Evolution of Depressive Symptoms in Alzheimer Disease

Abstract

The current longitudinal study analyzes the natural course of depressive symptoms in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). The goals were to identify the clinical and sociodemographic variables related to depressive symptoms, to assess the effect of depressive symptoms on the course of cognitive and functional impairment and on associated neuropsychiatric disorders, and to identify which factors are associated with remission, persistence, and emergence of depressive symptoms at 12 months. A sample of 150 patients with mild or moderate severity was assessed at baseline and at 12 months using the neuropsychologic battery Cambridge Cognitive Examination. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory and Rapid Disability Rating Scale were administered to the caregiver. Prevalence, persistence, and emergence of depressive symptoms at baseline were 51%, 55%, and 20%, respectively. Remission of depressive symptoms at 12 months leads to a decreased frequency of other noncognitive disorders and to a slight improvement in the assessment of global function. The presence of depressive symptoms does not affect the course of cognitive impairment at 12 months, and a psychiatric history of the patient and the number of depressive symptoms at baseline are risk factors for the emergence and persistence of depressive symptoms at 12 months.