Apathy and Huntington’s Disease: A Literature Review Based on PRISMA
Jihene Matmati, Christophe Verny, Philippe Allain
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Although apathy is commonly reported among patients with Huntington's disease (HD), this psychiatric symptom has not yet been clearly defined or extensively studied in HD. Most researchers have adopted descriptive approaches, showing that apathy is a multidimensional entity but leaving the processes underlying its different dimensions relatively unexplored. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature on apathy in HD, focusing on current approaches and measurement tools, was conducted. RESULTS: Searches in PubMed and PubMed Central yielded 368 articles, 25 of which were included in the present review. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review suggests that more comprehensive research is needed to help shed light on apathy in HD, especially regarding its multidimensional aspect and underlying mechanisms.