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The Relationship Between Anxiety and Alzheimer's Disease
Mendez MF.. Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports, 2021-03-08
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Although Alzheimer's disease (AD) is primarily a neurocognitive disorder, it also results in prominent neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS). Much literature has investigated the NPS of apathy and depression in association with AD, but relatively less is known regarding anxiety, the third most common NPS in this disorder. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms in AD is about 40%, and it can be a prelude of AD. Anxiety can be especially present among patients with mild cognitive impairment, mild dementia, or early-onset forms of the disease, and can promote progression or conversion to Alzheimer's clinical syndrome. A number of studies have established that anxiety is associated with positive amyloid scans, mesial temporal changes with atrophy and hypometabolism in the entorhinal region, and neurofibrillary tangles present on pathological examination of this region. In addition to psychosocial factors, proposed neurobiological mechanisms for increased anxiety in AD include decreased sensorimotor gating, relatively increased activation of amygdalae or the Salience Network, and the presence of comorbid pathology, particularly Lewy bodies. Having management strategies for anxiety in patients with AD is important as anxiety can worsen cognitive deficits. Interventions involve psychological support, behavioral management, and the judicious use of the psychiatric armamentarium of medications.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Mendez, M. F. (2021). The Relationship Between Anxiety and Alzheimer's Disease. Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports. https://doi.org/10.3233/adr-210294
Vancouver
Mendez MF. The Relationship Between Anxiety and Alzheimer's Disease. Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports. 2021. doi:10.3233/adr-210294. PMID: 33981954.
BibTeX
@article{mendez2021-33981954,
author = {Mendez, M. F.},
title = {{The Relationship Between Anxiety and Alzheimer's Disease}},
journal = {Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports},
year = {2021},
doi = {10.3233/adr-210294},
pmid = {33981954},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3233/adr-210294}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Although Alzheimer's disease (AD) is primarily a neurocognitive disorder, it also results in prominent neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS).
- A number of studies have established that anxiety is associated with positive amyloid scans, mesial temporal changes with atrophy and hypometabolism in the entorhinal region, and neurofibrillary tangles present on pathological examination of this region.
Why it matters
This review discusses anxiety as a common neuropsychiatric symptom in Alzheimer's disease that can be present in mild cognitive impairment and early disease and may promote progression. It describes management strategies including psychological support, behavioral management, and judicious use of medications, and notes that anxiety can worsen cognitive deficits.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 49/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Journal of Alzheimer s Disease Reports: journal h-index 40 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 3 / 5 | 2021 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 141 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 20.1 citations a year over 7 year(s) since 2021 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 13.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 92 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Mario F. Mendez: h-index 81 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of California, Los Angeles: institution h-index 1,923 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 33981954) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 49 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3233/adr-210294
- PubMed: 33981954
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Alzheimer s Disease Reports →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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