RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify the characteristics of depression in early dementia and mild cognitive impairment patients. METHODS: We included 412 community-dwelling elderly. They were assessed with Mini-Mental Status Examination in the Korean version of the CERAD Assessment Packet (MMSE-KC), Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR), Korean version of Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and Korean version of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). All patients were divided three groups, nondemented group (ND), mild cognitive impairment group (MCI), and early dementia group (ED). We compared depressive symptoms between three groups using each items of HDRS. RESULTS: Prevalence of depression (GDS> or =16) was 24.6% in ND, 33.3% in MCI and 41% in ED. Several items of HDRS, depressed mood, feeling of guilt, loss of work & interests, psychomotor retardation, psychomotor agitation, psychic anxiety, somatic anxiety, and gastrointestinal symptoms, were significantly associated with cognitive decline in all subjects. However, no item of HDRS was significantly associated with cognitive decline in depressive patients. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the prevalence of depression may increase as cognitive function declines. There was no difference in depressive symptoms between three groups.