Browsing by Author "Turan, Engin Dudu"

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    Alzheimer tipi demans ve karışık tip demans hastalarında apati ile ilişkili faktörlerin değerlendirilmesi
    (Tıp Fakültesi, 2015) Çobanoğlu, Ebru; Turan, Engin Dudu; Tıp
    Apathy is a neuropsychiatric symptom which can exist in all stages of dementia and is related to caregiver distress, cognitive decline and treatment non-response. In this study, we aimed to compare the apathy scores between demented elderly people with Alzheimer's Disease and vascular-mixed type (Alzheimer's type and vascular type) dementias. Other objectives of this study are to assess the relationship between the severity of apathy and vascular factors, comorbidity, other neuropsychiatric symptoms and severity of dementia. Also we aimed to investigate the usefulness of the clinician form of Apathy Evaluation Scale in demented elderly. Materials and methods: A total of 111 demented elderly outpatients (81 with Alzheimer's Disease and 30 with vascular-mixed type dementia) and their caregivers, and 31 institutionalized healthy elderly individuals were included. Both healthy and demented subjects were evaluated with Mini Mental State Examination, Clock Drawing Test and Verbal Memory Processes Test while Functional Activities Questionnaire, The Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly and Neuropsychiatric Inventory were administered by the caregivers. Depression was assessed with Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) in demented patients and with Geriatric Depression Scale in healthy subjects. Apathy was evaluated with Apathy Evaluation Scale clinician form. Vascular risk factors and medical comorbidity levels were investigated. Outcomes: Neither apathy scores nor vascular risk factors varied between Alzheimer's type and vascular-mixed type demented groups. Vascular factors except obesity which pointed out that non-obese patients had higher levels of apathy and comorbidity levels were not related with the severity of apathy. Apathy levels did not correlate with depression evaluated with CSDD and neuropsychiatric symptoms except depression/dysphoria, aberrant motor behaviours and changes in appetite. However, apathy was correlated with the severity of dementia and cognitive decline evaluated with neuropsychological assessment tools. Apathy Evaluation Scale was found to be a reliable and valid scale for the assessment of apathy in demented patients. Clinician form of Apathy Evaluation Scale can be applied via informant interview. Larger sample sized studies can show positive results.