Neuropsychiatric symptoms in mild cognitive impairment: An analysis and its impact on caregiving

BACKGROUND: Neuropsychiatric impairments play a significant role throughout the course of cognitive decline. Many psychological and behavioral symptoms are present in patients of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) similar to that seen in individuals with dementia. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To study the relevance of neuropsychiatric symptoms of MCI and the impact it has on caregivers of these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was done on 90 patients (30 MCI, 30 dementia and 30 controls) above the age of 50 years. The scales used were Hindi–Mental Status Examination, Global deterioration scale and Neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI). Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 16 software. RESULTS: 73.33% (22) of the subjects in MCI group, 90% (27) of subjects in dementia group and 53.33% (16) of subjects having normal cognition had neuropsychiatric complaints. 73.33% (22) relatives of subjects in the MCI group, 90% (27) relatives of subjects in dementia group and 46.67% (14) relatives of subjects in the normal group (i.e. control group) experienced some distress. The differences in the mean NPI severity, frequency, distress and total scores of the three groups were statistically significant. Severity and frequency of neuropsychiatric symptoms significantly predicted the caregiver's distress. CONCLUSIONS: Neuropsychiatric symptoms increase both in frequency and severity with increasing cognitive decline, and they cause distress both to the patient as well as the caregiver; and hence their early recognition is a must. The NPI appears to be a useful tool in that regard.