title: Cognitive outcomes after sertaline treatment in patients with depression of Alzheimer disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although many depressed patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) are treated with antidepressants, the effect of such treatment on cognitive performance in these patients is not known. The authors report cognitive outcomes in patients with depression of AD (dAD) after a 24-week trial of sertraline or placebo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient memory clinics at five academic medical centers in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 131 patients with dAD (60 men) and Mini-Mental State Examination scores of 10-26.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sertraline (n = 67), target dose of 100 mg daily or matching placebo (n = 64). Caregivers received standardized psychosocial intervention throughout the trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mini-Mental State Examination, cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale, letter fluency, backward digit span, Symbol Digit Modalities Test, and Finger Tapping Test, administered at baseline, and 8, 16, and 24 weeks following baseline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A series of linear models indicated no effect of treatment or of depression remission on cognitive test performance at 24 weeks. Regardless of treatment condition, very little change in cognitive test performance was noted in general.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with sertraline in patients with dAD is not associated with greater improvement in cognition at week 24 than treatment with placebo.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. cmunro@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Cynthia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Munro
authors.forename: Crystal Flynn
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Longmire
authors.forename: Lea T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Drye
authors.forename: Barbara K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Constantine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Frangakis
authors.forename: Curtis L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Meinert
authors.forename: Jacobo E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Mintzer
authors.forename: Anton P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Porsteinsson
authors.forename: Peter V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Rabins
authors.forename: Paul B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: Lon S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Weintraub
authors.forename: Constantine G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Lyketsos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D020280:Sertraline / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D020280:Sertraline