Cognitive effects of paroxetine in older depressed patients

This study examined whether paroxetine produces cognitive toxicity in elder ly patients suffering from a major depressive episode. Twenty-nine depresse d patients with a wide range of cognitive functioning were treated with par oxetine. At baseline and during 6 weeks of treatment, patients were asked t o complete various measures of cognitive function and had blood drawn to de termine serum anticholinergicity. Measures of attention and cognitive speed showed significant improvement with treatment, while the memory performanc e remained unchanged. A similar pattern of results was Found in both cognit ively impaired and intact patients. The slight increase in serum anticholin ergicity seen in some elderly patients did not significantly impair cogniti ve function, even in patients with a preexisting cognitive impairment.