Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with a wide range of comorbid diseases such as hypertension, osteoarthritis, depression, diabetes, and cerebrovascular disease. Details and illustrations on the psychiatric and physical comorbidities of AD are discussed in this slide deck. Also pre-existing medical conditions and modifiable lifestyle factors related to AD are explored.

This slide deck has been developed in collaboration with the former Lundbeck International Neuroscience Foundation.

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Introduction

Alzheimers Disease – Comorbidity – slide 1
Comorbidity

The slide presents an overview of various pre-existing medical conditions that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The presentation covers the progression of Schizophrenia and functional decline.

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Alzheimers Disease – Comorbidity – slide 2
Pre-existing medical conditions related to Alzheimer’s disease

The slide presents an overview of various pre-existing medical conditions that are associated with AD.

There is a good body of evidence to support an association between traumatic brain injury (TBI), diabetes, and depression with an increased risk of…

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Alzheimers Disease – Comorbidity – slide 3
Modifiable lifestyle factors related to Alzheimer’s disease

The slide presents an overview of the various modifiable lifestyle factors that are associated with AD.

There is evidence to suggest that moderate coffee consumption, physical activity, and cognitive activity, all play a preventative role in AD.[Jiang et al.,…

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Alzheimers Disease – Comorbidity – slide 4
Cumulative rates of comorbidities in patients with dementia

This study a was population-based retrospective cohort study using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, which provides anonymised data from the electronic health records of 674 primary care practices in the UK.[Browne et al., 2017] The study included a total…

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Alzheimers Disease – Comorbidity – slide 5
The comorbidity burden of Alzheimer’s disease

This study was a retrospective, nested case-control study, using a random sample of claims data from 2 million Taiwanese people between 2001–2011.[Wang et al., 2018] In order to establish whether the risks of certain comorbidities were greater than normal…

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Alzheimers Disease – Comorbidity – slide 6
Costs associated with the comorbidities of AD

The costs associated with the comorbidities of AD have been studied in various healthcare systems, including the additional caregiving costs.[Browne et al., 2017; Hill et al., 2002; Kuo et al., 2008; Leon et al., 1998]

It has long…

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The psychiatric comorbidities of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimers Disease – Comorbidity – slide 7
The psychiatric comorbidities of Alzheimer’s disease
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Alzheimers Disease – Comorbidity – slide 8
The psychiatric comorbidities of dementia

The assessment of neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with dementia is challenging.[Cerejeira et al., 2012] Assessment requires detailed information about a patient’s clinical history, their subjective experiences, and an objective rating of their behaviour.[Cerejeira et al., 2012] To this end,…

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Alzheimers Disease – Comorbidity – slide 9
Depression and Alzheimer’s disease

AD and depression are thought to share some common risk factors, including inflammation.[Li et al., 2014] However, the direction of the risk is poorly understood.[Li et al., 2014] Does depression increase the risk of AD, or does dementia increase…

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Alzheimers Disease – Comorbidity – slide 10
Anxiety and Alzheimer’s disease

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterised by excessive anxiety and worry, about numerous events or activities.[APA, 2013] Examples include worrying about household chores, or being late for appointments.[APA, 2013]

Methodologically, the study of symptoms of anxiety in patients with…

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Alzheimers Disease – Comorbidity – slide 11
Agitation and Alzheimer’s disease

Although agitation is a common feature of dementia,[Gauthier et al., 2010; Margallo-Lana et al., 2001] there was for a long time no consensus definition of agitation, and no widespread agreement on what elements should be included in the syndrome.[Cummings…

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Alzheimers Disease – Comorbidity – slide 12
Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease

A methodological challenge to studying the interaction of dementia and bipolar disease, is the fact that many studies of dementia and depression are poorly controlled for bipolar disorder – it is possible that, in many of the studies, the depression…

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Alzheimers Disease – Comorbidity – slide 13
Sleep disturbances and Alzheimer’s disease

The study of sleep disturbances in AD is complicated by the still incomplete understanding of the normal functions of sleep in a non-pathological context.[Cipriani et al., 2015] The aetiology of the sleep disorders seen in dementia appears to be…

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Alzheimers Disease – Comorbidity – slide 14
The impact of the psychiatric comorbidities of Alzheimer’s disease

A large scale anonymous survey of the carers of patients with dementia in Germany, Poland, France, and the UK was published in 2008, questioning people about the burden of caring for individuals with dementia.[Georges et al., 2008] In total,…

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