Eleven percent (N = 25) of 232 dementia patients seen in an active
geropsychiatry service also met criteria for major depression. Ten patients
with dementia/depression were prospectively compared with 10 non-depressed
demented and 33 nondemented depressed patients on pretreatment and
posttreatment ratings of depression and cognition/memory. Seventy percent
(N = 7) of the dementia/depression group and 73% (N = 24) of the
depression-only group responded to antidepressant therapy. Signs and
symptoms of depression complicating dementia were similar to depressive
phenomena in the depression-only group. Depression with dementia appeared
to lower performance on cognitive tests. Following treatment, although
cognitive impairment remained in the demented range, test performance
improved.Abstract Teaser