HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Balsis, S. Articles by Storandt, M. Articles citing this Article PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Balsis, S. Articles by Storandt, M.

Personality Change Precedes Clinical Diagnosis of Dementia of the Alzheimer Type

Department of Psychology, Washington University in St. Louis.

Address correspondence to Steve Balsis, MA, or Brian Carpenter, PhD, Department of Psychology, Campus Box 1125, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130. E-mail: smbalsis{at}wustl.edu or bcarpenter{at}wustl.edu

We examined personality changes reported by a collateral source on the Blessed Dementia Scale in people who were nondemented when they entered a longitudinal study. Of the 108 participants examined here, 68 received a clinical diagnosis of dementia at some point after entry into the study. The other 40 participants died and came to autopsy with a clinical diagnosis of no dementia; however, 14 received a neuropathological diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The results indicate that initial personality changes often occur early, even earlier than clinical diagnosis. Individuals without a clinical diagnosis who showed presence of the disease at autopsy experienced personality changes comparable with those of individuals who had received a clinical diagnosis. Personality changes may aid in the early detection of dementia of the Alzheimer type, which could facilitate early treatment.