PerspectiveComment on administration and scoring of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory in clinical trials

BackgroundThe Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) is commonly used in dementia trials to quantify and qualitate changes in psychiatric symptoms.MethodsA questionnaire was administered to clinical trial raters to assess whether they were being trained to administer and score the NPI differently between clinical trial protocols.ResultsResponses to the survey indicated that there are differences between clinical trials protocols in how the instrument is administered and scored.DiscussionClarification of administration and scoring rules are provided, including the behavioral sampling period, whether premorbid characteristics are considered, and what behaviors are considered in rating frequency, severity, and caregiver distress.