It's interesting to see that the symptoms of dementia and depression can overlap but that they may also be related. Whatever the cause, it's important to recognize changes in mood or behavior, so we can get help for ourselves or for older loved ones.
Hm, I see no reference to those of us who have experienced chronic severe depression since childhood. Do we have an increased possibility of dementia? Or, perhaps because our depression has been so long lived, could we have adjusted such that there is no longer any untoward correlation?
So this means that many CAREGIVERS fall into the category, because just dealing with the stress of caring for someone who did NOT have history of depression ( and I do) means that my chances of getting dementia have went up because I tried to do the right thing and look after dementia patients. Like the saying, no good deed goes unpunished.
Ugh, looking at the symptoms of depression I realize I have all of these, for the last two years at least. There are many types of depression. Mine, I think, is situational and from PTS from caregiving 13 yrs. and now not being able to do much of anything like visit family in Europe. My dad had depression for several years in his 70s until he died of a massive heart attack at 79. I will never know if this was pre-dementia. My MIL didn't seem to have depression before dementia, and that would make the argument that depression can come after.
My late husband's depression was triggered/worsened by insomnia meds, as others have mentioned. In his case, the depression was symptomatic of a brain tumor, diagnosed after a fall sent him to the ER one night. So it's important to have qualified medical people analyze the patient and consider all of the possibilities, and not just jump to the easy conclusion ("they're old so it's obviously dementia").
Mom has what I consider to be early onset dementia...she started acting "off" in her mid 60's and by late 60's we knew something was wrong. She has always been depressed (for lack of a better word). Once we had her tested and actually diagnosed with dementia in her late 60's, the doctor not only put her on the normal go to treatment of Aricept, but she is also on an antidepressant and anti anxiety med. I feel that all three of those things together have helped keep her moods more even keel and appears more happy than sad. I don't know if any of you have any experience with this or not, but we believe moms dementia to be caused by years and years of taking Benadryl for allergies. We do not have any dementia in our family...my mom is the first. The realization that medications exist that can cause dementia is a relatively new concept. I don't think they know much about it other than it is irreversible. There are some anti anxiety meds that are on the "bad" list so if you decide to start taking one or your family member is prescribed one, make sure it's not on the list of dementia causing drugs.
frenchmadeline, Having lived with a chronically depressed husband for 33 years, I think the depression "clouds" the thought process, thereby LOOKING LIKE they have memory problems. They can't pay attention to what is being said or they are so down that it overshadows their memory. I can see where these two diseases look alike but, having a mother with Alzheimer's, there is a difference in the forgetfulness. An Alzheimer's sufferer will ask you 50 times in 15 minutes what is the answer to their question, never remembering what you said. The depressed person won't do that. They may not have the mental strength to even care what the answer is! The depressed person has a "black cloud", so to speak, covering their memories. The Alzheimer's person has lost nerve connections in the brain. A depressed person is not confused like how a person with Alzheimer's is. They may not remember dates or other events but that doesn't mean they are demented. The diseases may have a few similarities but I don't believe they are related. Even though my mother lived alone for 30 years after her last husband died, she did not appear to be chronically depressed. For most of the time she went to group events and interacted with people. At 93, she has had Alzheimer's for the last 5 years. Obviously, more study is needed.
anonymous122420, i agree with you to a great extent . ive seen dementia improve as factors that caused depression were eliminated , such as getting the patient into the daylight and a little more physical and mental activity , but , dementia still ends in death from multiple organ failure as the brain deteriorates . i dont think docs take a flying guess at dementia , i think ct scans show the brain shrinkage and damage . id venture to say that someone with a history of bipolar or depression may be more succeptable to dementia in later years tho .
I don't think I have ever read that people who are depressed or are being treated for depression have memory problems as a symptom of the depression. I just don't believe that aspect of this article and I invite anyone who can offer insight into to please comment.
Ooops I answered twice here, I did not realize this was the older article I had commented on 6 months ago, but I am so passionate about the belief that depression can be misdiagnosed as depression and it breaks my heart toi think elderly people with depression are being treated for dementia or are believed to have dementia but receive no treatment for it, when depression can be treated and in many cases eradicated through the right nutrition, psychiatric care as well as meds, I think those should be a last resort when all other nutrition treatments and therapies have failed.
Couldn't severe depression be misdiagnosed as dementia? They both have the same symptoms and I think too often if a person is older and has confusion, memory loss, apathy the easiest diagnosis is of course dementia. What a tragedy if one is deemed demented when actually it is severe depression. I know of someone who lost her husband when she was 60, this put her into a deep depression and caused delusions ( she was unable to handle the loss) on op of it she as obese and 2 years after her husband's death was diagnosed with diabetes , I noticed a big change in her after going on the diabetics drugs ( everyone pooh poohs that, but that is when all the confusion came into play). Unfortunately I have no say in her medical treatment nor care, but I have asked her miserable sons to just get her evaluated for deep depression and to get her meds checked ( perhaps putting her into a hospital under direct medical care and supervision to see if taking her off the meds or lowering the dosages will improve her cognitive functions. She obviously is depressed she has cried since losing her husband and she is in a nursing home where bouts of crying is not uncommon and they give her anti-depressants which obviously do not always work, as well as they have her on many meds and she does zero physical activity. I know exercise is great for depression and even dementia. I feel many drs are failing our elderly by quickly giving them the diagnosis of dementia, when it could be a myriad of things causing the dementia-like symptoms and I feel depression absolutely can be misdiagnosed as dementia in the elderly.
At age 26 I received my first anxiety/depression diagnosis. I am currently 69. I have continued throughout my life, with a few years deducted, with psychiatric care and prescription management + great therapy from an LCSW. I have both good and bad days. I generally love my life, and remember it! I volunteer in my community. I remember most things.
Interesting article. Do you think most depressed elders receive proper treatment? I don't think so. Early on when my MIL was treated for depression, the symptoms lessened. No so anymore because the dementia has progressed.
Well there is also a belief that depression can be misdiagnosed as dementia, especially in the elderly since both disorders/diseases have the same symptoms.
Not all dementias are true dementias. there can also be a very bad reaction to medications, even a toxic build up that creates dementia-like symptoms. There can be an infection in the body or brain, that uhh does not present itself with the classic sign of an infection, ie fever, it can be an infection that lingers in the organs without causing fevers, an infection that really creates inflammation of certain tissues. including the brain
Also with depression, if one has ever met a deeply depressed person and I am writing about someone who is young, they can be disoriented, confused, lethargic, weepy, etc so do they have dementia?? Uhhh no!! ! But see when it is an older person exhibiting those symptoms it's so easy to blame it on dementia rather than look into whether it is very bad depression. I know when I am in grief I am confused, I do not want to do anything but lie in bed. Often in the elderly depression/dementia occurs after the loss of a loved one. So the "experts" will say, "Oh the grief brought on the dementia." Rather than saying, "This grief is causing the dementia like symptoms." Why medical professionals would rather just deem someone demented rather than do some deeper analysis and make sure it is not unresolved deep grief and/or check for meds and interactions with other meds as a cause of the dementia like symptoms is beyond me. And a person could be on the same meds for yrs and suddenly develop a toxic reaction to it, plus who knows if the meds have not been manufactured properly, people do make mistakes, perhaps these meds a person has been on for years and years has been altered ever so slightly to perhaps cut costs to the pharma Co.s. And meds can absolutely cause dementia like symptoms, I know I have read of numerous people who were on statins and the side effect was dementia behaviors.
To just say, "Yes, it's dementia and we think ohh the depression created it" .Or to say, "Oh the person is depressed because they have dementia." is asinine and, in my opinion, a very lazy way to treat patients. Why not check everything to see what really is going on?
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The Link Between Dementia and Depression
( and I do) means that my chances of getting dementia have went up because I tried to do the right thing and look after dementia patients. Like the saying, no good deed goes unpunished.
Having lived with a chronically depressed husband for 33 years, I think the depression "clouds" the thought process, thereby LOOKING LIKE they have memory problems. They can't pay attention to what is being said or they are so down that it overshadows their memory. I can see where these two diseases look alike but, having a mother with Alzheimer's, there is a difference in the forgetfulness. An Alzheimer's sufferer will ask you 50 times in 15 minutes what is the answer to their question, never remembering what you said. The depressed person won't do that. They may not have the mental strength to even care what the answer is! The depressed person has a "black cloud", so to speak, covering their memories. The Alzheimer's person has lost nerve connections in the brain. A depressed person is not confused like how a person with Alzheimer's is. They may not remember dates or other events but that doesn't mean they are demented. The diseases may have a few similarities but I don't believe they are related. Even though my mother lived alone for 30 years after her last husband died, she did not appear to be chronically depressed. For most of the time she went to group events and interacted with people. At 93, she has had Alzheimer's for the last 5 years. Obviously, more study is needed.
i agree with you to a great extent . ive seen dementia improve as factors that caused depression were eliminated , such as getting the patient into the daylight and a little more physical and mental activity , but , dementia still ends in death from multiple organ failure as the brain deteriorates . i dont think docs take a flying guess at dementia , i think ct scans show the brain shrinkage and damage . id venture to say that someone with a history of bipolar or depression may be more succeptable to dementia in later years tho .
I have continued throughout my life, with a few years deducted, with psychiatric care and prescription management + great therapy from an LCSW. I have both good and bad days. I generally love my life, and remember it!
I volunteer in my community. I remember most things.
Not all dementias are true dementias. there can also be a very bad reaction to medications, even a toxic build up that creates dementia-like symptoms. There can be an infection in the body or brain, that uhh does not present itself with the classic sign of an infection, ie fever, it can be an infection that lingers in the organs without causing fevers, an infection that really creates inflammation of certain tissues. including the brain
Also with depression, if one has ever met a deeply depressed person and I am writing about someone who is young, they can be disoriented, confused, lethargic, weepy, etc so do they have dementia?? Uhhh no!! ! But see when it is an older person exhibiting those symptoms it's so easy to blame it on dementia rather than look into whether it is very bad depression. I know when I am in grief I am confused, I do not want to do anything but lie in bed. Often in the elderly depression/dementia occurs after the loss of a loved one. So the "experts" will say, "Oh the grief brought on the dementia." Rather than saying, "This grief is causing the dementia like symptoms." Why medical professionals would rather just deem someone demented rather than do some deeper analysis and make sure it is not unresolved deep grief and/or check for meds and interactions with other meds as a cause of the dementia like symptoms is beyond me. And a person could be on the same meds for yrs and suddenly develop a toxic reaction to it, plus who knows if the meds have not been manufactured properly, people do make mistakes, perhaps these meds a person has been on for years and years has been altered ever so slightly to perhaps cut costs to the pharma Co.s. And meds can absolutely cause dementia like symptoms, I know I have read of numerous people who were on statins and the side effect was dementia behaviors.
To just say, "Yes, it's dementia and we think ohh the depression created it" .Or to say, "Oh the person is depressed because they have dementia." is asinine and, in my opinion, a very lazy way to treat patients. Why not check everything to see what really is going on?
Caregiver
CherylAnn
CAN/PC A/HHA