Apathy in Dementia: A Pilot Study Providing Insights from Neuropsychiatric and Radiological Perspectives

Background: Apathy is a common neuropsychiatric symptom in all stages of dementia, significantly complicating patient management. This study examines the prevalence of apathy across Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), Lewy Body Dementia (LBD), Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), and Vascular Dementia (VD) and explores its associations with cognitive functions, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional study included 200 patients diagnosed with AD, LBD, FTD, and VD along with 100 healthy controls (HCs). Apathy was assessed using the Apathy Evaluation Scale. Depression and anxiety in patients were evaluated using the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Geriatric Anxiety Scale, respectively. Cognitive function was measured with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R). MRI findings were evaluated using atrophy scales that are routinely utilized in dementia assessments. Results: Apathy was significantly more prevalent in dementia and MCI patients compared to HC. However, there were no significant differences in apathy prevalence among dementia subtypes. Apathy showed no significant correlation with depression, anxiety, or cognitive performance. Notably, MRI analysis revealed a strong association between apathy and orbitofrontal (OF) sulci atrophy. Conclusions: Apathy is a critical symptom in dementia, linked to OF atrophy and presenting challenges in management. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating apathy assessments in clinical practice. Larger, longitudinal studies are needed to further clarify the pathophysiology and management of apathy in dementia.