Background. Little data are available about the course or incidence of
depression in dementia sufferers. Method. Monthly follow-up data over
one year is reported regarding depression in a cohort of 124 dementia
sufferers. Dementia was diagnosed according to DSM-III-R criteria. De
pression was assessed with the Cornell Depression Scale and diagnosed
according to RDC criteria. Cognitive functioning was assessed with the
CAMCOG. Results. Eighty-nine of the 124 patients completed the follow
-up. The annual incidence rates of RDC major depression and RDC minor
depression were 10.6% and 29.8%, respectively. Twenty per cent of pati
ents with depression experienced these symptoms for six months or long
er. Patients with vascular dementia were significantly more likely to
experience three or more months of depression than patients with other
dementias. RDC minor depression was highly persistent among 23.8% of
sufferers. Conclusions. Depression is persistent in patients with vasc
ular dementia. Some patients with minor depression have a dysthymia-li
ke disorder.