Depression in vascular dementia is quantitatively and qualitatively different from depression in Alzheimer's disease.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the prevalence and characteristics of depression in vascular dementia (VaD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) after adjusting for dementia severity and gender.


METHODS
One hundred and eight pairs of VaD and AD patients matched for dementia severity and gender were assessed.


RESULTS
Major depressive disorder (MDD) was more prevalent in the VaD group than in the AD group (20.4% in VaD, 10.2% in AD, p = 0.04, Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel, CMH, test) regardless of the dementia severity and gender. The odds ratio for developing MDD in the VaD group versus the AD group was estimated to be 2.20 (95% confidence interval = 1.02-4.74). Neurovegetative symptoms such as 'felt tired and weak all the time' (30.6% in VaD, 13.9% in AD, p = 0.003, CMH test) and 'changed weight without trying' (16.7% in VaD, 6.5% in AD, p = 0.02, CMH test) were more prevalent in the VaD group than in the AD group.


CONCLUSIONS
Depression in VaD was quantitatively and qualitatively different from that in AD regardless of the severity of dementia and gender; depression was more prevalent, severer and more retarded and vegetative in VaD than in AD.
Park
J H
JH
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnamsi, Gyeonggido, Korea.
Lee
S B
SB
Lee
T J
TJ
Lee
D Y
DY
Jhoo
J H
JH
Youn
J C
JC
Choo
I H
IH
Choi
E A
EA
Jeong
J W
JW
Choe
J Y
JY
Woo
J I
JI
Kim
K W
KW
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003710:Demography; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires