Apathy occurs frequently in neuropsychiatric disorders both as a symptom
of other syndromes and as a syndrome per se. Histories are presented of
patients with a syndrome of apathy who showed clinically significant,
sustained benefit from pharmacological treatment. Etiologies included
non-Alzheimer's frontal lobe dementia, cerebral infarction, intracranial
hemorrhage, alcoholism, and traumatic brain injury. Agents included
amantadine, amphetamine, bromocriptine, bupropion, methylphenidate, and
selegiline. These histories support the suggestion that apathy is a
discriminable dimension of behavior having its own pathophysiology and
implications for psychiatric care. They raise the possibility of treatment
for many patients previously thought untreatable. Studying the treatment of
apathy may contribute to the clinical care and scientific understanding of
neuropsychiatric disorders throughout the life span.Abstract Teaser