Emotional function in dementia patients

Abstract

Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, which can be considered as hyperreactivity of the emotional functioning of dementia, can be alleviated or aggravated by the behavioural and psychological symptoms of the caregiver. Comfortable stimulations of emotional function through sensory stimulations are effective methods for alleviating behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. Although cognitive function deteriorates with age, emotional function is often retained even in advanced years. Thus, it is recommended that care in patients with dementia be focused mainly on the stimulation of emotional function (e.g. sympathy and empathy, which are human traits), rather than relying solely on the stimulation of cognitive function.

Best practice in the management of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia

“…1 Similarly, caregiver distress can exacerbate BPSD and family discord or altered communication in the family need to be assessed. 79,80 …”

Backgrounds and/or Triggers of Hospitalized Dementia with Behavioral Psychological Symptoms

“…Unknown backgrounds (13%) were the backgrounds such as inactivity after retirement, removal to a new house, and/or diabetes mellitus in the similar way as a commonality of patients would have some vague backgrounds [2]. Any sickness including brain diseases as well as psychotic depressions might cause dementia with depression [3] and cause some individuals to be more sensitive to the attitude of families, as their reasonable suppression by cognitive functions decline [4], which in turn could lead to agitation and violence [5]. Although CSDD suggested that a certain number of patients were suffering from major depression, we could not estimate the depressive state in other patients because Geriatric Depression Scale is an inappropriate measure in patients with dementia.…”

Phenomenological Understanding of Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia: A Clinical Case Presenting Howls and Shouting. The Melancholic Type and Phenomenology of Separation

“…Attachment may be implicated in agitation in BPSD [41,42]. For example, exhaustion of relatives may influence agitation reactions and BPSD [43], as well as separation issues. Indeed, the Subject's attachment ("Being at World") is a dynamic co-constitution from the other (between two subjects).…”