Dementia with coexistent major depression.
Eleven percent (N = 25) of 232 dementia patients seen in an active geropsychiatry service also met criteria for major depression. Ten patients with dementia/depression were prospectively compared with 10 non-depressed demented and 33 nondemented depressed patients on pretreatment and posttreatment ratings of depression and cognition/memory. Seventy percent (N = 7) of the dementia/depression group and 73% (N = 24) of the depression-only group responded to antidepressant therapy. Signs and symptoms of depression complicating dementia were similar to depressive phenomena in the depression-only group. Depression with dementia appeared to lower performance on cognitive tests. Following treatment, although cognitive impairment remained in the demented range, test performance improved.
Greenwald
B S
BS
Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, N.Y.
Kramer-Ginsberg
E
E
Marin
D B
DB
Laitman
L B
LB
Hermann
C K
CK
Mohs
R C
RC
Davis
K L
KL
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003071:Cognition; D015897:Comorbidity; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City
D000928:Antidepressive Agents