Confirmation of an association between family history of affective disorder and the depressive syndrome in Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVE

The authors' goal was to replicate an earlier finding of a familial liability for depression in Alzheimer's disease.

METHOD

The family histories of depression and dementia were compared in 28 patients experiencing a first episode of major depression after onset of Alzheimer's disease and 74 nondepressed patients with Alzheimer's disease.

RESULTS

Significantly more families of depressed dementia patients included depressed first-degree relatives. There was no difference between Alzheimer's disease patients with and without depression in the proportion of families with a history of dementia.

CONCLUSIONS

Major depression in Alzheimer's disease is associated with a familial liability for depression that is independent of any familial liability for dementia.