Personality changes in patients with beginning Alzheimer disease.

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Version: Final published version
Serval ID
serval:BIB_53ABE9DFA9C6
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Personality changes in patients with beginning Alzheimer disease.
Journal
Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Revue Canadienne De Psychiatrie
Author(s)
Pocnet C., Rossier J., Antonietti J.P., von Gunten A.
ISSN
1497-0015 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
0706-7437
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2011
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
56
Number
7
Pages
408-417
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate personality traits in patients with Alzheimer disease, compared with mentally healthy control subjects. We compared both current personality characteristics using structured interviews as well as current and previous personality traits as assessed by proxies.
METHOD: Fifty-four patients with mild Alzheimer disease and 64 control subjects described their personality traits using the Structured Interview for the Five-Factor Model. Family members filled in the Revised NEO Personality Inventory, Form R, to evaluate their proxies' current personality traits, compared with 5 years before the estimated beginning of Alzheimer disease or 5 years before the control subjects.
RESULTS: After controlling for age, the Alzheimer disease group presented significantly higher scores than normal control subjects on current neuroticism, and significantly lower scores on current extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness, while no significant difference was observed on agreeableness. A similar profile, though less accentuated, was observed when considering personality traits as the patients' proxies remembered them. Diachronic personality assessment showed again significant differences between the 2 groups for the same 4 domains, with important personality changes only for the Alzheimer disease group.
CONCLUSIONS: Group comparison and retrospective personality evaluation are convergent. Significant personality changes follow a specific trend in patients with Alzheimer disease and contrast with the stability generally observed in mentally healthy people in their personality profile throughout their lives. Whether or not the personality assessment 5 years before the current status corresponds to an early sign of Alzheimer disease or real premorbid personality differences in people who later develop Alzheimer disease requires longitudinal studies.
Keywords
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alzheimer Disease/complications, Alzheimer Disease/psychology, Disease Progression, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Personality Disorders/diagnosis, Personality Disorders/psychology, Personality Inventory, Self-Assessment, Severity of Illness Index, Time Factors
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
16/11/2011 14:35
Last modification date
20/08/2019 14:08
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