title: Depression in persons with dementia.
abstract: The prevalence of depression in persons with dementia is controversial. Among 288 outpatients with dementia, a prevalence of 7.4% was found according to the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), 8.0% using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and 6.3% according to DSM-IV criteria. Rates and levels of depression tended to be higher in vascular than in Alzheimer's dementia according to the rating scales, but not according to the DSM-IV criteria. Greater cognitive impairment was associated with higher HRSD (but not GDS) scores. Cases of clinical depression did not persist over 12 months' follow-up. These results suggest that clinically significant depression in dementia is less common than previously reported and tends to remit.
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Psychogeriatrics, Prince Henry Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brodaty
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luscombe
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales