[Influence of depression on the initial diagnosis and the evolution of cognitive impairment].

INTRODUCTION

Depression and cognitive impairment maintain a close and complex relationship, which could be modified by pharmacological treatment.

AIM

To analyze the influence of depression and antidepressive medication on the initial diagnosis and the evolution of cognitive impairment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

All the patients derived to a Neurology clinic due to complaints or suspicion of cognitive impairment, during a period of nine years, were studied. The influence of demographic and depression-related variables on initial cognitive diagnosis, cognitive-functional situation and 1-year evolution were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 582 patients were included (mean age: 77.6 ± 7.0; 64.9% women). Frequency of current and past depression were, respectively, 25.4% and 17.2%. In addition, 20.6% of the patients were taking antidepressant medication and 31.2% were on anxiolytic/hypnotic treatment. One-year follow-up visit was available in 320 (59.8%) of patients. In the adjusted analysis, anxiolytic/hypnotic treatment was associated with a worse cognitive-functional situation in the initial visit, while past depression and presence of dystimia were associated with a favorable evolution (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Past or current depression are not associated with bad prognosis in patients derived to neurologist due to possible cognitive impairment.