Contribution of cognitive impairment, depression, and psychosis to the outcome of agitated geropsychiatric inpatients with dementia.

This study investigated the correlates of change in behavioral disturbance in geropsychiatric inpatients with dementia. It was hypothesized that improvement in specific psychiatric symptoms, such as psychosis and depression, contribute to the improvement of specific behavioral disturbances. All admissions between October 1993 and May 1995 were reviewed to identify those patients admitted to the Houston VA geropsychiatry unit with a diagnosis of dementia; 233 patients were included in the study. Improvement in behavioral disturbance symptoms was associated with decreases in depression, thought disorder, and hostility. However, the relative importance of depressive and psychotic symptoms varied depending upon the type of behavioral disturbance examined. These results may support a focused approach employing therapies specific to the type of behavioral disturbance.