Patients with IVD showed a relatively more severe dysfunction of the frontal lobes as demonstrated by single-photon emission CT and expressed in specific psychiatric and neuropsychological changes than AD patients matched for age, sex, and severity of dementia.

No abstract

We examined the prevalence of major depression and dysthymia in 78 patients with the classic variant of Parkinson's disease (PD) (that is, tremor plus rigidity and/or bradykinesia), and in 34 patients with the akinetic-rigid variant. Although the prevalence of dysthymia was similar in both groups (classic PD, 31%; and akinetic-rigid PD, 32%), patients with akinetic-rigid PD had a significantly higher prevalence of major depression (38% versus 15%, respectively; p < 0.01). A stepwise regression analysis demonstrated that bradykinesia was the extrapyramidal sign with the highest correlation with Hamilton depression scale scores. Our findings demonstrate a significant association between major depression and the akinetic-rigid type of PD.

Objective-To examine neurological, neuropsychological, psychiatric, and cerebral perfusion correlates of leukoaraiosis in Alzheimer's disease. Methods-A consecutive series of patients with probable Alzheimer's disease was assessed with a comprehensive neuropsychological battery, a structured psychiatric evaluation, the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale, MRI, and single photon emission computed tomography with technetium 99m hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) and regional cerebral perfusion measurements.

This study examined the prevalence and correlates of pathological affect in Alzheimer's disease. A consecutive series of 103 patients with Alzheimer's disease were examined with a comprehensive psychiatric assessment that included the pathological laughing and crying scale (PLACS). Forty patients (39%) showed pathological affect: 25% showed crying episodes, and 14% showed laughing or mixed (laughing and crying) episodes. Patients with pathological affect crying showed significantly higher depression scores and a significantly higher frequency of major depression and dysthymia than patients with no pathological affect. Patients with mixed pathological affect showed significantly more subcortical atrophy on CT than patients with pathological affect crying. Forty seven per cent of the patients with pathological affect had no congruent mood disorder, and they showed a significantly longer duration of illness and more severe anosognosia than patients with pathological affect that was congruent with an underlying mood disorder. The study validates the PLACS, and shows the high prevalence of pathological affect in Alzheimer's disease. (i Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1995;59:55-60)