People with Dementia & Caregivers Share the Significant Burden of Visual Hallucinations & Paranoid Delusions, New Survey High...
29 July 2020 - 11:00PM
Business Wire
- Key findings presented at AAIC 2020 include:
a need to improve patients’ symptoms and ability to know what is
real versus what is not real
- When asked to rank the impact on their own
life, patients reported that visual hallucinations were the most
impactful symptom
- Care partners reported paranoid
delusions/false beliefs as most impactful
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, the Lewy Body Dementia Association and
ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: ACAD) today announced the
results of a qualitative and quantitative survey that explored the
impact of dementia-related psychosis on more than 200 patients to
better understand the patient-centered experience of symptoms and
unmet treatment needs. Both patients and caregivers responded to
the survey. These data were presented today in two posters during
the Alzheimer's Association International Conference® (AAIC)
virtual event, convening July 27-31, 2020.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005275/en/
Key findings of the quantitative portion of the survey noted the
most common symptoms of dementia-related psychosis reported by
patients were visual hallucinations, auditory hallucinations, and
distortion of senses. Care partners reported paranoid
delusions/false beliefs as most impactful and that the symptoms of
dementia-related psychosis make it difficult for their loved ones
to know what is real and what is not real, increase anxiety, and
impact their personal relationships. During the qualitative survey,
the majority of participants reported that symptoms such as visual
hallucinations, auditory hallucinations, and persecutory delusions
have an impact on activities of daily living, sleep, family life,
and safety concerns.
“The symptoms of dementia-related psychosis can cause fear and
anxiety, disrupting the lives of people living with dementia and
their families,” said Virginia Biggar, Senior Director of
Communities, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s. “The survey results show that
many patients with dementia-related psychosis are unaware of what’s
happening or how to communicate what they are experiencing. The
findings highlight the need for caregivers and healthcare providers
to be able to better recognize, report, and manage these symptoms,”
added Terry Frangiosa, Lead Investigator, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s
A-LIST Insight Series.
“There is an immense need to find better treatment and
management strategies for hallucinations and delusions as a way to
improve the lives of those living with dementia,” said Angela
Taylor, Senior Director of Research and Advocacy, Lewy Body
Dementia Association. “We look forward to continuing efforts with
ACADIA and our partner organizations on this project to increase
awareness of neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia in order to
drive more comprehensive care and alleviate the distress these
symptoms bring to those with dementia, their families and
caregivers.”
“The data shows people with dementia-related psychosis
experience hallucinations and delusions that have a substantial
burden on their lives,” said Teresa Brandt, Executive Director of
Regulatory Affairs, ACADIA Pharmaceuticals. “We are pleased to be a
part of this patient-focused study as it is critical for the
treatment triad of patients, caregivers and healthcare providers to
better identify and understand these symptoms, and to incorporate
the patient’s voice in drug development and evaluation.”
Survey Results
The survey followed the approach as outlined in the FDA’s 21st
Century Cures Act – Patient Focused Drug Development. This
observational, non-interventional, prospective study analyzed
interviews with persons or their care partners who have a clinical
diagnosis of all-cause dementia with psychotic symptoms. The online
survey was completed by 26 people living with self-reported
dementia-related psychosis and 186 care partners who responded on
behalf of patients, identified through UsAgainstAlzheimer’s and the
Lewy Body Dementia Association.
Survey results included the following key findings:
- Most common symptoms of dementia-related psychosis reported by
patients (n=26) were visual hallucinations (89 percent), auditory
hallucinations (54 percent), and distortion of senses (54
percent).
- Of patients who reported recent visual hallucinations, 61
percent indicated they occurred at least weekly.
- Care partners surveyed about their loved ones with
dementia-related psychosis (n=186) identified paranoid delusions
(76 percent), visual hallucinations (75 percent), and lack of trust
for loved ones (52 percent) as the most common symptoms.
- The majority of care partners (77 percent) reported paranoid
delusions as occurring at least weekly.
Full survey results are available here.
About UsAgainstAlzheimer’s
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s (UsA2) is a disruptive advocacy and
research-focused organization that is pushing for expanding
treatments and accelerating towards a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.
UsA2’s transformative programming is laser-focused on proactive
brain health across the lifespan and understanding what matters
most across the lived experiences of those affected by Alzheimer’s
in the service of preventing, treating and curing this disease. We
are working to ensure that all communities have their voices heard
and get a chance to be brain healthy from the earliest years while
building resistance against possible cognitive decline.
About the Lewy Body Dementia Association
The Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA) is the nation’s
leading authority on Lewy body dementias (LBD) and is dedicated to
continuous outreach, education, research, and support for those
affected with LBD and their families. LBD is a progressive brain
disease that affects thinking, movement, behavior, and impacts 1.4
million people in the United States.
About ACADIA Pharmaceuticals
ACADIA is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development
and commercialization of innovative medicines to address unmet
medical needs in central nervous system disorders. ACADIA has
developed and commercialized the first and only medicine approved
for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions associated with
Parkinson’s disease psychosis. ACADIA also has ongoing clinical
development efforts in additional areas with significant unmet
need, including dementia-related psychosis, schizophrenia-negative
symptoms, Rett syndrome, and an early-stage muscarinic receptor
program. This press release and further information about ACADIA
can be found at: www.acadia-pharm.com.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005275/en/
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Roger Lowe (202) 494-3051
rlowe@usagainstalzheimers.org
Lewy Body Dementia Association Angela Taylor (814) 826-4150
ataylor@lbda.org
ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. Eric Endicott (858) 914-7161
media@acadia-pharm.com
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