Depression: a causal factor of dementia

ABSTRACT

The present study was designed to identify the link between depression and dementia. It was hypothesized that [1] The depressive patients are more vulnerable to dementia as compared to other mental diseases. [2] There would be a negative correlation between the long history of depression and scores on MMSE. Fifty-four dementia patients, willing to participate in the study, were selected from Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar. In-depth interview, DSM-IV and Mini Mental State Examination [MMSE] were used as instruments. Frequency distribution and Pearson Product Moment Coefficient of Correlation were applied. The results show that high percentage [66%] of the sample was suffering from depression. Further, inverse relationship between history of depression and the scores obtained on Mini Mental State Examination was found