STAT June 4, 2024
Memory loss is the most obvious symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. But for the more than 6.5 million Americans who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease — and the people who support them — memory lapses are often the least of their problems. Many people with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia also experience mood and behavior symptoms ranging from anxiety and depression to violent outbursts and psychosis.
Family members, caregivers, and even some medical providers often dismiss these so-called neuropsychiatric symptoms as acting out, with behavior that’s within an individual’s control. Although these symptoms can be very disruptive and overwhelming, they aren’t the individual’s fault or an extension of their personality — they are another manifestation of the disease.
The assumption that...
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