Depressed elderly patients with cognitive impairment show an improvement in cognitive function following treatment with antidepressant drugs, however mental performance may not return to normal levels. Researchers at the university of Pittsburgh Medical Center compared cognitive function in 45 non-demented elderly patients who had major depression with that of 20 elderly controls. All of the depressed patients had successfully responded to a trial of nortriptyline or paroxetine for 3-months. By analyzing pre- and post-treatment scores on the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale, the scientists found that the successful treatment of depression significantly improved the cognitive function of depressed elderly patients with baseline cognitive impairment.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: American Journal of Psychiatry 2000; 157: 1949-1954
