Depressive symptoms and white matter changes in patients with dementia.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to investigate if depressive symptoms in demented patients are associated with white matter changes (WMCs) in the brain.


BACKGROUND
WMCs are frequently found in patients with dementia, as well as among elderly nondemented patients with depressive symptoms. However, it is less established whether or not WMCs are related to depressive symptoms in demented patients.


METHODS
67 (26 men, 41 women) patients with primary degenerative dementia (Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia), vascular dementia (VaD), or mixed Alzheimer/VaD dementia were included in the study. The patients were young-old (mean 68.1, SD 7.3). All patients underwent a standardized examination procedure and MRI of the brain. The degree of WMCs was visually rated, blindly. Depressive symptoms were rated according to the Gottfries-Bråne-Steen scale (anxiety, fear-panic, depressed mood).


RESULTS
No significant relationship was found between WMCs and depressive symptoms in the demented patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The possible involvement of WMCs in the pathogenesis of depressive symptoms in dementia is unclear. A link between disruptions of frontal-subcortical pathways, due to WMCs, and depressive symptomatology in dementia has been hypothesised from earlier findings, which would imply common elements of pathogenesis for depressive symptomatology and cognitive impairment in dementia. However, the results of the present study do not add further support to this hypothesis.
Lind
Karin
K
Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Göteborg University, Sweden. karin.lind@neuro.gu.se
Jonsson
Michael
M
Karlsson
Ingvar
I
Sjögren
Magnus
M
Wallin
Anders
A
Edman
Ake
A
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology