Social and Behavioral Investigations

Dementia is characterized by a wide range of psychological symptoms and behavioral problems. Dementia patients with such behavioral abnormalities account for 30 percent to 90 percent of all dementia patients. Depression, apathy, violence, and psychosis are widely recognized as essential hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and there is a general understanding that symptom intensity is associated with faster cognitive decline, loss of independence, and even shorter survival. It's unknown if these symptoms are caused by the same pathogenic processes that cause cognitive decline or have separate etiologies unrelated to AD-related neurodegeneration. Regardless of whether these symptoms are linked to AD etiology and cognitive decline, their negative impact on patient and caregiver quality of life calls for more research into more effective therapies.