PREVALENCE AND CLINICAL CORRELATES OF PATHOLOGICAL AFFECTIVE DISPLAY IN ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

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.