Impacto da Anosognosia Associada à Demência de Alzheimer na Qualidade de Vida de Cuidadores

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has anosognosia as one of its symptoms, defined as a change in the individual's ability to judge their difficulties, and is observed as having a significant impact on quality of life of caregivers. This study evaluated the impact of anosognosia related to AD in quality of life (QoL) of caregivers. Fifty AD patients were evaluated through the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination, Dementia Questionnaire-expanded, while caregivers were evaluated using the Scale of QoL in AD and Dementia Questionnaire (caregiver versions). We observed that caregivers of patients with signs of anosognosia had lower scores on QoL and these patients had worse cognitive scores. Anosognosia and QoL were negatively correlated, as QoL and cognitive functioning. Controlling for cognitive functioning, we observed that anosognosia has a greater impact on QoL in individuals with more severe cognitive impairments.