The authors longitudinally evaluated the cognitive functions of patients
with probable Alzheimer's disease who also met criteria for major
depression and compared them with matched patients with Alzheimer's disease
who were not depressed. They found no significant difference in the pattern
of neuropsychological deficits between the two groups; composite scores on
attention, language, memory, learning, and visuospatial functions did not
differentiate the two groups at baseline or at 1-year follow-up. The
results of this preliminary report suggest that depression does not modify
the neuropsychological features and the rate of progression of Alzheimer's
disease.
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