Do Many of the Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia Constitute a Distinct Clinical Syndrome? Current Evidence Using the BEHAVE-AD

Abstract

The Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease Rating Scale (BEHAVE-AD) was specifically designed to assess behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) that would be remediable to both psychologic and pharmacologic intervention. Furthermore, the BEHAVE-AD was designed to assess categories of symptoms that would respond in a cohesive (syndrome) manner in dementia patients, independently of effects of interventions on cognition and functioning. Current data indicate that the BEHAVE-AD does indeed assess a cohesive, cognition- and function independent syndrome in AD and in related dementias that is responsive to psychologic and appropriate pharmacologic intervention. Evidence is also increasing for differential responsiveness of this BPSD syndrome to select pharmacologic agents compared with nonspecific psychologic (placebo) intervention. This article reviews the evidence for this BPSD syndrome in dementia patients, as assessed with the BEHAVE-AD.