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Psychiatric Complications of Alzheimer’s Disease Overlapping with Parkinsonism: Depression, Apathy, Catatonia, and Psychosis

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Movement Disorders in Dementias

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Abstract

Depression is a frequent comorbid condition in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and is associated with the presence of parkinsonism. Apathy in AD was reported to predict more severe parkinsonism, suggesting that apathy may be an early manifestation of a more aggressive AD phenotype characterized by loss of motivation, increasing parkinsonism, a faster cognitive and functional decline, and more severe depression.

Catatonia may be found in a small proportion of patients with AD, but rates are higher in hospitalized patients. Catatonia is significantly associated with more severe parkinsonism and depression and older age. Psychotic symptoms are relatively frequent in the late stages of AD. Current treatment with atypical antipsychotics has a concomitant risk of increased parkinsonism.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia Fremantle, Fremantle, WA, Australia

    Sergio E. Starkstein MD, PhD

  2. Department of Psychiatry, CEMIC University, Centro de Educación Médica e Investigationes, Clínicas “Norberto Quirno”, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Jaime Pahissa MD

Authors
  1. Sergio E. Starkstein MD, PhD
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  2. Jaime Pahissa MD
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Correspondence to Sergio E. Starkstein MD, PhD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Neuroscience Department, Universidad Catolica Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Marcelo Merello

  2. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia, Fremantle, Australia

    Sergio E. Starkstein

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Starkstein, S.E., Pahissa, J. (2014). Psychiatric Complications of Alzheimer’s Disease Overlapping with Parkinsonism: Depression, Apathy, Catatonia, and Psychosis. In: Merello, M., Starkstein, S. (eds) Movement Disorders in Dementias. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-6365-7_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-6365-7_5

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-6365-7

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