Behavioral and psychologic symptoms of dementia

Because of the growing number of elderly people worldwide and the development of comprehensive measurements and scales, general interest in and overall understanding of the individual, societal, environmental, and economic impacts of behavioral and psychologic symptoms of dementia (BPSD) has advanced considerably. Continuing research has yielded much insight into the behaviors, clinical symptoms, and psychologic reactions related to dementing illnesses, which in turn has allowed for a significant increase in the number of assessment techniques and treatment approaches, pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic, available to physicians and sufferers of Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, and other dementias. Because of these targeted disease management strategies, patients with BPSD and their caregivers are experiencing an improved quality of life while proactively coping with the illness.