Late-Life Depression, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Dementia: Possible Continuum?

摘要: Clinical and epidemiologic research has focused on the identification of risk factors that may be modified in predementia syndromes, at a preclinical early clinical stage dementing disorders, with specific attention to role depression. Our goal was provide an overview these studies more specifically describe prevalence incidence depression individuals mild cognitive impairment (MCI), possible impact depressive symptoms incident MCI, or its progression dementia mechanisms behind observed associations. Prevalence syndromes MCI vary as result different diagnostic criteria sampling assessment procedures. The higher hospital-based (median: 44.3%, range: 9%–83%) than population-based 15.7%, 3%–63%), reflecting referral patterns selection criteria. Incidence varied from 11.7 26.6/100 person-years studies. For depressed normal subjects patients findings increased were conflicting. These contrasting suggested length follow-up period, study design, sample population, methodological differences central for detecting association between baseline subsequent development dementia. Assuming earliest identifiable dementia, manifestation rather factor Alzheimer disease, arguing underlying neuropathological condition causes also symptoms. In this scenario, least certain subsets elderly patients, late-life depression, could represent continuum.