Cognitive decline and behavioral changes are common features in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and imply worse prognosis as well as increased disease burden for patients and caregivers. Currently, there is a lack of studies regarding behavioral profile in Brazilian ALS cohorts. We assessed the prevalence and profile of behavioral impairment (ALSbi) in a Brazilian non-demented C9orf72-negative ALS cohort according to broad behavioral assessment and the latest consensus. Among 76 initially recruited consecutive ALS patients, 70 were included, including seven ALS type 8 (VAPB-related ALS) individuals. Patients with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) diagnosis were excluded. Sixteen ALS patients (23%) were diagnosed as ALSbi. Among ALS type 8 individuals, 2 (28.6%) were diagnosed as ALSbi. Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI) total scores did positively correlate with age, but not with other demographic or clinical data. Apathy was the most prevalent finding in the ALSbi subgroup, although the prevalence (20%) was smaller than reported in previous literature. Dysphoria and anxiety were also prevalent findings in the whole ALS cohort. Future studies with larger cohorts and validated ALS-specific tools are needed in order to expand our knowledge.
Keywords: ALS; Brazil; behavior; cognition.