Neuroimaging of delusions in Alzheimer's disease

Psychosis associated behavioral and psychological signs and symptoms in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's dementia

“…Our findings acknowledge the domination of delusions within psychosis in AD, as delusions are more prevalent than hallucinations. According to the majority of studies, delusions appear to be associated with a breakdown in the function and connectivity of frontal and temporal networks, predominantly on the right side (Ismail, Nguyen, Fischer, Schweizer, & Mulsant, 2012). This breakdown in function and connectivity could be linked to the AD brain pathology.…”

Psychotic Symptoms in Frontotemporal Dementia

“…Atrophy of the right frontal lobe is most commonly associated with delusions in Alzheimer's disease; however, associations have also been reported with the hippocampus, superior temporal gyrus, parietal cortex, and other more specific regions of the frontal cortex such as the cingulate gyrus or orbitofrontal cortex [7•, 49-51]. The variability in results to date is likely due to several factors including the lack of specific subtyping of psychotic symptoms or delusions in many studies, variable neuroimaging techniques and data analysis, small sample sizes (generally between n=5 and n=23 patients with delusions or psychosis), and lack of multi-modal approaches [52].…”

Delusions Increase Functional Impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease

“…Neuroimaging studies have produced similar results. Ismail et al [6] recently conducted a comprehensive review of neuroimaging studies in delusional patients with AD. The review included structural imaging studies as well as functional imaging studies and showed a correlation between delusions in AD and hypofrontality, specifically in the right hemisphere.…”