of apathy with demographic variables, cognitive functions, neuropsychiatric symptoms, activity of daily living and olfactory functions in AD patients are still lacking comprehensive investigations.
Methods
This is a cross-sectional study. Total 124 typical AD patients were consecutively recruited from April 2014 to April 2017. In 124 AD patients, 47 cases (37.9%) were male and 77 cases were female; patients’ age were 43–93 years with an average of 68 years. Patients were divided into AD with apathy (AD-A) and AD with no apathy (AD-NA) groups according to the score of Modified Apathy Evaluation Scale, then were evaluated cognitive functions, neuropsychiatric symptoms and activity of daily living, and tested olfactory functions. Above variables were compared between AD-A and AD-NA groups. Further correlation analyses and linear regression analysis were performed between apathy and above variables.
Results
Compared with AD-NA group, global cognitive level, verbal memory, verbal fluency and activity of daily living were significantly compromised in AD-A group (P < 0.002); depression and agitation were severely displayed in AD-A group (P < 0.002). Apathy was negatively correlated with global cognitive function, verbal memory, verbal fluency and activity of daily living (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference of olfactory functions between the two groups (P > 0.002), and correlations between apathy and olfactory threshold, olfactory identification and global olfactory function were significant (P < 0.05) but quite weak (|r| < 0.3). Further linear regression analysis showed that only verbal fluency and instrumental activities of daily living were independently associated with apathy.
Conclusions
Independent correlations among apathy, verbal fluency and instrumental activities of daily living in AD patients might be related to the common brain area involved in their pathogeneses.
Funder
The National Key Research and Development Program of China
The National Key R&D Program of China-European Commission Horizon 2020
The National Natural Science Foundation of China
The Key Technology R&D Program of Beijing Municipal Education Commission
The Key Project of Natural Science Foundation of Beijing, China
The Natural Science Foundation of Beijing, China
Project of Scientific and Technological Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Beijing
Capital Clinical Characteristic Application Research
High Level Technical Personnel Training Project of Beijing Health System, China
Project of Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders
Excellent Personnel Training Project of Beijing, China
Important National Science & Technology Specific Projects
National Key Technology Research and Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China
Project of Construction of Innovative Teams and Teacher Career Development for Universities and Colleges Under Beijing Municipality
Beijing Healthcare Research Project, China
Basic-Clinical Research Cooperation Funding of Capital Medical University, China
Natural Science Foundation of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Youth Research Funding, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, China
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Neurology (clinical),General Medicine