IMPACT OF AGING ON THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN IMPAIRMENT OF ORIENTATION AND RECALL ITEMS OF MMSE AND MILD-TO-MODERATE MOOD DISORDERS

The association of depression and dementia is far more common than the masking of depression by dementia, i.e., pseudodementia. The impact o f aging was investigated on the relationships between mood disorders, evaluated by means of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and earl y cognitive impairments, measured by using the Mini Mental State Exami nation (MMSE) in 100 aged subjects (age range 60-84 years). In our pop ulation of mildly to moderately depressed elderly people, the aging wa s associated with a loss of MMSE item ''Orientation'' and a loss of MM SE item ''Recall''; this could be explained by an association of cogni tive impairment and mild to moderate depressive disorders which are wo rsening with aging.