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Clinical predictors of aggressive behaviour in Alzheimer's disease
Author(s) -
Gormley Niall,
Rizwan M. R.,
Lovestone Simon
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1166(199802)13:2<109::aid-gps740>3.0.co;2-f
Subject(s) - aggression , rage (emotion) , dementia , psychology , depression (economics) , rating scale , disease , psychiatry , clinical dementia rating , alzheimer's disease , clinical psychology , population , medicine , developmental psychology , environmental health , neuroscience , economics , macroeconomics
Objectives . To examine the level and clinical correlates of aggressive behaviour in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Method . Seventy patients with probable AD were rated using validated assessment instruments including the Rating Scale for Aggressive Behaviour in the Elderly (RAGE). Results . Thirty‐one subjects were rated as at least mildly aggressive during the 3‐day period prior to assessment. RAGE scores correlated significantly with delusions and activity disturbance scores. Aggressive behaviour was not associated with age, sex, dementia severity, hallucinations or depression. Conclusions . Aggressive behaviour occurs frequently in patients with AD. Our results confirm the findings of previous studies that the presence of delusions increases the risk of aggression in this population. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.