The authors diagnosed depression in 20 (23%) of 88 cognitively impaired
geriatric outpatients. Three (20%) of these patients had depression only,
and 17 (85%) had depression superimposed on an underlying dementia. The
rate of coexisting depression decreased significantly with greater severity
of the cognitive impairment: 9 (33%) of 27 mildly impaired patients were
depressed, compared with 8 (23%) of 35 moderately impaired and 3 (12%) of
26 severely impaired patients. There was a nonsignificant trend for
cognitively impaired women to be more likely to be depressed than for
similarly impaired men. The authors conclude that although depression must
be differentiated from dementia, it is equally important to consider the
possibility that the diagnoses coexist.Abstract Teaser