Neural basis of delusional thoughts in patients with dementia

Mamoru Hashimoto

Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University

Delusional thoughts are common symptom in patients with dementia. Delusions reduce the individual well-being of the dementia sufferer and increase the burden of caregiver, therefore, early detection and adequate intervention is clinically important. According to previous reports and our data, many factors seem to be involved in the development of delusions in dementia. They include dementia type, severity of dementia, type of delusions such as misidentification delusion or persecutory delusion, cortical lesions such as frontal lobe or limbic system, psychosocial factors such as loss experience due to cognitive decline, and so on. It is important to take those factors into consideration in the management of delusion in patients with dementia.

Address correspondence to Dr. Mamoru Hashimoto, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University (1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan)