Correlation between both morphologic and functional changes and anxiety in Alzheimer's disease.

INTRODUCTION

Although anxiety symptoms are often observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD), little attention has been paid to this symptom compared with other neuropsychiatric symptoms.

METHODS

Twenty-six patients with mild AD underwent both magnetic resonance imaging and single photon emission tomography with technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer. Neuropsychiatric symptoms were evaluated using the Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease Scale (Behave-AD). We investigated the relationship between anxiety and neuroimaging using Statistical Parametric Mapping 8 software.

RESULTS

The Behave-AD anxiety score was correlated with hyperperfusion in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortices and a reduction in the gray matter volume in the right precuneus and inferior parietal lobule.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that anxiety in AD could overlap with the neural correlates of anxiety disorders, and that the specific degeneration associated with AD might be associated with anxiety.