Depression in the carers of dementia sufferers: a comparison of the carersof patients suffering from dementia with Lewy Bodies and the carers of patients with Alzheimer's disease

Background: Depression has not previously been studied in the carers of pat ients suffering from dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB). Method: Twenty-five D LB carers were matched with 75 AD carers, according to carer characteristic s. A standardised assessment incorporated measures of cognition, depression , psychosis and behavioural disturbance. DLB (consensus criteria), and AD ( NINCDS ADRDA criteria) were diagnosed using operationalised clinical criter ia. Carer depression was diagnosed using the Research Diagnostic Criteria. Results: The overall frequency of depression was similar in DLB and AD care rs (28% vs. 31%), DLB carers were significantly more likely to experience a major depressive disorder (3/25 - 12% vs. 0/75 - 0% chi(2) = 9.3, P = 0.00 2, df 1), although the numbers were small. The severity of behavioural dist urbance was associated with carer depression in the DLB carers and in the t otal sample. Conclusion: The severity of behavioural disturbance was signif icantly associated with depression in DLB carers. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.