Apathy is among the most common neuropsychiatric features seen at the onset of Alzheimer's disease and is a recognised clinical target in its management. This protocol addresses the specific situation of Alzheimer's disease presenting with apathy.
Apathy occurs in approximately half of patients at the onset of Alzheimer's disease, making it one of the most prevalent comorbid neuropsychiatric symptoms in this population. Its presence alongside features such as irritability and depression shapes the overall management approach.
Management in this setting centres on personalised, activity-based strategies — the full structured protocol specifies how these are selected and applied for this patient population.
DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(25)01329-7
Apathy is present at the onset of Alzheimer's disease in about half of patients, irritability in one-third, and depression, agitation, and sleep disturbances in one-quarter.
Personalised activities and enjoyable exercise have shown benefits for depression and apathy with effect sizes between 0·2 and 0·5.
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