ABSTRACT
References 218
The neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia (see Chapter 8, Neuropsychiatric aspects of dementia and Chapter 9, Measurement of behaviour disturbance, non-cognitive symptoms and quality of life) (also known as behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD)) include disturbed perception, thought, mood or behaviour (Finkel et al., 1996). Clinically significant neuropsychiatric symptoms occur in about one-third of people with mild and two-thirds with more severe dementia in the community, so effective treatment is a clinical priority (Lyketsos et al., 2000; Ryu et al., 2005). The prevalence of these symptoms rises to about 80 per cent of people with dementia in 24-hour care, so management in these settings is particularly important (Lawlor, 2000; Margallo-Lana et al., 2001). Neuropsychiatric symptoms contribute significantly to caregiver burden (Coen et al., 1997) institutionalization (O’Donnell et al., 2004) and cost of care, and are persistent (Ryu et al., 2005).
