Malnutrition is Associated with Behavioral and Psychiatric Symptoms of Dementia in Older Women with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

We examined the nutritional status and its association with behavioral psychiatric symptoms of dementia (BPSD) among 741 memory clinic patients (normal cognition (NC), 152; mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 271; early-stage Alzheimer disease (AD), 318). Nutritional status and BPSD were assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form (MNA-SF) and the Dementia Behavior Disturbance Scale (DBD), respectively. Compared to subjects with NC, more subjects with MCI and early-stage AD were at risk of malnutrition (MNA-SF, 8–11: NC, 34.2%; MCI, 47.5%; early-stage AD, 53.8%) and were malnourished (MNA-SF, 0–7: NC, 4.6%; MCI, 5.9%; early-stage AD, 8.2%). Among patients with MCI or early-stage AD, those at risk of/with malnutrition showed higher DBD scores than those well-nourished (12.7 ± 9.0 vs. 9.5 ± 7.3; p < 0.001). Moreover, analysis of covariance adjusting for confounders showed that nutritional status was significantly associated with specific BPSD, including “verbal aggressiveness/emotional disinhibition” (F = 5.87, p = 0.016) and “apathy/memory impairment” (F = 15.38, p < 0.001), which were revealed by factor analysis of DBD. Our results suggest that malnutrition is common among older adults with mild cognitive decline, and possibility that nutritional problems are associated with individual BPSD.

Elevated plasma levels of exosomal BACE1‑AS combined with the volume and thickness of the right entorhinal cortex may serve as a biomarker for the detection of Alzheimer's disease

“…Previous studies have shown that high Hdl and Tc levels are positively correlated with the risk of ad (52,53), in contrast to the results of the present study. This may be due to differences in the proportions of patients with moderate to severe dementia in the ad group between the two studies; the severity of ad increases the risk of malnutrition, leading to a decrease in plasma cholesterol levels (54,55). in addition, the results of the present study demonstrated that Hb levels in male patients with ad were reduced, consistent with a previous study which suggested that abnormal Hb levels may result in differences in white matter integrity and cerebral perfusion (56).…”

Nutrition assessment and geriatric associated conditions among community dwelling Iranian elderly people

“…Even mild cognitive decrease can be associated with dietary changes. A study carried out by Kimura et al [33] suggested higher risks of malnutrition among elderly people within early stages of alzheimer compared to cognitively healthy individuals. The relationship between these two conditions is complex.…”

The Relationship Between Dementia Subtypes and Nutritional Parameters in Older Adults

“…31 In 1 study, showing that malnutrition is associated with verbal aggressiveness/emotional disinhibition and apathy in MCI and in early stage AD supports the malnutritionneuropsychiatric symptom relationship. 32 Apart from DLB, VaD is the second most common type of dementia that deteriorates nutritional most. Patients with VaD may have poorer health status than other patients with dementia because of the possible underlying cardiovascular diseases.…”