Correlates of Depression in Cognitively Impaired Hospitalized Elderly Referred for Neuropsychological Assessment

The prevalence and quality of depression (Geriatric Depression Scale), were studied in groups of cognitively impaired patients referred for neuropsychological assessment from a short-term assessment ward (Group A), and from long-term care wards (Group B). Cognitively intact assessment ward patients served as a comparison group (Group C) to control for effects of hospitalization on mood. The prevalence of depression did not differ for the cognitively impaired short-term assessment and long-term care groups. However, cognitively impaired patients in Group A had a higher prevalence of depression than cognitively intact patients in Group C. GDS scores did not correlate with measures of severity of cognitive impairment or of self-care disability in Groups A and B, although elevated GDS scores were significantly correlated with higher Verbal IQ scores in these groups. Analysis of individual GDS item responses suggested that depression in cognitively impaired elderly tends to be characteristic of adjustment disorder rather than Major Depression.