Personality Change in Dementia

Abstract

This study examined the prevalence and nature of personality change in 99 patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type and multi-infarct dementia. Personality was assessed using an informant-rated inventory of the patient's personality before and after the onset of dementia, with the difference equating to a change in personality. Personality characteristics were related to the patients' age and sex, duration of illness, degree of cognitive impairment, the presence of a grasp reflex, and extrapyramidal signs. Personality change was found to be almost universal and negative in nature and was particularly associated with severity of cognitive impairment, longer duration of illness, and neurological signs. The findings reflect those from other studies and emphasize the biological basis of personality changes in dementia.

Memory rehabilitation in Alzheimer's disease: a review of progress

“…Examples of speci®c behavioural instruments suitable for detecting and quantifying dementiarelated behavioural and psychological symptoms in intervention studies have been recently described by Weiner et al (2000). Personality changes are present in nearly all AD patients (Aitken et al, 1999), and disengagement with reduced motivation and initiation is characteristic (Stewart et al, 1999). Therefore, to increase motivation on the part of the patient, memory intervention should refer to situations that are meaningful for both the patient and caregiver.…”

Personality changes in Alzheimer's disease

“…In addition to the cognitive deficits, Alzheimer's disease (AD) manifests personality changes and behavioural symptoms in almost all patients (Aitken, Simpson, & Burns, 1999;Binetti et al, 1998). Cognitive impairment has been widely studied with respect to the standardised neuropsychological tests and a series of extensively validated instruments used to assess behavioural disturbances (Bianchetti et al, 2004;Finkel, 2003).…”

“…Brooks and McKinley's Personality Inventory (PI) (1983) was originally applied to patients with head injuries and it was sensitive to behavioural alterations produced by brain dysfunction as well as to changes as brain function restored. The PI was also validated to retrospectively detect personality changes in patients with dementia (Aitken et al, 1999;Petry, Cummings, Hill, & Shapira, 1988). In a recent study, it was used to examine the effects of anticholinesterase drugs on the ratings of personality changes in AD (Purandare, Bloom, Page, Morris, & Burns, 2002).…”

Personality traits in women with Alzheimer's disease: Comparisons with control groups with the NEO-FFI

“…Maybe informants recall higher Conscientiousness scores because current Conscientiousness scores are way lower. The information given by a close relative about a patient's previous personality may be biased to some extent as a result (for example, the idealization of the patient and their previous relationship as well as the stress endured as a consequence of the change in their relationship) (e.g., Aitken, Simpson, & Bums, 1999;Pocnet et al, 2011). In addition to the hypotheses data, low mean results in the Openness to Experience and Agreeableness, stressing a continuity between pre-morbidity and the present time in AD, and a low mean result in the Extraversion dimension in the AD Group dimensions may also be observed.…”