Magnetic resonance imaging correlates of depression in early- and late-onset Alzheimer's disease.
BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms are frequent complications of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We hypothesized that AD patients with depression would be more likely than nondepressed AD patients to show deep white-matter, subcortical gray-matter, and periventricular hyperintensities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: In a retrospective study of 31 AD patients, depression was characterized by clinical diagnosis (DSM-III-R major depression, depressive symptoms, or no depression), a clinician-rated depression scale, and informant ratings of premorbid (before memory disorder) as well as current depression using the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI), and related to qualitative and quantitative ratings of MRI hyperintensities. RESULTS: In contrast to reports in nondemented elderly patients, there was no relationship between clinical diagnosis of major depressive episode and hyperintensities; however, clinician-rated depressive symptoms were higher in subjects with large anterior hyperintensities. In the early-onset AD group only, MRI abnormalities were related to greater premorbid depression, and less increase in depression after the onset of dementia, as rated by informants on the NEO-PI. CONCLUSIONS: Results highlight the need to consider early- and late-onset AD separately when assessing relationships between personality and MRI abnormalities, and to consider premorbid personality style when drawing conclusions about the etiology of depressive features seen in AD.
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- Psychiatry
- Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
- Middle Aged
- Male
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Humans
- Female
- Depressive Disorder
- Brain
- Alzheimer Disease
Citation
Published In
DOI
ISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Issue
Start / End Page
Location
Related Subject Headings
- Psychiatry
- Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
- Middle Aged
- Male
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Humans
- Female
- Depressive Disorder
- Brain
- Alzheimer Disease