![conference banner](/images/conference-banner.jpeg)
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are an integral part of the dementia syndrome and were therefore recently included in the core diagnostic criteria of dementia. The near universal prevalence of NPS in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), combined with their disabling effects on patients and caregivers, is contrasted by the fact that few effective and safe treatments exist, which is in part to be attributed to our incomplete understanding of the neurobiology of NPS. In this review, we describe the pathological alterations typical for AD, including spreading and evolution of burden, effect on the molecular and cellular integrity, functional consequences and atrophy of NPS-relevant brain regions and circuits in correlation with specific NPS assessments. It is thereby clearly established that NPS are fundamental expressions of the underlying neurodegenerative brain disease and not simply reflect the patients’ secondary response to their illness. Neuropathological studies, moreover, include a majority of end-stage patient samples, which may not correctly represent the pathophysiological environment responsible for particular NPS that may already be present in an early stage, or even prior to AD diagnosis. The burdensome nature and high prevalence of NPS, in combination with the absence of effective and safe pharmacotherapies, provide a strong incentive to continue neuropathological and neurochemical, as well as imaging and other relevant approaches to further improve our apprehension of the neurobiology of NPS.
Keywords: Aggression, amyloid, depression, neurofibrillary tangles, neuronal loss, psychosis, neurotransmitter.
Current Alzheimer Research
Title:Neuropsychiatric Disturbances in Alzheimer’s Disease: What Have We Learned from Neuropathological Studies?
Volume: 13 Issue: 10
Author(s): Debby Van Dam, Yannick Vermeiren, Alain D. Dekker, Petrus J.W. Naudé and Peter P. De Deyn
Affiliation:
Keywords: Aggression, amyloid, depression, neurofibrillary tangles, neuronal loss, psychosis, neurotransmitter.
Abstract: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are an integral part of the dementia syndrome and were therefore recently included in the core diagnostic criteria of dementia. The near universal prevalence of NPS in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), combined with their disabling effects on patients and caregivers, is contrasted by the fact that few effective and safe treatments exist, which is in part to be attributed to our incomplete understanding of the neurobiology of NPS. In this review, we describe the pathological alterations typical for AD, including spreading and evolution of burden, effect on the molecular and cellular integrity, functional consequences and atrophy of NPS-relevant brain regions and circuits in correlation with specific NPS assessments. It is thereby clearly established that NPS are fundamental expressions of the underlying neurodegenerative brain disease and not simply reflect the patients’ secondary response to their illness. Neuropathological studies, moreover, include a majority of end-stage patient samples, which may not correctly represent the pathophysiological environment responsible for particular NPS that may already be present in an early stage, or even prior to AD diagnosis. The burdensome nature and high prevalence of NPS, in combination with the absence of effective and safe pharmacotherapies, provide a strong incentive to continue neuropathological and neurochemical, as well as imaging and other relevant approaches to further improve our apprehension of the neurobiology of NPS.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Dam Van Debby, Vermeiren Yannick, Dekker D. Alain, Naudé J.W. Petrus and Deyn P. De Peter, Neuropsychiatric Disturbances in Alzheimer’s Disease: What Have We Learned from Neuropathological Studies?, Current Alzheimer Research 2016; 13 (10) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1567205013666160502123607
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1567205013666160502123607 |
Print ISSN 1567-2050 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-5828 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Alzheimer's Disease Drug Development
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Despite decades of research, no cure or disease-modifying treatment is available yet. Therefore, the need for developing effective therapies to treat Alzheimer's disease is an urgent matter. This special issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of ...read more
Current updates on the Role of Neuroinflammation in Neurodegenerative Disorders
Neuroinflammation is an invariable hallmark of chronic and acute neurodegenerative disorders and has long been considered a potential drug target for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia. Significant evidence of inflammatory processes as a feature of AD is provided by the presence of inflammatory markers in plasma, CSF and postmortem brain ...read more
Deep Learning for Advancing Alzheimer's Disease Research
Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses a significant global health challenge, with an increasing number of individuals affected yearly. Deep learning, a subfield of artificial intelligence, has shown immense potential in various domains, including healthcare. This thematic issue of Current Alzheimer Research explores the application of deep learning techniques in advancing our ...read more
Diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers of dementia
Dementia affects 18 million people worldwide. Dementia is a syndrome of symptoms caused by brain disease, usually chronic or progressive, clinically characterized by multiple impairments of higher cortical functions such as memory, thinking, orientation, and learning. In addition, in the course of dementia, cognitive deficits are observed, which often hinder ...read more
![Wayfinder Image](/images/wayfinder.jpg)
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Regulation of Angiogenesis by the Small Heat Shock Protein αB-Crystallin
Current Angiogenesis (Discontinued) Impairment of T Cell Immunity by the Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Targeting Virulence Mechanisms for Therapy and Prophylaxis
Current Medicinal Chemistry Amyloid β -Protein Assembly as a Therapeutic Target of Alzheimers Disease
Current Pharmaceutical Design Nano-formulations for Diagnostics and Therapeutics of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Animals
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology-Asia Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 Inhibitors as Therapeutic Agents for Neural Cell Injury
Current Medicinal Chemistry - Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy Agents Pharmacological Modulation of the State of Awareness in Patients with Disorders of Consciousness: An Overview
Current Pharmaceutical Design Uracils as a Cellular Weapon Against Viruses and Mechanisms of Viral Escape
Current HIV Research Capillary Electrophoresis Interfaced with a Mass Spectrometer (CE-MS): Technical Considerations and Applicability for Biomarker Studies in Animals
Current Protein & Peptide Science Stationary Wavelet Transform and AdaBoost with SVM Based Pathological Brain Detection in MRI Scanning
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Medicinal and Therapeutic Potential of Herbs and Plant Metabolites / Extracts Countering Viral Pathogens - Current Knowledge and Future Prospects
Current Drug Metabolism Blood-Brain Barrier P450 Enzymes and Multidrug Transporters in Drug Resistance: A Synergistic Role in Neurological Diseases
Current Drug Metabolism Therapeutic Approach to Multiple Sclerosis by Novel Oral Drugs
Recent Patents on Inflammation & Allergy Drug Discovery Mycoplasma pneumoniae – A National Public Health Perspective
Current Pediatric Reviews Recent Patents in CNS Drug Discovery: The Management of Inflammation in the Central Nervous System
Recent Patents on CNS Drug Discovery (Discontinued) FMRI of the Emotions: Towards an Improved Understanding of Amygdala Function
Current Medical Imaging Mechanisms Governing Lentivirus Integration Site Selection
Current Gene Therapy The Role of Extracellular Adenosine in Chemical Neurotransmission in the Hippocampus and Basal Ganglia: Pharmacological and Clinical Aspects
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Pharmaceutical Targeting of the Brain
Current Pharmaceutical Design The Endoplasmic Reticulum Alpha-Glycosidases as Potential Targets for Virus Control
Current Protein & Peptide Science Effects of Vitamin A Deficiency and Opioids on Parvalbumin + Interneurons in the Hippocampus of the HIV-1 Transgenic Rat
Current HIV Research