Doctors use the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia to help identify depression in dementia sufferers. Anxiety is also common. Other behavior problems include agitation, irritability, wandering, restlessness, sleep disturbances, aggressiveness, screaming and inappropriate sexual behavior. It should also be remembered that some of these behavioral problems, especially agitation, may be caused by delirium. Delirium is an extremely dangerous altered state of consciousness whose symptoms include confusion, distractability, disorientation, disordered thinking and memory, illusions and hallucinations, hyperactivity and overactivity.
Demented patients are particularly vulnerable to developing delirium.
Few studies have focused on anxiety and its treatment in Alzheimer's sufferers. Anxiety may result from a fear of becoming a burden to friends or family members, or from a fear of being left alone. It is often associated with suspiciousness. The best way to treat this problem is by providing the patient with reassurance and a consistent environment. If drug treatment is needed, short-acting benzodiazepines and buspiridone may be useful.