): The presence of anxiety symptoms in Alzheimer's disease (AD) may create unnecessary distress for patients and excess burden for their caregivers. Accurate detection and appropriate management of anxiety symptoms in these patients may eliminate a treatable source of disability and diminished quality of life. Unfortunately, studies on the nature and correlates of anxiety symptoms in dementias have been few in number. Existing data from AD samples suggest that anxiety symptoms occur frequently and often co-occur with symptoms of depression. However, the relationship of anxiety to cognitive decline remains unclear due to inconsistent findings, and the relationship of anxiety to other problematic behaviors and other psychiatric symptoms remains largely unexplored. The current proposal investigates a wider range of anxiety symptoms than previously examined in patients with AD in order to characterize the phenomenology of anxiety in AD and investigate the association of anxiety to important clinical features of AD, such as cognitive status (measured by the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale and Mini Mental State Exam), and depression (as measured by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, DSM3R diagnosis of depression), other problematic behaviors and psychiatric symptoms (as measured by the Revised Memory and Behavior Checklist and physician checklist). Medical records of consecutive outpatients evaluated at a university hospital geriatric clinic (excluding those with delirium) will be reviewed to extract information obtained from these standardized, validated assessment procedures. This study will: (1) determine the frequency of anxiety symptoms in AD patients and whether a pattern of symptom exists resembling DSM IV Generalized Anxiety Disorder; (2) examine the association of anxiety symptoms with depression, other problematic behaviors and other psychiatric symptoms; and (3) examine the association of anxiety with demographic factors and cognitive status.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Small Research Grants (R03)
Project #
1R03MH058254-01A1
Application #
2761952
Study Section
Mental Disorders of Aging Review Committee (MDA)
Program Officer
Otey, Emeline M
Project Start
2000-01-01
Project End
2000-12-31
Budget Start
2000-01-01
Budget End
2000-12-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2000
Total Cost
$68,379
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Washington
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
605799469
City
Seattle
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98195
McCurry, Susan M; Gibbons, Laura E; Logsdon, Rebecca G et al. (2004) Anxiety and nighttime behavioral disturbances. Awakenings in patients with Alzheimer's disease. J Gerontol Nurs 30:12-20
Ferretti, L; McCurry, S M; Logsdon, R et al. (2001) Anxiety and Alzheimer's disease. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 14:52-8