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DEPRESSION IN ELDERLY CAREGIVERS OF PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: WHAT DOES IT DEPEND ON?

Investigating depression prevalence in elderly caregivers of Alzheimer's patients, correlating depressive symptoms with clinical characteristics. Findings show no correlation with caregiver's age, gender, or caregiving duration, but a positive link with patient's psychological and behavioral symptoms. ApoE gene influence under investigation. Study suggests potential multicenter expansion.

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DEPRESSION IN ELDERLY CAREGIVERS OF PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: WHAT DOES IT DEPEND ON?

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  1. DEPRESSION IN ELDERLY CAREGIVERS OF PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: WHAT DOES IT DEPEND ON? Department of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders Mental Health Research Center of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Moscow RussianFederation

  2. Conflict of Interest Disclosure Maria Gantman Has no real or apparent conflicts of interest to report.

  3. Prevalence of depression in elderly caregivers of people with dementia • Prevalence of depression (up to 83%) is much higher than in general population of elderly (<7%) (Drinka et al. 1987; Blazer et al. 1987) • In many works it was shown that depressive symptoms in elderly are linked with increased mortality

  4. Objective: The objective of a study was to evaluate theprevalence of depression in elderly caregivers of patients withAlzheimer’s disease and to elicit the correlation of depressive symptoms number with clinical characteristics of a person undercare

  5. Methods: Sample:elderly (≥60 years old) caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease or mixed dementia (N = 65) 32 male, 33 female Age 70,5±6,4 years (range 60-87 years)

  6. Methods: • Inclusion criteria: • Age ≥60 years • Living with a patient with Alzheimer’s disease or mixed dementia • Exclusion criteria: • Caring for more than one patients

  7. Methods: Scales: • Geriatric Depression Scale was used for a quantitative measure of depression severity. • Two characteristics of a patient under care were analyzed: • dementia severity (Mini-Mental State Examination - MMSE) • psychological and behavioral disorders (Neuropsychiatric Inventory - NPI)

  8. Criteria of depression • >5 score of Geriatric Depression Scale • Complaints and clinical symptoms (depressed mood, sleep disorders ect)

  9. Statistics • Spearman’s coefficient of correlation • Fisher’s exact criterion (for depression frequency analysis)

  10. Results: • Prevalence of depression was 35,4% (n=23) • Only 6 people (26,1% of people with depression) could recall other depressive episodes in the past • More than 2/3 of sample had their first depressive episode

  11. Results: • Correlation coefficients: • Geriatric Depression Scale and MMSE 0,12 (p>0.05) • Geriatric Depression Scale and NPI 0,27 (p<0.05) • There was no significant correlation with age of a patient or a caregiver, their gender and with duration of caregiving (years)

  12. Conclusion: In a population of elderly caregivers of people with dementia number of depressive symptoms do not correlate with cognitive impairment and duration of caring, but correlate positively with psychological and behavioral symptoms of a patient

  13. Investigation of ApoE gene influence is in progress • ApoEe4 allele is a risk factor for depression and other consequences of stress • 38 of caregivers in the sample were genotyped (others refused)

  14. Present results of genotyping

  15. The sample is too small Maybe this study could be multicenter?

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