Detecting depression in Alzheimer's disease: evaluation of four different scales

Author: Müller-Thomsen Tomas   Arlt Sönke   Mann Ulrike   Maß Reinhard   Ganzer Stefanie  

Publisher: Oxford University Press

ISSN: 0887-6177

Source: Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, Vol.20, Iss.2, 2005-03, pp. : 271-276

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Abstract

Abstract</b> Depression is a frequent condition in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The prevalence of depressive symptoms depends on the severity of dementia and the instruments used. Our aim was to assess the prevalence of depression dependent on the severity of dementia by four different scales: The 15-point Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), the Montgomery and Åsperg Depression Scale (MADRS), the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) and the Nurses Observation Scale for Geriatric Patients (NOSGER). The study population consisted of 316 patients with Alzheimer’s disease from a psychiatric out-patients memory-clinic, which was divided into two groups: mild AD (Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) ≥ 18) and moderate to severe AD (MMSE < 18).="" additionally,="" internal="" consistency="" and="" correlation="" of="" these="" scales="" were="" calculated.="" prevalence="" of="" depression="" ranged="" between="" 27.5="" and="" 53.4%="" in="" mild="" ad="" and="" between="" 36.3="" and="" 68.4%="" in="" moderate="" to="" severe="" ad.="" internal="" consistency="" was="" good="" in="" all="" scales="" (cronbach’s="" alpha="" .63–.85).="" for="" madrs="" and="" csdd="" it="" was="" independent="" of="" the="" stage="" of="" ad,="" while="" in="" gds="" and="" nosger="" internal="" consistency="" decreased="" with="" severity="" of="" dementia.="" correlation="" between="" the="" scales="" was="" better="" in="" mild="" ad="" than="" moderate="" to="" severe="" ad;="" the="" best="" results="" were="" obtained="" for="" the="" correlation="" between="" csdd="" and="" madrs="" in="" both="" groups.="" we="" conclude="" that="" in="" our="" study="" population="" csdd="" and="" madrs="" were="" the="" most="" consistent="" tools="" for="" detecting="" depression="" in="" ad="" independently="" of="" the="" severity="" of="" dementia.="">