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Review
. 2015 Jun-Oct:43-44:25-37.
doi: 10.1016/j.mam.2015.05.005. Epub 2015 Jun 3.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease: What might be associated brain circuits?

Paul B Rosenberg  1 , Milap A Nowrangi  2 , Constantine G Lyketsos  2
Affiliations
Review

Neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease: What might be associated brain circuits?

Paul B Rosenberg et al. Mol Aspects Med. 2015 Jun-Oct.

Abstract

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are very common in Alzheimer's disease (AD), particularly agitation, apathy, depression, and delusions. Brain networks or circuits underlying these symptoms are just starting to be understood, and there is a growing imaging and neurochemical evidence base for understanding potential mechanisms for NPS. We offer a synthetic review of the recent literature and offer hypotheses for potential networks/circuits underlying these NPS, particularly agitation, apathy, and delusions. Agitation in AD appears to be associated with deficits in structure and function of frontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus, and may be associated with mechanisms underlying misinterpretation of threats and affective regulation. Apathy in AD is associated with frontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, as well as orbitofrontal cortex, and inferior temporal cortex, and may be associated with mechanisms underlying avoidance behaviors.

Keywords: Agitation; Alzheimer's disease; Amygdala; Anterior cingulate cortex; Apathy; Delusions; Depression; Functional imaging; Inferior temporal cortex; Insula; Neuroimaging; Neuropsychiatric symptoms; Orbitrofrontal cortex; Posterior cingulate cortex.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Brain regions implicated in agitation of AD network.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Brain regions implicated in apathy of AD network.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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