title: Prospective longitudinal study of depression and anosognosia in Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim was to examine the longitudinal evolution of depression and anosognosia in patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-two of a consecutive series of 116 AD patients that were examined with a structured psychiatric interview had a follow-up evaluation between one and two years after the initial evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the initial evaluation 19% of the 62 patients had major depression, 34% had dysthymia, and 47% were not depressed. After a mean follow-up of 16 months, 58% of patients with major depression at the initial evaluation were still depressed, whereas only 28% of patients with initial dysthymia and 21% of the non-depressed patients were depressed at follow-up. During the follow-up period, all three groups showed similar declines in cognitive status and activities of daily living. At the initial evaluation, 39% of the patients had anosognosia, and there was a significant increment of anosognosia during the follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While dysthymia in AD is a brief emotional disorder, major depression is a longer-lasting mood change. Anosognosia is another prevalent disorder among AD patients, and increases with the progression of the illness.
authors.affiliation: Raúl Carrea Institute of Neurological Research, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Starkstein
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chemerinski
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sabe
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kuzis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petracca
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tesón
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leiguarda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001364:Awareness; D003717:Denial, Psychological; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000209:etiology*; D019263:Dysthymic Disorder / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales