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Drinking Behavior and Vasopressin Responses to Hyperosmolality in Alzheimer's Disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 January 2005

Stewart G. Albert ,
B. R. S. Nakra ,
George T. Grossberg  and
Eduardo R. Caminal
Stewart G. Albert
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.
B. R. S. Nakra
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A. Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.
George T. Grossberg
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.
Eduardo R. Caminal
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.
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Abstract

Individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been shown to have abnormalities in response to fluid restriction. Twelve subjects with AD and ten elderly controls underwent overnight fluid restriction followed by measurement of plasma and urine vasopressin and serum osmolality. Estimates of “thirst” were determined after one hour of ad libitum water intake. All subjects were tested with a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Global Deterioration Scale (GDS). Individuals with AD had a greater degree of overnight dehydration than the elderly control group (serum osmolality 310 +/−1 vs. 305 +/−1 mosmol/kg, p = 0.02). There was no difference between the groups in the plasma or urinary levels of vasopressin. There was a direct correlation (r = 0.45, p = 0.03) of the amount of water intake as a measure of “thirst” with the MMSE score as a measure of cognitive functioning. Individuals with advanced cognitive impairment may be at risk of dehydration due to loss of protective “thirst” responses with secondary complications of dehydration.

Type
Research and Reviews
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , March 1994 , pp. 79 - 86
Copyright
© 1994 Springer Publishing Company

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