ASSOCIATION OF PLASMA HOMOVANILLIC-ACID WITH BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS IN PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH DEMENTIA - A PRELIMINARY-REPORT

Neuroleptic treatment of psychotic symptoms or agitated behavior in el derly patients diagnosed with dementia is associated with reduced effi cacy and increased rates of neuroleptic-induced parkinsonism in compar ison to younger patients with schizophrenia. We report the first study to examine the relationship between an in vivo measure of dopaminergi c function, plasma homovanillic acid (pHVA), and ratings of psychosis, agitation, and parkinsonism before and after neuroleptic treatment in dementia patients, Pretreatment pHVA was significantly correlated wit h parkinsonian rigidity, with a trend observed with agitation and host ility. Though mean pHVA did not change during perphenazine treatment i ntraindividual change in pHVA at day 15 was correlated with improvemen t in hostility, with a similar trend for improvement in agitation. The se preliminary findings are consistent with reports associating dopami nergic function with agitated bur not psychotic, symptoms in patients diagnosed with dementia, and with a reduced responsivity of dopaminerg ic systems to neuroleptic treatment in these patients. (C) 1997 Societ y of Biological Psychiatry.