Condition Lookup
Sub-Category:
Other Psychiatric Conditions
Number of Conditions: 1
Psychosis (Secondary to Dementia or Other Conditions)
Specialty: Senior Health and Geriatrics
Category: Mental Health Disorders
Sub-category: Other Psychiatric Conditions
Symptoms:
hallucinations; delusions; paranoia; disorganized thinking; agitation; social withdrawal
Root Cause:
Dysregulation of brain neurotransmitters, often associated with neurodegenerative changes in dementia or secondary to metabolic, infectious, or medication-related causes.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical evaluation, including history, mental status examination, and assessment for underlying causes. Neuroimaging or lab tests may be needed to rule out secondary factors.
Treatment:
Managing the underlying cause, behavioral interventions, caregiver education, and cautious use of medications.
Medications:
Antipsychotics like risperidone or quetiapine (second-generation antipsychotics) are commonly prescribed, with consideration of risks such as increased mortality in dementia-related psychosis.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Occurs in 10-25% of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and up to 50% in other dementia subtypes like Lewy body dementia.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Advanced age, preexisting dementia, severe cognitive decline, sensory impairments, and environmental stressors.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Symptoms may fluctuate, and prognosis depends on addressing the underlying cause. Chronic psychosis is associated with increased caregiver burden and institutionalization.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Higher risk of injury, worsened cognitive decline, poor quality of life, and caregiver stress.