BACKGROUND:

Little is known about psychiatric symptoms in Vascular dementia (VaD).

METHOD:

92 patients with VaD, and 92 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are reported. The evaluation included standardised measures of mood and psychosis.

RESULTS:

72% of VaD patients and 38% of those with AD had two or more anxiety symptoms. VaD patients with severe dementia (94%) were the most likely to be anxious. Depression was also significantly more common in VaD patients (19% vs. 8%) whereas psychotic symptoms were prevalent in both dementias.

CONCLUSION:

Psychiatric symptoms are common in VaD, especially in patients with moderate or severe dementia. Rigorous assessment of psychiatric symptoms in VaD should be part of good clinical practice.