Depressive Neuropsychiatric Symptoms and Mild Cognitive Impairment as Part of the Diabetes Mellitus/Alzheimer's Disease Link

Introduction

The study of behaviour is a fundamental part of comprehensive patient care, since the patient should be considered as a biopsychosocial entity. In the case of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the major limitation in the diagnosis of the patient is that it can only be made after death. Therefore, identification of behaviours consistent with behavioural dysfunction, psychosis and neuropsychiatric symptoms represents a very useful tool for establishing a presumptive diagnosis in vivo of AD. Further taking into account that diabetes mellitus (DM) is a disease with a growing worldwide incidence that is considered a risk factor for the development of AD, the presence of depressive behaviours and mild cognitive impairment stand out as important elements identified in the DM/AD link.

Results

This study presents the results of a review of evidence obtained from secondary sources and describes characteristic behaviours identified in AD.

Conclusions

We conclude that the depressive behaviour identified in both AD and MD and the analysis of depressive behaviours along with mild cognitive impairment are part of the link between DM and AD.