Distinguishing signs of early dementia from depression is tricky
Mar 24, 2008, 3:07 GMT
Berlin - It's often difficult to differentiate between early stages of dementia and depression, but a precise psychiatric examination can help, said the German society for psychiatry, psychotherapy and neurology in Berlin.
'An Alzheimer dementia usually begins with creeping disturbances in memory, difficulty finding words, changes in behaviour and a decrease in activity,' said Professor Wolfgang Maier, a member of the society's board of directors.
Depression is similar. The difference is patients with depression can often give detailed descriptions of their memory problems, while people with dementia tend to play them down.
This is not really news, as far as it goes. Unfortunately, they do not link to any source material. Presumably, they were reporting on the proceeds at a conference. Perhaps the study itself has not been published yet.
Still, the basic message for the general public is that it can indeed be difficult to establish the distinction. There is a term, pseudodementia of depression, that is used to denote the situation in which someone appears to have dementia, but actually has depression.
Of course, the two conditions can coexist. In that case, it generally is desirable to treat both.
Brain & Behavior
Medicine & Health
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