[Association of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and depression].
OBJECTIVE
Mild Cognitive Impairment is a heterogeneous entity. Incidence and prevalence of MCI are highly dependent on the diagnostic criteria applied. Geriatric depression is more frequently associated with cognitive deficits and somatic complaints than depression in younger age. Consequently, depressive symptoms in the elderly are often misinterpreted and not treated adequately. The aim of this review is to point out possible explanations for the high incidence of depression in patients with MCI and to compare prior studies who worked on this interrelation.


METHODS
We review the existing literature on the relationship between MCI and depression.


RESULTS
There is no consensus on the question whether depression is the consequence or the cause for cognitive impairment in older people. The comparability of prior studies which dealt with the relationship between depression and MCI is limited due to the use of different diagnostic criteria and depression scales.


CONCLUSIONS
It can be concluded that there is an association between MCI and depression which leads to a worse clinical outcome of depression and maybe a faster progression of cognitive decline.
Defrancesco
Michaela
M
Univ.-Klinik für Allgemeine Psychiatrie und Sozialpsychiatrie, Department für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Medizinische Universität Innsbruck.
Marksteiner
Josef
J
Deisenhammer
E A
EA
Hinterhuber
Hartmann
H
Weiss
Elisabeth M
EM
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors