How does depression relate to Alzheimers disease?
In many ways. Depression can be mistaken for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and depression often occurs with AD. As depressive symptoms can mimic dementia symptoms, depression is sometimes confused with dementia. Depression can interfere with memory, thinking and ability to concentrate, causing what is sometimes called pseudodementia. Effective treatment of depression will normalize these impairments. Depression may be the first indication of AD, especially if depression occurs for the first time late in life. Depression may begin after other signs of AD appear if the person is aware of mental losses and their implications for work, relationships, loss of independence and stigma. A new episode of depression in someone who has had previous depressions when younger may signal onset of AD. This is particularly true if the current episode of depression is marked by more problems with memory than earlier episodes. AD clearly changes brain structure and functioning. Depressions that are so common
