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Published on: April 26, 2024
[Influence of depression on the initial diagnosis and the evolution of cognitive impairment]
C Cenalmor-Aparicio1, N Bravo-Quelle1, J Miranda-Acuna1
1Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Madrid, Espana.
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.
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