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On the Relation among Mood, Apathy, and Anosognosia in Alzheimer's Disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 December 2013

Daniel C. Mograbi*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, King's College London, London Department of Psychology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica – Rio, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Robin G. Morris
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, King's College London, London
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Daniel C. Mograbi, Institute of Psychiatry, KCL, PO Box 078, De Crespigny Park, SE5 8AF, London, UK. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

This review explores the relationships between depression, apathy, and anosognosia in Alzheimer's disease. Depressed mood is found to be associated with less anosognosia, while greater apathy is associated with more anosognosia, and the contrasting reasons for these associations are discussed. The review also describes recent research findings indicating a dissociation between impaired awareness of condition/deficit and preserved emotional reactivity in response to illness-related material or the experience of failure in tests. We conclude by pointing to future directions for this area of research and clinical implications. (JINS, 2014, 20, 2–7)

Type
Short Review
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2014 

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