Am J Psychiatry 1989; 146:1174-1178
Copyright © 1989 by American Psychiatric Association
Differences between patient and family assessments of depression in Alzheimer's disease
TB Mackenzie, WN Robiner and DS Knopman
Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis 55455.
A structured interview covering the DSM-III criteria for major depression
was adapted for separate use with Alzheimer's disease patients and with
their families. Data from 36 patients yielded a depression rate of 13.9%,
whereas information from their families indicated that the rate was 50.0%.
This disagreement reflected greater family endorsement of patients' loss of
interest or pleasure, irritability, fatigue, and feelings of worthlessness.
Use of DSM-III-R criteria narrowed but did not eliminate the discrepancy
between patients' and families' assessments of the patients' depression.
Uniform procedures for gathering and integrating data from the family that
are relevant to diagnosis in this group are indicated.
