Dementia and depression are common disorders among elderly populations. Their frequent co-morbidity and similar presentations create a complex clinical scenario for the health care professional. The objective of this study was to determine common characteristics of older adults with dementia that were associated with depression. Data from a retrospective chart review of 242 patients visiting an outpatient geriatric clinic were analyzed to determine the potential relationship between depression and several social- and health-related variables. Results from regression analysis show that taking greater numbers of medications and living in a less independent environment were both associated with greater depression, while using alcohol was associated with less depression. This information could be easily obtained during an office visit and used to help identify patients who suffer from dementia and are at risk for depression and require further evaluation.
Argyriadou, S., Melissopoulou, H., Krania, E., Karagiannidou, A., Vlachonicolis, I., & Lionis, C. (2001). Dementia and depression: Two frequent disorders of the aged in primary health care in Greece. Family Practice,18(1), 87—91.
2.
Bergdahl, E., Gustavsson, J.M.C., Kallin, K., Wågert, P., Lundman, B., Bucht, G. et al. (2005). Depression among the oldest old: The Umeå 85+ study. International Psychogeriatrics, 17(4), 557—575.
3.
Cooper, J.K., Harris, Y., & McGready, J. (2002). Sadness predicts death in older people. Journal of Aging and Health, 14(4), 509—526.
4.
Folstein, M.F., Folstein, S.E., & McHugh, P.R. (1975). Mini-Mental State: A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12(3), 189—198.
5.
Heikkinen, R.L., & Kauppinen, M. (2004). Depressive symptoms in late life: A 10-year follow-up. Archives ofGerontology and Geriatrics, 38(3), 239—250.
6.
Hoyert, D.L., Heron, M.P., Murphy, S.L., & Kung, H.C. (2006). Deaths: Final data for 2003. National Vital Statistics Reports, 54(13), 1—120.
7.
Jorm, A.F. (2000). Does old age reduce the risk of anxiety and depression? A review of epidemiological studies across the adult life span. Psychological Medicine, 30(1), 11—22.
8.
Jorm, A.F. (2001) History of depression as a risk factor for dementia: An updated review. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry , 35(6), 776—779.
9.
Katz, S., Ford, A.B., Moskowitz, R.W., Jackson, B.A., & Jaffe, M.W. (1963). Studies of illness in the aged: The index of ADL: A standardized measure of biological and psychosocial function. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 185, 914—919.
10.
Koizumi, Y., Awata, S., Kuriyama, S., Ohmori, K., Hozawa, A., Seki, T. et al. (2005). Association between social support and depression status in the elderly: Results of a 1-year community-based prospective cohort study in Japan. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences , 59(5), 563—569.
11.
Lawton, M.P. (1971). The functional assessment of elderly people. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 19(6), 465—481.
12.
Luchsinger, J., Tang, M.X., Siddiqui, M., Shea, S., & Mayeux, R. (2004). Alcohol intake and risk of dementia. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 52(4), 540—546.
13.
Lykestos, C.G., Lopez, O., Jones, B., Fitzpatrick, A.L., Breitner, J., DeKosky, S. (2002). Prevelance of neuropschiatric symptoms in dementia and mild cognitive impairment: Results from the Cardiovascular Health Study . The Journal of the American Medical Association, 288(12), 1475—1483.
14.
Maynard, C.K. (2003). Differentiate depression from dementia. The Nurse Practitioner, 28(3), 18—27.
15.
Nguyen, J.K., Fouts, M.M., Kotabe, S.E., & Lo, E. (2006). Polypharmacy as a risk factor for adverse drug reactions in geriatric nursing home residents. The American Journal of GeriatricPharmacotherapy, 4(1), 36—41.
16.
stbye, T., Kristjansson, B., Hill, G., Newman, S., Brouwer, R.N., & McDowell, I. (2005). Prevelance and predictors of depression in elderly Canadians: The Canadian Study of Health and Aging. Chronic Diseases in Canada,26(4), 93—98.
17.
Palsson, S., & Skoog, I. (1997). The epidemiology of affective disorders in the elderly: A review. International ClinicalPsychopharmacology , 12(S7), S3—S13.
18.
Pinder, R.M., & Sandler, M. (2004). Alcohol, wine and mental health: Focus on dementia and stroke. Journal ofPsychopharmacology, 18(4), 449—456.
19.
Schreiner, A.S., Hayakawa, H., Morimoto, T., & Kakuma, T. (2003). Screening for late life depression: Cut-off scores for the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia among Japanese subjects. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18(6), 498—505.
20.
Sink, K.M., Covinsky, K.E., Barnes, D., Newcomer, R., & Yaffe, K. (2006). Caregiver characteristics are associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 54(5), 796—803.
21.
Son, G.R., Therrien, B., & Whall, A. (2002). Implicit memory and familiarity among elders with dementia. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 34(3), 263—267.
22.
Stordal, E., Mykluten, A., & Dahl, A.A. (2003). The association between age and depression in the general population: A multivariate examination. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 107(2), 132—141.
23.
Teri, L., McKenzie, G., & LaFazia, D. (2005). Psychosocial treatment of depression in older adults with dementia. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice , 12(3), 303—316.
24.
Tjepkema, M. (2004). Alcohol and illicit drug dependence. Health Reports/Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for Health Information,15(S), 9—19.
25.
Truelsen, T., Thudium, D., & Grønbæk, M. (2002). Amount and type of alcohol and risk of dementia . Neurology, 59(9), 1313—1319.
26.
Tsai, Y.F., Yeh, S.H., & Tsai, H.H. (2005). Prevelance and risk factors for depressive symptoms among community-dwelling elders in Taiwan. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20(11), 1097—1102.
27.
van Gool, C.H., Kempen, G.I.J.M., Penninx, B.W.J.H., Deeg, D.J.H., Beekmen, A.T.F., & van Eikj, J.T.M. (2003). Relationship between changes in depressive symptoms and unhealthy lifestyles in late middle aged and older persons: Results from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam. Age and Ageing, 32(1), 81—87.
28.
Wang, L., van Belle, G., Kukull, W.B., & Larson, E.B. (2002). Predictors of functional change: A longitudinal study of nondemented people aged 65 and older. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 50(9), 1525—1534.
29.
Weyerer, S., Häfner, H., Mann, A., Ames, D., & Graham, N. (1995). Prevelance and course of depression among elderly residential home admissions in Mannheim and Camden, London. International Psychogeriatrics, 17(4), 479—493.
30.
Woods, B., Spector, A., Jones, C., Orrell, M., & Davies, S. (2005). Reminiscence therapy for dementia (review). The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2. Retrieved July 2006 from www.mrw.interscience.wiley.com.carlson.utoledo.edu/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD001120/pdf_fs.html
31.
Wragg, R.E., & Jeste, D.V. (1989). Overview of depression and psychosis in Alzheimer's disease. The American Journal of Psychiatry,146(5), 577—587.
32.
Yesavage, J.A., Brink, T.L., Rose, T.L., Lum, O., Huang, V., Adey, M. et al. (1982). Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: A preliminary report. Journal ofPsychiatric Research, 17(1), 37—49.
