Brain & Nervous System Alzheimer's Dementia & Related Cognitive Disorders What Are the Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD)? By Esther Heerema, MSW facebook twitter linkedin Esther Heerema, MSW, shares practical tips gained from working with hundreds of people whose lives are touched by Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia. Learn about our editorial process Esther Heerema, MSW Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD on January 02, 2020 linkedin Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, is an award-winning, board-certified physician-scientist and clinical development specialist. Learn about our Medical Review Board Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD on January 02, 2020 Print BPSD is an abbreviation commonly used in the field of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. BPSD stands for Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia. Another term used is neuropsychiatric symptoms. Frequently identified issues that are part of BPSD are the challenging behaviors of dementia. Westend61 / Getty Images Isn't Dementia a Cognitive Disorder? Yes. It's a condition where the functioning of the brain deteriorates, causing impaired ability to think and interact appropriately with others and the environment. This brain deterioration frequently causes personality, behavioral, psychological, and emotional changes, which can be referred to as BPSD. Symptoms of BPSD BPSD include: AgitationRestlessness, pacing and wanderingAnxietyElationIrritabilityDepressionApathyDisinhibitionDelusionsHallucinationsSleep or appetite changes How Common Are BPSD? It's estimated that around 90 percent of people with dementia experience BPSD. Much attention is given to trying to figure out what interventions are helpful for BPSD since these symptoms can be more frustrating and challenging to deal with than the actual cognitive impairment. The Best Treatment for BPSD It depends. In many cases, non-drug approaches are the safest and most effective way to manage these symptoms. Strategies such as attempting to determine the cause of the behavior and meet or prevent that need can be very effective at times. For example, is the person pacing, wandering and agitated because he is experiencing boredom and loneliness? Then we need to provide him with meaningful activities, not just a bingo game. Is she unsafely trying to get up out of her chair repeatedly? We need to determine if she needs to use the bathroom or stretch her legs by going for a walk with you. In other situations, medications might be more appropriate. For example, if someone is experiencing distressing hallucinations, delusions, or paranoia, an antipsychotic medication might be appropriate to relieve the distress. However, these medications do have the potential for significant side effects so careful monitoring is a must. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! When it comes to Alzheimer's, the MIND diet has shown promise in reducing risk and promoting brain health. Sign up for our Alzheimer’s and Dementia Newsletter and get your free recipe guide today. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. BCMJ, Vol. 55, No. 2, March, 2013, page(s) 90-95. Therapeutic approaches in the management of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in the elderly. http://www.bcmj.org/articles/therapeutic-approaches-management-behavioral-and-psychological-symptoms-dementia-elderly. Frontiers in Neurology. 2012 May 7;3:73. Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22586419.