APATHY AND LOSS OF INSIGHT IN ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE - A SPECT IMAGING STUDY

Apathy and loss of insight as correlates of behavior in Alzheimer's di sease (AD) were studied in 40 patients by using clinical scales and ce rebral blood flow measurements from SPECT imaging. Apathy was signific antly correlated with decreased right temporoparietal perfusion and pr oblem behaviors. Loss of insight was significantly correlated with dec reased right temporo-occipital perfusion and impairment in daily funct ioning. Dementia severity as measured by the Mini-Mental State Examina tion (MMSE) was a poor predictor of behavioral problems or daily funct ioning. These data suggest that global measures of cognitive ability, which are weighted toward measuring left hemisphere function, are less important as indicators of management problems in AD than are measure s of right hemisphere function such as motivation and insight.