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Vocally disruptive behavior: A case report and literature review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 May 2019

Barry McCarthy Open the ORCID record for Barry McCarthy [Opens in a new window] ,
Anna Boland ,
Sinead Murphy  and
Colm Cooney
Barry McCarthy*
Affiliation:
West Blanchardstown Mental Health Service, Blanchardstown Primary Care Centre, Grove Rd, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland
Anna Boland
Affiliation:
Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Carew House, St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin 4, Ireland
Sinead Murphy
Affiliation:
Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Carew House, St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin 4, Ireland
Colm Cooney
Affiliation:
Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Carew House, St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin 4, Ireland
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr Barry McCarthy, MRCPsych, Senior Registrar, West Blanchardstown Mental Health Service, Blanchardstown Primary Care Centre, Grove Rd, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Vocally disruptive behavior (VDB) is a common and particularly difficult symptom to manage in dementia. VDB is usually considered collectively with agitation and aggression as a component of behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia and is therefore poorly understood as an individual symptom. A review of the literature is described where VDB as a challenging behavior has been individually examined as a symptom. A case of VDB occurring in patient with dementia is described where the patient’s repetitive vocalizations responded to treatment with pregabalin. This has not been previously reported in the literature. The prevalence of VDB, the factors associated with it and the current management guidelines for clinicians are outlined with a review of the drug treatment strategies for VDB. Pregabalin with its unique pharmacological profile and excellent tolerability should be considered as a possible treatment for VDB where drug treatment is indicated.

Keywords

Vocally disruptive behaviorsbehavioral and psychological symptoms of dementiadementiaanticonvulsantsneuropsychiatric symptoms
Type
Case Report
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 39 , Issue 1 , March 2022 , pp. 97 - 102
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2019. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland

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