2023 Alzheimer's Association Research Grant (AARG)
Social and behavioral symptoms and interactions with the law
How does having Alzheimer’s increase one’s risk of criminal activity?
Fiona Kumfor, Ph.D.
The University of Sydney
Sydney, Australia
Background
Studies show that as Alzheimer’s progresses, individuals may experience symptoms such as mood and behavioral changes including anxiety, depression, aggression, and agitation. Additionally, individuals with Alzheimer’s may also experience impaired judgment and decision making. For these reasons, individuals living with Alzheimer’s have an increased risk of participating in criminal activity compared to cognitively unimpaired individuals. However, it is unknown what factors contribute to criminal behavior risk in Alzheimer’s.
Research Plan
For their studies, Dr. Fiona Kumfor and colleagues will identify the drivers of criminal behavior risk in Alzheimer’s and examine how these behaviors are managed in the community setting. They will recruit 150 individuals with Alzheimer’s from the frontotemporal dementia research clinic (FRONTIER) at the University of Sydney for their study. The team will administer a questionnaire to assess criminal behavior risk and will associate each individual’s risk with cognitive function, brain imaging, and demographic information.
Next, the researchers will conduct interviews with law enforcement, social workers, and individuals with Alzheimer’s who have engaged in criminal behavior and their caregivers to examine how the community manages criminal behavior in individuals living with Alzheimer’s. Lastly, Dr. Kumfor and the team will share their findings with community stakeholders to create policies that will better support the needs of people living with Alzheimer’s with criminal behavior risk.
Impact
This study could provide key insight into how Alzheimer’s increases an individual’s risk of participating in criminal activity. If successful, these results could lead to development of key resources and programs to prevent criminal activity for individuals living with Alzheimer’s.