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Prevalence of Depression in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Ismail Z, Elbayoumi H, Fischer CE, Hogan DB, Millikin CP, Schweizer T, Mortby ME, Smith EE et al.. JAMA psychiatry, 2017-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Importance Depression is common in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and may confer a higher likelihood of progression to dementia. Prevalence estimates of depression in those with MCI are required to guide both clinical decisions and public health policy, but published results are variable and lack precision. Objective To provide a precise estimate of the prevalence of depression in individuals with MCI and identify reasons for heterogeneity in the reported results. Data sources A search of literature from database inception to March 2016 was performed using Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO. Hand searching of all included articles was performed, including a Google Scholar search of citations of included articles. Study selection Articles were included if they (1) were published in English, (2) reported patients with MCI as a primary study group, (3) reported depression or depressive symptoms using a validated instrument, and (4) reported the prevalence of depression in patients with MCI. Data extraction and synthesis All abstracts, full-text articles, and other sources were reviewed, with data extracted in duplicate. The overall prevalence of depression in patients with MCI was pooled using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was explored using stratification and random-effects meta-regression. Main outcomes and measures The prevalence of depression in patients with MCI, reported as a percentage with 95% CIs. Estimates were also stratified by population source (community-based or clinic-based sample), method of depression diagnosis (clinician-administered, informant-based, or self-report), and method of MCI diagnosis (cognitive vs global measure and amnestic vs nonamnestic). Results Of 5687 unique abstracts, 255 were selected for full-text review, and 57 studies, representing 20 892 patients, met all inclusion criteria. The overall pooled prevalence of depression in patients with MCI was 32% (95% CI, 27-37), with significant heterogeneity between estimates (I2 = 90.7%). When stratified by source, the prevalence of depression in patients with MCI in community-based samples was 25% (95% CI, 19-30) and was 40% (95% CI, 32-48) in clinic-based samples, which was significantly different (P Conclusions and relevance The prevalence of depression in patients with MCI is high. A contributor to heterogeneity in the reported literature is the source of the sample, with greater depression burden prevalent in clinic-based samples.
Key findings
- Prevalence estimates of depression in those with MCI are required to guide both clinical decisions and public health policy, but published results are variable and lack precision.
- Objective To provide a precise estimate of the prevalence of depression in individuals with MCI and identify reasons for heterogeneity in the reported results.
- The overall prevalence of depression in patients with MCI was pooled using a random-effects model.
- Results Of 5687 unique abstracts, 255 were selected for full-text review, and 57 studies, representing 20 892 patients, met all inclusion criteria.
- The overall pooled prevalence of depression in patients with MCI was 32% (95% CI, 27-37), with significant heterogeneity between estimates (I2 = 90.7%).
Why it matters
Pooling 57 studies of 20,892 people with mild cognitive impairment, this review estimated that about 1 in 3 (32%) have depression. The figure was 25% in community samples and 40% in clinic samples, and estimates varied widely between studies. It measures how common depression is, not what causes it, and it does not test any treatment, cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Participants892
- Effect size90.7%
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 73/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a meta-analysis pooling many studies.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (JAMA psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | JAMA Psychiatry: journal h-index 256 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A meta-analysis pooling many studies (from PubMed type “Meta-Analysis”) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2017 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 892 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 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 525 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 47.7 citations a year over 11 year(s) since 2017 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 20.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 15 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 195 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Kirsten Marie Fiest: h-index 61 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Australian National University: institution h-index 1,088 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 27893026) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 73 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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APA 7th
Ismail, Z., Elbayoumi, H., Fischer, C. E., Hogan, D. B., Millikin, C. P., Schweizer, T., et al. (2017). Prevalence of Depression in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.3162
Vancouver
Ismail Z, Elbayoumi H, Fischer CE, Hogan DB, Millikin CP, Schweizer T, et al. Prevalence of Depression in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA psychiatry. 2017. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.3162. PMID: 27893026.
BibTeX
@article{ismail2017-27893026,
author = {Ismail, Z. and Elbayoumi, H. and Fischer, C. E. and Hogan, D. B. and Millikin, C. P. and Schweizer, T. and Mortby, M. E. and Smith, E. E. and others},
title = {{Prevalence of Depression in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis}},
journal = {JAMA psychiatry},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.3162},
pmid = {27893026},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.3162}
}
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