| Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools. |
DOI: 10.1177/1533317506292454 Different Perception of Cognitive Impairment, Behavioral Disturbances, and Functional Disabilities Between Persons With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Alzheimers Disease and Their CaregiversDepartment of Clinical, Morphological and Technological Sciences, U.C.O. of Clinical Psychiatry, University of Trieste, Italy, marialuisa.onor{at}libero.it
Department of Clinical, Morphological and Technological Sciences, U.C.O. of Clinical Psychiatry, University of Trieste, Italy
Department of Clinical, Morphological and Technological Sciences, U.C.O. of Clinical Psychiatry, University of Trieste, Italy
Department of Clinical, Morphological and Technological Sciences, U.C.O. of Clinical Psychiatry, University of Trieste, Italy Insight in dementia is a multifaceted concept and ability, which includes the persons perception of their behavioral and cognitive symptoms and functional disability. This ability seems to deteriorate as dementia progresses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of insight in the cognitive, behavioral, and functional disorders in a group of persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild AD (Alzheimers disease) and to compare their perception of their illness with that of their caregivers. The study involved a group of 121 persons with MCI and mild AD and their caregivers. The persons with MCI and mild AD were administered the tests Mini-Mental State Examination, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, Activities of Daily Living, Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Schedule for the Assessment of Insight, Clinical Insight Rating Scale, and a short interview. Major differences were identified between how the persons with MCI or mild AD and their caregivers perceived the persons cognitive and behavioral disorders. The group with MCI or mild AD underestimated their deficits, which were considered serious and disabling by their caregivers.
Key Words: insight dementia mild cognitive impairment awareness of illness
|