Can depression in the elderly mimic dementia

Both can display the same symptoms, from lethargy to confusion, yet they have notable differences that define them.Can depression in the elderly mimic dementia?:Common psychological symptoms of dementia include:This syndrome responds well to treatments.Changes in mood or behavior.

Later stages of some types of dementia have similar symptoms.However, depressive symptoms may also be the first clinical manifestation of incipient dementia.Some people with dementia who are depressed display agitation and restlessness, and are more easily irritated with other people or their surroundings.For a senior person, many of the symptoms of mental disorders, including depression, can look like dementia symptoms instead, such as difficulties with memory and changes in behavior.Its causes are many and include infection, metabolic disturbances, toxic medication reactions, withdrawal from alcohol, and the effects of head injury, just to name a few.

Drugs that can cause symptoms similar to dementia include sedatives, narcotics, cardiovascular drugs.As a caregiver or friend of an older adult with depression, you can be.Dementia can cause some of the same symptoms as depression, and depression can be an early warning sign of possible dementia.Depression in the elderly can also lead to a phenomenon called pseudodementia—an apparent intellectual decline that stems from a lack of energy or effort.Medical conditions like alzheimer's, cancer, diabetes, and dementia can cause depression in the elderly.

Indeed, clinicians have long acknowledged that depression in the elderly can mimic dementia in a situation known as depressive pseudodementia ( alexoupoulos et al., 1993 ).It is more common in older persons, and it frequently occurs in conjunction with other medical issues and disabilities, lasting longer.