Table 1.

Diagnostic criteria for apathy

For a diagnosis of apathy the patient should fulfil criteria A, B, C and D
A – Loss of, or diminished, motivation in comparison to the patient's previous level of functioning and which is not consistent with his/her age or culture.
These changes in motivation may be reported by the patient or by the observations of others.
B – Presence of at least one symptom in at least two of the three following domains for a period of at least four weeks and present most of the time
Domain B1‐ Behavior:
Loss of, or diminished, goal‐directed behavior as evidenced by at least one of the following:
Initiation symptom: Loss of self‐initiated behavior (for example, starting conversation, doing basic tasks of day‐to‐day living, seeking social activities,
communicating choices);
‐ Responsiveness symptom: Loss of environment‐stimulated behavior (for example: Responding to conversation, participating in social activities).
Domain B2 – Cognition:
Loss of, or diminished, goal‐directed cognitive activity as evidenced by at least one of the following:
‐ Initiation symptom: Loss of spontaneous ideas and curiosity for routine and new events (e.g., challenging tasks, recent news, social opportunities,
personal/family and social affairs);
‐ Responsiveness symptom: Loss of environment‐stimulated ideas and curiosity for routine and new events (e.g., in the person's residence, neighbor‐
hood or community).
Domain B3 – Emotion:
Loss of, or diminished, emotion as evidenced by at least one of the following:
‐ Initiation symptom: Loss of spontaneous emotion, observed or self‐reported (e.g., subjective feeling of weak or absent emotions, or observation by
others of a blunted affect);
‐ Responsiveness symptom: Loss of emotional responsiveness to positive or negative stimuli or events (e.g., observer reports of unchanging affect or
of little emotional reaction to exciting events, personal loss, serious illness, emotional‐laden news).
C – The symptoms in criteria A and B cause clinically significant impairment in personal, social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
D – The symptoms in criteria A and B are not exclusively explained by or due to any of the following: Physical disabilities (e.g., blindness and loss of
hearing), motor disabilities, diminished level of consciousness or the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., drug abuse, medication)