MAJOR DEPRESSION IN ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE - AN INTERACTION BETWEEN GENDER AND FAMILY HISTORY

Major depression afflicts from 15% to 31% of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The charts of 137 patients with AD were reviewed to ass ess the association between several variables and the risk of developi ng major depression. Thirty-eight patients(28%) had major depression. A family history of moon disorder was associated with a significantly increased risk for major depression, but this was only true in women ( relative of odds = 2.82, 95 confidence interval from 1.19 to 6.69). Th ere was no relationship between major depression and a personal histor y of depression, younger age at onset of AD, history of substance use disorder institutionalization, and marital status. These results sugge st that the relationship between family history and depression in AD i s more complex than previously thought.