Family history of dementia and current depression in nondemented community-dwelling older adults.
Since it has been postulated that mood disturbance in nondemented older adults may represent a prodromal feature of dementia for a subgroup of patients, it would be expected that patients with these symptoms would evidence a greater prevalence of family history of dementia. In a sample of 3225 community-dwelling cognitively intact elderly recruited from a free memory-screening program, we found that current depression was more common in participants with a positive versus a negative family history of dementia in first-degree relatives (17% versus 11%; Fisher's Exact Test, P < .0001). This relationship remained significant after controlling for age, education, gender, ethnicity, and Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination score (OR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.2-1.9, Wald X2 = 15.5, P < .001). The results suggest that symptoms of depression may herald the onset of an incipient dementia syndrome in a subset of geriatric patients. Alternatively, the results may be indicative of familial aggregation of dementia and depression.
Harwood
D G
DG
Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Neuropsychiatric Institute and Hospital, University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, USA.
Barker
W W
WW
Ownby
R L
RL
Mullan
M J
MJ
Duara
R
R
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000235:genetics*; D003710:Demography; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000209:etiology*