Behavioral, Emotional and Social Apathy in Alcohol-Related Cognitive Disorders.

Maud E G Van Dorst,Masud Husain,Yvonne C M Rensen,Roy P C Kessels

doi:10.3390/jcm10112447

Abstract

Apathy is a fundamental neuropsychiatric symptom of Korsakoff’s syndrome (KS) and has also been reported in patients with alcohol use disorder with no (AUD) or less severe cognitive impairments (ARCI). However, research on the nature of apathy is limited in these groups. Aim of this study was to examine the multidimensional nature of apathy in patients with KS, ARCI and AUD. Moreover, we examined differences between apathy ratings by patients and their professional caregivers, and related apathy to everyday functioning and overall cognition. Twenty-five patients with KS, 25 patients with ARCI and 23 patients with AUD participated in this study. Apathy was measured using the apathy motivation index (AMI), which distinguishes behavioral, emotional and social apathy. Both patients and professional caregivers reported social apathy as the most prominent symptom, compared to behavioral and emotional apathy. Apathy ratings did not differ across the three patient groups. Discrepancies between patient and caregiver ratings were observed in patients with KS and ARCI, with more severe apathy reported by caregivers. Caregiver-reported behavioral and social, but not emotional, apathy was related to everyday functioning. These results show that apathy is present in a substantial proportion of patients with alcohol addiction with or without cognitive impairments.

Highlights

Chronic and excessive alcohol consumption negatively affects brain functioning [1,2,3]and may result in various degrees of cognitive impairment—in attention, memory, visuospatial functions and executive functions—in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD).abstinence improves or optimizes patients’ cognitive functioning [4]
The aim of the present study is to examine the multidimensional nature of apathy in patients with AUD, alcohol-related cognitive impairments (ARCIs) and Korsakoff’s syndrome (KS) using the recently developed apathy motivation index (AMI) [8]
The current results demonstrate that apathy is present in patients with AUD, ARCI

Summary

Introduction

Chronic and excessive alcohol consumption negatively affects brain functioning [1,2,3]and may result in various degrees of cognitive impairment—in attention, memory, visuospatial functions and executive functions—in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD).abstinence improves or optimizes patients’ cognitive functioning [4]. Chronic and excessive alcohol consumption negatively affects brain functioning [1,2,3]. May result in various degrees of cognitive impairment—in attention, memory, visuospatial functions and executive functions—in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Korsakoff’s syndrome (KS) is the most severe neuropsychiatric disorder that may develop in the context of chronic and excessive alcohol consumption. It results from thiamine depletion, typically in the context of chronic excessive alcohol consumption and malnutrition. Apathy is recognized as a fundamental symptom of Korsakoff’s syndrome, it is poorly studied to date. Apathy has received limited attention in patients with AUD and ARCI as well

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