Se. Starkstein et al., PREVALENCE AND CLINICAL CORRELATES OF PATHOLOGICAL AFFECTIVE DISPLAY IN ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE, Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 59(1), 1995, pp. 55-60
This study examined the prevalence and correlates of pathological affe
ct in Alzheimer's disease. A consecutive series of 103 patients with A
lzheimer's disease were examined with a comprehensive psychiatric asse
ssment that included the pathological laughing and crying scale (PLACS
). Forty patients (39%) showed pathological affect: 25% showed crying
episodes, and 14% showed laughing or mixed (laughing and crying) episo
des. Patients with pathological affect crying showed significantly hig
her depression scores and a significantly higher frequency of major de
pression and dysthymia than patients with no pathological affect. Pati
ents with mixed pathological affect showed significantly more subcorti
cal atrophy on CT than patients with pathological affect crying. Forty
seven per cent of the patients with pathological affect had no congru
ent mood disorder, and they showed a significantly longer duration of
illness and more severe anosognosia than patients with pathological af
fect that was congruent with an underlying mood disorder. The study va
lidates the PLACS, and shows the high prevalence of pathological affec
t in Alzheimer's disease.