Understanding hallucinations in probable Alzheimer's disease: Very low prevalence rates in a tertiary memory clinic

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Averaging at 13.4%, current literature reports widely varying prevalence rates of hallucinations in patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD), and is still inconclusive on contributive factors to hallucinations in AD. Methods This study assessed prevalence, associated factors and clinical characteristics of hallucinations in 1227 patients with probable AD, derived from a tertiary memory clinic specialized in early diagnosis of dementia. Hallucinations were assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Results Hallucination prevalence was very low, with only 4.5% (n = 55/1227) affected patients. Hallucinations were mostly visual (n = 40/55) or auditory (n = 12/55). Comorbid delusions were present in over one‐third of cases (n = 23/55). Hallucinations were associated with increased dementia severity, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and a lifetime history of hallucination‐evoking disease (such as depression and sensory impairment), but not with age or gender. Discussion In the largest sample thus far, we report a low prevalence of hallucinations in probable AD patients, comparable to rates in non‐demented elderly. Our results suggest that hallucinations are uncommon in early stage AD. Clinicians that encounter hallucinations in patients with early AD should be sensitive to hallucination‐evoking comorbidity.

Keywords

• Alzheimer's disease
• Hallucinations
• Low prevalence
• Comorbidity
• Dementia severity