Depression on cortical and subcortical dementia syndromes

The concept of subcortical dementia predicts higher rates of depressive symptomatology in dementia syndromes with predominant subcortical pathology. This hypothesis was evaluated by comparing the frequency and severity of depressive symptomatology in three diagnostic conditions: Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n=30) I subcortical vascular disease (SVD) (n=30), and Parkinson's disease (PD) (n=30). While AD and PD are prototypical exemplars of cortical and subcortical dementia syndromes respectively, SVD provides a test of the generality of the hypothesis as a subcortical neurodegenerative condition whose pathology is not confined to a single subcortical nucleus. A secondary aim of the study was to compare assessment methods for the ascertainment of depressive symptomatology. Assessment methods included the Hamilton Rating Scale for depression derived from interview with the patient's primary caregiver (HRSCG) and from interview with the patient (HRSEX), and the self-report Geriatric Depression Scale. The severity of current depressive symptomatology across the three neurodegenerative disorders followed a consistent pattern across each method of assessment. Specifically, scores on self-report (GDS) , examiner ratings (HRSEX), and caregiver ratings (HRSCG) of depression were most severe in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), intermediate in subcortical vascular disease (SVD), and least severe in Alzheimer's the ascertainment of depressive symptomatology. Assessment methods included the Hamilton Rating Scale for depression derived from interview with the patient's primary caregiver (HRSCG) and from interview with the patient (HRSEX), and the self-report Geriatric Depression Scale. The severity of current depressive symptomatology across the three neurodegenerative disorders followed a consistent pattern across each method of assessment. Specifically, scores on self-report (GDS), examiner ratings (HRSEX), and caregiver ratings (HRSCG) of depression were most severe in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) , intermediate in subcortical vascular disease (SVD), and least severe in Alzheimer's

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Department dc:contributor.department

Psychology

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1990

Author dc:creator

• Gilley, David William

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Harrison, David W.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Ollendick, Thomas H.
• Franchina, Joseph J.
• Crawford, Helen J.
• Wilson, Robert S.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-10122005-134413

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/39755