Objectives:
The aim of the study was to investigate the rates of neurobehavioral symptoms in the preclinical stages of AD and VD.

Methods:
MMSE, Global Deterioration Scale, the NPI – NH Scale, the ADAS-cog.

Results:
A hundred and fifty people were included in the final analysis – in 111 of them were found not to be afflicted with dementia, 25 were found to have AD and in 14 VD was diagnosed. The control group differed from the AD and VD group with respect to the initial level of cognitive impairment (ADAS-cog) and the intensity of behavioral and psychological symptoms (NPI –NH scale). Particular items of the NPI –NH scale differentiated the two groups to a different degree. In people with AD the greatest differences were observed with respect to agitation/aggression, mood swings , irritability/emotional lability and the rates of anxiety. People with VD, similarly to people with AD, significantly differed from the control group with respect to mood disorders and irritability/emotional lability, as well as disinhibition and anxiety. People with VD were found not have high rates of agitation/aggression. In the AD group, the shorter the period between the evaluation with the NPI-NH scale and the diagnosis of AD was the greater the rates of agitation/aggression, anxiety, and elevated mood/euphoria were.

Conclusions:
In preclinical stages of both AD and VD behavioral and psychological symptoms occur very frequently. The closer the diagnosis of dementia is the greater the possibility of behavioral and psychological symptoms occurring, especially in AD.