Apathy : An Ignored Neuropsychiatric Syndrome in South Africa
نویسنده
چکیده
Apathy is a common feature of brain disorders, yet is often confused with depression and ignored by clinicians. This situation is problematic because apathy is associated with several adverse outcomes, including caregiver distress and decreased treatment adherence. This study investigated the prevalence of apathy and depression in 10 outpatients (7 women, 3 men, mean age = 63.7 years) at a South African memory clinic using the Apathy Evaluation Scale and the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia. Half of the patients had apathy, yet only 2 patients had both apathy and depression, and three patients had depression only. Apathy is dissociable from depression and should be screened for and treated in brain-damaged individuals.
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