[Depressive pseudodementia]

Elderly depressive patients complaining about cognitive symptoms are at particular risk of being labelled as demented. It is well documented that depressive disorders frequently cause mild cognitive deficits which manifest in psychometric procedures. A wide spectrum of potentially reversible cognitive deficits related to a depressive syndrome are summarized under the term of "Depressive Pseudodementia (DPD)". Most depressive patients who are referred to "DPD" suffer from cognitive dysfunctions outside the range of dementia. The clinical interface between depression and dementia is complex. There is some evidence that depression may be a risk factor for the expression of Alzheimer's disease in later life and that depression may occur as a prodrome for Alzheimer dementia. Moreover, depression often complicates the course of dementing disorders. However, there is no evidence that depressive disorders cause dementia without coexisting depressive symptoms. It is essential to search for depressive symptoms even after cognitive symptoms have been found.