Psychiatry
-
Comparative Study
Alzheimer patients report less pain intensity and pain affect than non-demented elderly.
Pain assessment for patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is generally aimed at quantifying pain, i.e., the intensity and locations of pain. Based on the extensive neuropathology in limbic brain areas with this disorder, we hypothesized that, compared to control patients, AD patients would report an additional loss of qualitative aspects of pain, i.e., pain affect. ⋯ In contrast, the number of AD patients using analgesics did not differ from the number of controls. These findings suggest that pain assessment for patients with AD should be focused on both quantitative and qualitative aspects of pain.