The diagnostics of the psychical state of an elderly person is very difficult. At the early stage of a disease people frequently think of the symptoms of the dementia and those of the depression like characteristics of the physiological senium. as a result, at the next stage the dementia and depression differential diagnostics and the treatment are more difficult.

231 patients at age 70 and more are examined.

Frequency and comorbidity of dementia and depression in elderly

The examination of cognitive function included MMSE scale and Drawing Clock Test. the application Zung and Beck scales of depression for finding depressive symptoms in an elderly patient with cognitive dysfunction is not adequate.

Mild cognitive dysfunction was found in 118 cases, dementia - in 113 cases. 11 patients with disagreement of results MMSE scale and drawing clock test were included into the group with mild cognitive dysfunction. Depressive disorders was found in 88 cases. Depressive symptoms were detected in 88 cases. the prevailing depressive disorders among patients with mild cognitive dysfunction were of light and middle. Along with the properties of depression typical of the dementia patients, psychogenic depression was also observed.

Types of interrelations between depressive and cognitive disorders are: 1) depressive disorders are similar to cognitive dysfunction; 2) cognitive disfunction is masked by depressive symptoms; 3) depressive disorders are not diagnosed with dementia patient timely.