[Characteristics of cognitive function, behavioral and psychological symptoms in patients with Alzheimer's disease versus behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia].

Objective

To compare the differences in cognitive function and behavioral and psychological symptoms between patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD).

Methods

Thirty-six AD patients and 20 bvFTD patients at mild-to-moderate stage, who were biomarker-confirmed by positron emission tomography (PET), were assessed with a neuropsychological battery and neuropsychiatry inventory (NPI). Cognitive domains, including memory, language, information processing speed and executive function, and behavioral and psychological symptoms were assessed and compared.

Results

AD patients had lower scores in immediate recall, delayed recall and recognition than bvFTD patients (all P<0.05); while bvFTD patients had poorer performance in language and executive function than AD patients (all P<0.05). The NPI total score was significantly higher in patients with bvFTD compared with patients with AD (17.5±5.7 vs 9.3±3.5, P<0.05). In respect to the 12 items of NPI, the incidence of agitation and irritability was higher in AD group than in bvFTD group (72.2% vs 35.0%, 55.6% vs 20.0%, all P<0.05); while the incidence of apathy, disinhibition, euphoria, aberrant motor behavior and appetite/eating was higher in bvFTD group than in AD group (65.0% vs 33.3%, 80.0% vs 5.5%, 70.0% vs 5.6%, 40.0% vs 11.1%, 50.0% vs 5.6%, all P<0.05).

Conclusion

Comprehensive neuropsychological assessment and evaluation of behavioral and psychological symptoms of patients with dementia are helpful in distinguishing AD from bvFTD.