Neurobiological Targets of Apathy Can Guide Treatment Development

Apathy is a motivational disturbance leading to reduced goal-oriented behavior. It afflicts a large percentage of patients suffering for Alzheimer's disease but it is also common in many neuropsychiatric disorders, including Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal dementia, stroke, and idiopathic depression. Apathy is disabling and adds to caregiver burden and distress. In an authoritative review, van Dyke et al1 summarize evidence indicating that compromise of the prefrontal cortex by the neuropathological changes of Alzheimer's disease lead to the lack of motivation characterizing apathy.
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - Category: Geriatrics Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research