For each of 41 index patients with probable Alzheimer's disease and a
first episode of major depression and 71 nondepressed Alzheimer's disease
patients, two first-degree relatives were interviewed by a rater blind to
presence or absence of depression in the proband. The depressed patients
had significantly more first- and second-degree relatives with depression
than did control subjects. The lifetime risk for major depression, adjusted
for differences in age distribution, was significantly greater in
first-degree relatives of index patients, suggesting that depression in
Alzheimer's disease is genetically related to primary affective disorder.
Alzheimer's disease may be useful for studying aspects of depressive
pathophysiology.
Abstract Teaser