Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, not only affects memory and cognitive functions but also takes a toll on emotions and motivation. Among the many behavioral changes associated with Alzheimer’s, apathy is one of the most common and challenging symptoms to manage. Apathy can be perplexing for both the individuals living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.
Psychiatry Education Forum Academy has summarized this clinically relevant topic in our Journal Club #21:
LECTURE SCHEDULE
(1) APATHY IN PRE-DEMENTIA STATE:
- Apathy as a Neuropsychiatric Symptom (NPS) in Neurocognitive disorders (NCD).
- Why is Apathy emerging as a treatment target in NCD?
- Apathy in Pre-Dementia State.
- Mild Behavioral Impairment: ISTAART-AA developed research diagnostic criteria.
(2) DEPRESSION VERSUS APATHY
- Common clinical features seen in both depression and apathy.
- How to clinically differentiate apathy from depression?
FREE VIDEO ACCESS AVAILABLE BELOW:
(3) APATHY: DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA
- 2008 Diagnostic Criteria for Apathy in Alzheimer’s disease and other Neuropsychiatric Disorders.
- 2018 Proposed New Diagnostic Criteria for Apathy.
- 2021 Consensus Diagnostic Criteria for Apathy in Neurocognitive Disorders.
(4) RATING SCALES FOR APATHY
Compare 6 rating scales for apathy, in terms of:
- Type of scale
- Apathy domains
- Sensitivity to change
- Time frame of assessment
- Information source
- Specific validation in nursing home patients
(5) MECHANISM & BIOMARKERS
- Neuroimaging correlates of apathy.
- Comparing Pre-Dementia population with Alzheimer’s Dementia.
- Regional hypoperfusion and hypometabolism.
- Atrophy of the medial frontal regions.
- High-density deposition of neurofibrillary tangles.
- Neurotransmitters: Cholinergic, Serotonergic & Dopaminergic.
- Fluid biomarkers
(6) TREATMENT:
PHARMACOLOGICAL OPTIONS
Compare 9 medication classes for apathy treatment, in terms of:
- Recommended Treatment: First-Line?
- Medications with Questionable Response.
- Medications to Avoid?
(7) TREATMENT:
NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL OPTIONS
- Discuss available studies on non-pharmacological treatment options for apathy.
- Which non-pharmacological approach has the strongest evidence?
- Efficacy of neuromodulation for apathy treatment.
Psychiatry Education Forum’s Journal Club is an additional feature for our Academy’s members. We are excited to announce the release of our new feature in the journal club:
This new Article Based Continuing Certification (ABCC) Pathway is an ongoing professional journal article-based assessment activity designed by ABPN (American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology) for physicians to meet their Continuing Certification program requirement.
In our journal club discussions, we are discussing these articles from this ABCC track in a clinically relevant fashion. This will help you answer the multiple-choice questions on ABPN’s website to get the credits for each article discussion.
INTERESTED IN ACCESS TO THIS & OTHER CLINICALLY RELEVANT LECTURE SERIES?
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- 30+ Courses/Sections: Each chapter within these sections is of direct clinical relevance for your daily practice.
- Journal Club: we will post the most recently published psychiatry articles relevant to your daily clinical practice.
- Coffee Club: contain short discussions with clinical experts in the field of psychiatry.
- Clinical Case Discussions: Discussions of clinical cases from our daily clinical practice.
- Discussion Forum & Community: Connect with other medical professionals and discuss your difficult-to-treat clinical cases.
- Essentials of Inpatient Psychiatry Book: All chapters from this book are included in the academy sections.
- Goal: is to have all important clinically relevant topics in one place for ease of access.
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Email us your student information (program information and way to confirm your student status) to: HSingh@PsychiatryEducationForum.com