Above and beyond the level of memory and thinking problems, patients with Alzheimer's and depression show faster declines in independence and functional ability.
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It appears that depressions adds to problems in memory and thinking in patients living with dementia.
As a result, Alzheimer's caregivers should consult with a neurologist, or a geriatric specialist, that is familiar with, and work with, Alzheimer's patients to determine if they are also depressed. I would not rely on a general practitioner to make this determination.
Note: depression in Alzheimer's patients is associated with declining ability to handle daily activities.
Study first author Laura B. Zahodne, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the cognitive neuroscience division in the Department of Neurology and the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain at CUMC explains below.
More video from Columbia University Medical Center
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Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room
