Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-hvd4g Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-02-04T01:41:08.475Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A One-Year Follow-Up Study of Depression in Dementia Sufferers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

C. G. Ballard ,
A. Patel ,
M. Solis ,
K. Lowe  and
G. Wilcock
C. G. Ballard*
Affiliation:
Medical Research Council, Newcastle General Hospital
A. Patel
Affiliation:
Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Birmingham B15 2Q2
M. Solis
Affiliation:
Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry CV2 2DX
K. Lowe
Affiliation:
Ulffculmne Clinic, Birmingham
G. Wilcock
Affiliation:
Frenchay Hospital, Bristol BS16 1LE
*
Dr C. G. Ballard, Medical Research Council, Newcastle General Hospital, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 6BE
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

Little data are available about the course or incidence of depression in dementia sufferers.

Method

Monthly follow-up data over one year is reported regarding depression in a cohort of 124 dementia sufferers. Dementia was diagnosed according to DSM–III–R criteria. Depression was assessed with the Cornell Depression Scale and diagnosed according to RDC criteria. Cognitive functioning was assessed with the CAMCOG.

Results

Eighty-nine of the 124 patients completed the follow-up. The annual incidence rates of RDC major depression and RDC minor depression were 10.6% and 29.8%, respectively. Twenty per cent of patients with depression experienced these symptoms for six months or longer. Patients with vascular dementia were significantly more likely to experience three or more months of depression than patients with other dementias. RDC minor depression was highly persistent among 23.8% of sufferers.

Conclusions

Depression is persistent in patients with vascular dementia. Some patients with minor depression have a dysthymia-like disorder.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 168 , Issue 3 , March 1996 , pp. 287 - 291
Copyright
Copyright © 1996 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alexopoulos, G. S., Abrams, R. C., Young, R. C., et al (1988) Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia. Biological Psychiatry, 23, 271–284.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
American Psychiatric Association (1987) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, (DSM–III–R) (3rd edn, revised). Washington, DC: APA.Google Scholar
Ballard, C. G., Saad, K., Patel, A., et al (1995) The prevalence and phenomenology of psychotic symptoms in dementia sufferers. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 10, 477–486.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burns, A. (1991) Affective symptoms in Alzheimer's disease. International Journal of Psychiatry, 6, 371–376.Google Scholar
Burns, A., Lewis, G., Jacoby, R., et al (1991) Factors affecting survival in Alzheimer's disease. Psychological Medicine, 21, 363–370.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Copeland, J. R. M., Kelleher, M. J., Kellet, J. M., et al (1976) A semi-structured clinical interview for the assessment of diagnosis and mental state in the elderly. Psychological Medicine, 6, 439–449.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dewey, M. E., Copeland, J. R. M., Lobo, A., et al (1992) Computerised diagnosis from a standardised history schedule: a preliminary communication about the organic section of the HAS–AGECAT system. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 7, 443–446.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hachinski, V. C., Ilief, L. D., Zilhka, E., et al (1975) Cerebral blood flow in dementia. Archives of Neurology, 32, 632–637.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Knesevich, J. W., Martin, R. L., Berg, L., et al (1983) A preliminary report on affective symptoms in the early stages of senile dementia of the Alzheimer type. American Journal of Psychiatry, 140, 233–235.Google ScholarPubMed
Lopez, O. L., Boller, F., Becker, J. T., et al (1990) Alzheimer's disease and depression: neuropsychological impairment and progression of the illness. American Journal of Psychiatry, 147, 855–860.Google ScholarPubMed
McKeith, I. G., Perry, R. H., Fairbairn, A. F., et al (1992) Operational criteria for senile dementia of Lewy body type. Psychological Medicine, 22, 911–922.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McKhann, G., Drachman, D., Folstein, M., et al (1984) Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease: report of the NINCDS-ADRDA Work Group under the auspices of Department of Health and Human Services Task Forces on Alzheimer's Disease. Neurology, 34, 939–944.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Migliorelli, R., Teson, A., Sabe, L., et al (1995) Prevalence and correlates of dysthymia and major depression among patients with Alzheimer's disease. American Journal of Psychiatry, 152, 37–44.Google ScholarPubMed
O'Connor, D. W., Pollitt, M., Roth, M., et al (1990a) Memory complaints and impairment in normal, depressed and demented elderly persons identified in a community survey. Archives of General Psychiatry, 47, 224–227.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
O'Connor, D. W., Pollit, P. A. & Roth, M. (1990b) Co-existing depression and dementia in a community survey of the elderly. International Psychogeriatrics, 2, 45–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reifler, B. V., Teril, , Raskind, M., et al (1989) Double-blind trial of imipramine in Alzheimer's disease patients with and without depression. American Journal of Psychiatry, 146, 45–49.Google ScholarPubMed
Roth, M., Tym, E., Mountjoy, C., et al (1986) CAMDEX: a standardised instrument for the diagnosis of mental disorder in the elderly with special reference to the early detection of dementia. British Journal of Psychiatry, 149, 698–709.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Snowden, J. & Lane, F. (1994) Outcome of depression in dementia. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 9, 589–591.Google Scholar
Spitzer, R. L., Endicott, J. & Robins, E. (1978) Research diagnostic criteria, rationale and reliability. Archives of General Psychiatry, 35, 73–82.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zweig, R. M., Ross, C. A., Hedreen, J. C., et al (1988) The neuropathology of the aminergic nuclei in Alzheimer's disease. Annals of Neurology, 24, 233–242.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.