Demantia and Depression: Clinical and Neuropsychological Properties

Abstract

Its is known that depression is associated with a number of cognitive deficits. These deficits, when severe, can be resemble those seen dementia of Alzheimer's type and vascular dementia. Cognitive dysfunctions seen in depression do not always remit on recovery of depression. And relationship between cognitive impairements of depression and organic state is complex. Epidemiological studies shows that depression is an independent risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia. Depressive patients is impaired for psychomotor speed, set shifting, reaction time, attention and verbal memory. Cognitive symptom may be a presenting symptoms of depression. And cognitive impairement of depression prediets poor outcome in depression. This findings is also similar to schizophrenia. The prevalance rate of depressive disorders in patients with Alzheimer's Disease and vascular dementia varies from 25 to 50%. Some mental and behavioral disturbances seen in dementia are similar to those seen in depression. Depression may be both o prodrome of dementia, and early reaction of cognitive decline and may affeets the threshold of manifesting dementia. At this paper neuropsychological properties of depression, especially elderly depression and relationship with dementia are reviewed.