Stressful life events, general cognitive performance, and financial capacity in healthy older adults and Alzheimer's disease patients.

Abstract

The influence of stressful life events on general cognition and for the first time on financial capacity performance of patients with adiagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and in healthy controls (HC) is assessed. A total of 268participants (122patients and 146 HCs with similar demographics) were examined with anumber of neuropsychological tests, including Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), and Legal Capacity for Property Law Transactions Assessment Scale (LCPLTAS) for measuring financial capacity. The life change unit (LCU) method was also used. HCs reported more stressful events than AD patients before the onset of the disease as the LCU load was higher for them (51.80 vs. 27.50), but in both groups the level of LCU load was far below 100, which is the threshold suggested for the induction of apsychosomatic disorder. The most frequently reported life event for AD patients was increased family arguments (n = 45/122), followed by increase in responsibilities (n = 32/122) and financial difficulties (n = 29/122), while the HC group reported problems within the family (n = 56/146), change in health status (n = 32/146), and adeath of abeloved family member (n = 27/146). Regressions indicate no causal role for recent life events in the etiopathogenesis of AD, but an influence only of MMSE and diagnosis on financial capacity. Stressful life events do not seem to be important in financial capacity and relevant vulnerability to financial exploitation for either HCs or AD patients; therefore clinicians should not consider them per se as apossible aggravating factor for financial deficits.