Apathy is not depression.
If depression is associated with apathy, then they should be expressed together in different dementia syndromes and should co-occur at varying levels of disease severity. The authors performed a cross-sectional comparison of neuropsychiatric symptoms in 30 Alzheimer's disease, 28 frontotemporal dementia, 40 Parkinson's disease, 34 Huntington's disease, and 22 progressive supranuclear palsy patients, using a standardized rating scale (the Neuropsychiatric Inventory). Apathy did not correlate with depression in the combined sample; apathy (r = -0.40, P < 0.0001), but not depression, correlated with lower cognitive function as measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination. The relationship of apathy to depression also varied across diagnostic groups. Apathy is a specific neuropsychiatric syndrome that is distinct from depression. Distinguishing these two syndromes has therapeutic implications.
Levy
M L
ML
Department of Psychiatry, University of California-Los Angeles School of Medicine, USA.
Cummings
J L
JL
Fairbanks
L A
LA
Masterman
D
D
Miller
B L
BL
Craig
A H
AH
Paulsen
J S
JS
Litvan
I
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010296:Parietal Lobe; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D013494:Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology