Apathy associated with neurocognitive disorders: Recent progress and future directions

Krista L Lanctôt; Luis Agüera-Ortiz; Henry Brodaty; Paul T Francis; Yonas E Geda; Zahinoor Ismail; Gad A Marshall; Moyra E Mortby; Chiadi U Onyike; Prasad R Padala; Antonios M Politis; Paul B Rosenberg; Emma Siegel; David L Sultzer; Eleenor H Abraham

doi:10.1016/j.jalz.2016.05.008

Apathy associated with neurocognitive disorders: Recent progress and future directions

Alzheimers Dement. 2017 Jan;13(1):84-100. doi: 10.1016/j.jalz.2016.05.008. Epub 2016 Jun 27.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Pharmacology/Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. Electronic address: krista.lanctot@sunnybrook.ca.
² Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain; Department of Psychiatry & Research Institute Hospital, University Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.
³ Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing and Dementia Collaborative Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
⁴ Wolfson Centre for Age Related Diseases, King's College London, London, England.
⁵ Department of Psychiatry, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry, Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, Ron and Rene Ward Centre for Healthy Brain Aging Research, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, Ron and Rene Ward Centre for Healthy Brain Aging Research, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
⁷ Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁸ Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia; NHMRC National Institute for Dementia Research, Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
⁹ Division of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neuropsychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
¹⁰ Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Little Rock, AR, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, North Little Rock, AR, USA.
¹¹ 1(st) Department of Psychiatry, "Eginition" Hospital, Athens Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University, Athens, Greece.
¹² Division of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neuropsychiatry, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
¹³ Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine and VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
¹⁴ Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.

PMID: 27362291
DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2016.05.008

Abstract

Introduction: Apathy is common in neurocognitive disorders (NCDs) such as Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment. Although the definition of apathy is inconsistent in the literature, apathy is primarily defined as a loss of motivation and decreased interest in daily activities.

Methods: The Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART) Neuropsychiatric Syndromes Professional Interest Area (NPS-PIA) Apathy workgroup reviewed the latest research regarding apathy in NCDs.

Results: Progress has recently been made in three areas relevant to apathy: (1) phenomenology, including the use of diagnostic criteria and novel instruments for measurement, (2) neurobiology, including neuroimaging, neuropathological and biomarker correlates, and (3) interventions, including pharmacologic, nonpharmacologic, and noninvasive neuromodulatory approaches.

Discussion: Recent progress confirms that apathy has a significant impact on those with major NCD and those with mild NCDs. As such, it is an important target for research and intervention.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease (AD); Apathy; Mild behavioral impairment (MBI); Neurocognitive disorders (NCD); neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS).

Publication types

Review
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Apathy*
Brain / diagnostic imaging
Depression / diagnostic imaging
Depression / epidemiology
Depression / etiology
Humans
Neurobiology
Neurocognitive Disorders / diagnostic imaging
Neurocognitive Disorders / epidemiology*
Neurocognitive Disorders / genetics
Neurocognitive Disorders / psychology*
Neuroimaging
Neuropsychological Tests

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding