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Depression in patients with mild cognitive impairment increases the risk of developing dementia of Alzheimer type: a prospective cohort study
Modrego PJ, Ferrández J.. Archives of neurology, 2004-08-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Mild cognitive impairment has been regarded as a precursor to dementia of Alzheimer type, but not all patients with mild cognitive impairment develop dementia. Objective To determine whether depression may increase the risk of developing dementia. Setting The outpatient clinics of a community general hospital. Design Prospective cohort study. Methods A cohort of 114 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment was followed up for a mean period of 3 years. At baseline, the patients underwent memory tests, the Spanish version of the Mini-Mental State Examination, a verbal fluency test, the Geriatric Depression Scale, and the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale for staging purposes. Psychiatric examination for depression was based on structured interview and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, Fourth Edition criteria. We also carried out either computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. Main outcome measures We carried out periodic evaluations based on the Mini-Mental State Examination, verbal fluency test, Geriatric Depression Scale, Blessed Dementia Rating Scale, and Clinical Dementia Rating Scale. The end point was the development of probable Alzheimer disease according to the criteria of the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke-Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association. Results Depression was observed in 41 patients (36%) at baseline. After a mean period of 3 years, 59 patients (51.7%) developed dementia of Alzheimer type, and 6 died. Of the depressed patients, 35 (85%) developed dementia in comparison with 24 (32%) of the nondepressed patients (relative risk, 2.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.8-3.6). The survival analysis also showed that depressed patients developed dementia earlier than the nondepressed. Most patients with depression at baseline exhibited a poor response to antidepressants. Conclusions We conclude that patients with mild cognitive impairment and depression are at more than twice the risk of developing dementia of Alzheimer type as those without depression. Patients with a poor response to antidepressants are at an especially increased risk of developing dementia.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Modrego, P. J., & Ferrández, J. (2004). Depression in patients with mild cognitive impairment increases the risk of developing dementia of Alzheimer type: a prospective cohort study. Archives of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.61.8.1290
Vancouver
Modrego PJ, Ferrández J. Depression in patients with mild cognitive impairment increases the risk of developing dementia of Alzheimer type: a prospective cohort study. Archives of neurology. 2004. doi:10.1001/archneur.61.8.1290. PMID: 15313849.
BibTeX
@article{modrego2004-15313849,
author = {Modrego, P. J. and Ferrández, J.},
title = {{Depression in patients with mild cognitive impairment increases the risk of developing dementia of Alzheimer type: a prospective cohort study}},
journal = {Archives of neurology},
year = {2004},
doi = {10.1001/archneur.61.8.1290},
pmid = {15313849},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.61.8.1290}
}
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Key findings
- Results Depression was observed in 41 patients (36%) at baseline.
- The survival analysis also showed that depressed patients developed dementia earlier than the nondepressed.
- Conclusions We conclude that patients with mild cognitive impairment and depression are at more than twice the risk of developing dementia of Alzheimer type as those without depression.
- Patients with a poor response to antidepressants are at an especially increased risk of developing dementia.
Why it matters
This prospective cohort study found that patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and depression were at more than twice the risk of developing dementia of Alzheimer type as those without depression. It also found that patients with a poor response to antidepressants were at an especially increased risk of developing dementia.
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Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Participants114
- Effect size51.7%
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 63/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 60 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 63 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Archives of neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Archives of Neurology: journal h-index 353 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2004 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 114 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 539 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 22.5 citations a year over 24 year(s) since 2004 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 10.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 33 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 46 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author Jaime Ferrández holds only 2 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Andalusian Health Service: institution h-index 117 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 15313849) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 60 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 60 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 63 out of 100. |
| Total | 63 / 100 | — |
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