Apathy in multiple sclerosis: gender matters

Apathy has been recognized as a frequent symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS) but uncertainty remains about its prevalence and clinical correlates. Therefore, the objective of this work was to assess the prevalence of apathy in patients with MS and to identify clinical and demographic correlates. A case-control study with 30 patients and 30 healthy controls matched for age, gender and education was performed. Apathy diagnosis was established using Robert et al.’s criteria. Additionally, apathy was assessed using the 10-item short version of the clinical-rated Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES-C-10). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were used to evaluate depression, fatigue and cognitive impairment, respectively. Apathy prevalence in MS patients was 43.3%. Patients with MS had higher AES-C-10 scores than controls (13.9 vs. 12.0, p = 0.015). Patients with apathy presented a higher proportion of males (53.8% vs. 11.8%, p = 0.02), lower educational level (53.8% vs. 11.8% of patients with up to 9 years of education), higher scores on cognitive dimension of MFIS (18.0 vs. 8.0, p = 0.048) and BDI (13.0 vs. 7.0, p = 0.035) and worse performance on MoCA (24.0 vs. 26.0, p = 0.028). Gender was the only independent predictor of apathy, with men presenting a higher risk compared to women (OR: 9.62; 95%CI: 1.02–90.61; p = 0.048). In conclusion, apathy is a common neuropsychiatric disorder in MS and it is probably underdiagnosed. Male patients seem to have an increased risk of apathy, and this finding may be related to the generally more unfavorable course of MS in men.     

The Role of Dopamine in Symptoms and Treatment of Apathy in Alzheimer's Disease

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by a number of serious and debilitating behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). The most common of these BPSD is apathy, which represents a major source of morbidity and premature institutionalization in the AD population. Many studies have identified discrete changes to the dopaminergic (DAergic) system in patients with AD. The DAergic system is closely related to the brain reward system (BRS) and some studies have suggested that dysfunction in the DAergic system may account for symptoms of apathy in the AD population. Method: Changes to the dopamine (DA) system in AD will be reviewed, and evidence supporting the involvement of the DAergic system in the development of apathy will be examined. Additionally, some pharmacological interventions with DA activity have been identified. The utility of these treatments in the AD population will be reviewed, with a focus on apathy as an outcome. Results: Evidence presented in this review suggests that DA dysfunction in discrete brain areas is an important correlate of apathy in AD and that the DAergic system may be a rational target for pharmacological treatment of apathy.     

Apathie sévère après un traumatisme crânien : évolution favorable sous Sélégiline

Apathy is defined as reduced goal-directed behavior due to lack of motivation. Traumatic brain injury is a frequent cause. Drugs activating the dopaminergic system provide variable benefit. A 30-year-old patient was the victim of a severe head injury with frontal bruise at the age of 15. At the request of his family, he consulted for a 7-year history that included a lack of initiative and the inability to generate behavior spontaneously, contrasting with the ability to execute behaviors on command. He also presented indifference, major emotional disruption without sadness, pessimism, and other depressive signs. The examination found a severe apathetic syndrome confirmed by specific scales with a mild impairment of executive functions and without depressive syndrome. Encephalic MRI showed atrophy of the whole prefrontal cerebral cortex. The patient was treated with bromocriptine, which he did not tolerate, then with Selegiline^® at 15 mg per day, which dramatically improved his symptoms. Apathy occurs frequently after traumatic brain injury, in 23–71% of patients according to the authors. The pathophysiology of apathy has been described in anatomical terms as related to disruption of frontal–subcortical pathways. The biochemical hypothesis postulates a disruption in dopaminergic activity. The use of dopaminergic agents usually improves cases similar to our patient. Apathy is frequent following head injury, warranting a search for systematic causes. Since it increases dopaminergic activity, Selegiline^® is well worth trying in these patients.     

Future Directions

Abstract: The problems of apathy and divisiveness in the Australian health care system are outlined. A plea is made to alcohol and drug professionals to join the mainstream of health care and to positively accept the challenge of working together.     

Neurocognitive correlates of alexithymia in asymptomatic individuals with HIV

Alexithymia, an impairment of affective and cognitive emotional processing, is often associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and may reflect effects of the virus on brain areas that are also important for multiple cognitive functions, such as the prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices. We hypothesized that there would be a correlation between extent of alexithymia and cognitive performance associated with these brain areas, including attention, executive function, and visuospatial processing. Thirty-four asymptomatic HIV+ participants and 34 matched healthy HIV− volunteers were administered the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, a series of neuropsychological tests, and measures of apathy, depression, and quality of life (QoL). The HIV+ participants had significantly higher levels of alexithymia, depression and apathy than the HIV− group. The extent of alexithymia and two of its processing components (Difficulty Describing Feelings [DDF] and Externally Oriented Thinking), but not depression, correlated with performance on measures of executive and visuospatial abilities, consistent with dysfunction of the frontostriatal circuits and their cortical projections. Apathy was related to alexithymia and two processing components (Difficulty Identifying Feelings and DDF) but to only one cognitive measure. The higher rate of alexithymia, as well as cognitive dysfunction, in HIV may be a consequence of the infection on the frontostriatal system and its cortical connections. Our findings also demonstrated a dissociation of apathy and alexithymia in HIV, pointing to overlapping but distinct neural substrates within frontostriatal circuits. Alexithymia correlated strongly with QoL ratings, underscoring the importance of assessment and treatment of HIV-associated emotional and cognitive processing deficits.     

帕金森病患者嗅觉减退的相关因素分析

目的 探讨帕金森病患者嗅觉减退的发生率以及相关因素。方法 收集463例帕金森病(PD)患者基本信息,并通过量表系统性评估运动及非运动症状, PD非运动量表“是否有嗅觉减退”项回答“是”者纳入嗅觉减退组,回答“否”者纳入非嗅觉减退组。结果 帕金森病患者嗅觉减退发生率为33.9%,86%的患者嗅觉减退出现在运动症状之前,并且与性别、年龄、起病年龄、运动症状、疾病严重程度无明显关系。伴有嗅觉减退患者的情绪障碍如焦虑、抑郁、淡漠较重,并且睡眠和认知功能较差。高质量的睡眠及吸烟是PD嗅觉减退的保护因素,淡漠是危险因素。结论 合并嗅觉减退患者可能合并更加严重的情绪、睡眠及认知障碍。     

Psychometric testing of a Swedish version of the Apathy Evaluation Scale

Background: Apathy, a prevalent and clinically relevant symptom in neurodegenerative disease, is often evaluated by the instrument Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES). However, this instrument has not been translated into Swedish, halting clinical and research efforts. Furthermore, previous studies lack analyses of some basic properties, such as the legitimacy of a total score, or have analysed dimensionality by questionable methods.

Aim: To translate and psychometrically evaluate a Swedish version of the AES.

Method: The AES was translated, and its psychometric properties were tested in the Swedish BioFINDER study, including cognitively well elderly, and subjects with mild cognitive or parkinsonian symptoms. Psychometric analyses were conducted according to classical test theory (CTT) and aimed to resemble those performed in the English original study by Marin et al. in 1991. Dimensionality was additionally analysed on a matrix of polychoric correlations and parallel analyses.

Results: Data indicate that the Swedish AES performs satisfactorily regarding data completeness, scaling assumptions, targeting, and reliability. Principal component analyses (with parallel analysis) of polychoric correlation matrices identified a single component. Convergent and discriminative validity correlations accorded with a priori expectations.

Conclusions: The study provides initial support that this Swedish AES performs similarly to the English original, and exhibits acceptable psychometric properties according to CTT, including supported unidimensionality, and may be adopted for use in clinical and research settings.