S13: Apathy in dementia: Difficult to diagnose, difficult to treat

Abstract

Summary: Apathy is one of the most common neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia, mainly in Alzheimer’s disease and lobar frontal degeneration. Although diagnostic criteria guidelines have been developed to facilitate diagnosis and multiple drugs have been evaluated for treatment, apathy remains a very important challenge in clinical practice. The Objectives of the symposium is that specialists from Favaloro Foundation University Hospital Memory clinic in Buenos Aires provide an update on the evidence available for both the apathy diagnosis and treatment (pharmacological and non-pharmacological) patients with dementia, as well as showing that will come in the near future. The specialists will base the dissertation both on the available evidence and on their robust clinical experience in the dementia field. The presentation will focus on the available evidence diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and the best therapeutic tools available, pharmacological and non-pharmacological. Learning and knowing about apathy is essential for correct management.

Up today, apathy diagnosis is based on clinical signs and symptoms. General diagnostic criteria and specific criteria for some diseases have been developed. Memory clinic specialist will show the available tools and evidence for apathy diagnosis, the best way to differentiate from other similar disease/symptoms and will provide their robust clinical experience in this field.

Treatment of apathy is still a challenge in clinical practice. Several pharmacological treatments did not show clear symptoms improvement so non pharmacological treatment has become a fundamental tool for the patients- A specialized neurophysiologist will provide the actual techniques utilized in daily practice to treat apathy in dementia patients.

Pharmacological treatment for apathy is still a challenge. Multiple drugs have been tested in clinical trials but without significant symptoms improvement. Memory clinic specialist will show available evidence for pharmacological treatment for apathy and will provide their experience in clinical practice for subject management.

Considering that available pharmacological treatment for apathy did not show strong symptoms improvement, there is an unmet need to find a treatment for apathy- Specialist will present available information for ongoing research for apathy.