We examined the prevalence of the catastrophic reaction (CR) in 146 pa
tients with Alzheimer's disease. Sixteen percent showed a CR during th
e neuropsychological evaluation. A factor analysis of the CR scale dem
onstrated an anxious/angry factor that was significantly associated wi
th higher irritability scores and a longer duration of illness, as wel
l as a depressive factor that was significantly associated with more s
evere cognitive impairments and older age.