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"&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/depression-facts-you-should-know-1067617&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Depression&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; is a mental disorder caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. When we think of depression, we often think of symptoms like having a depressed mood for several weeks or months and losing interest in things that used to be enjoyable. However, depression can also create &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/what-is-cognition-how-is-it-affected-by-dementia-98813&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;2&amp;quot;&amp;gt;cognitive&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; symptoms like difficulty thinking clearly, concentration problems, and trouble making decisions.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;When depression creates &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/what-is-cognition-how-is-it-affected-by-dementia-98813&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;3&amp;quot;&amp;gt;cognitive&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; symptoms that look like &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/what-is-alzheimers-disease-98795&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;4&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Alzheimer&amp;amp;#39;s&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; or another type of &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/what-is-dementia-98745&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;5&amp;quot;&amp;gt;dementia&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, it&amp;amp;#39;s often referred to as pseudodementia. Diagnosing pseudodementia is complicated, but a thorough examination can reveal important clues.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Pseudodementia\u00A0is condition that resembles\u00A0&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/what-is-dementia-98745&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;6&amp;quot;&amp;gt;dementia&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;\u00A0but is actually due to\u00A0&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/depression-or-dementia-98057&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;7&amp;quot;&amp;gt;depression&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. In pseudodementia, a person may appear confused, exhibit depressive symptoms such as sleep disturbance, and complain of\u00A0&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/long-term-memory-and-alzheimers-98562&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;8&amp;quot;&amp;gt;memory&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;\u00A0impairment and other\u00A0&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/what-is-cognition-how-is-it-affected-by-dementia-98813&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;9&amp;quot;&amp;gt;cognitive&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;\u00A0problems. However, upon careful testing, memory and language functioning are intact. People with pseudodementia often respond to antidepressant medications.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;For instance, people with depression might complain about their &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/long-term-memory-and-alzheimers-98562&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;10&amp;quot;&amp;gt;memory&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, but they often do well on &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/mini-mental-state-exam-as-an-alzheimers-screening-test-98623&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;11&amp;quot;&amp;gt;mental status exams&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; and other tests that evaluate &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/what-is-cognition-how-is-it-affected-by-dementia-98813&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;12&amp;quot;&amp;gt;cognitive&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; function. On the other hand, those with &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/what-is-dementia-98745&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;13&amp;quot;&amp;gt;dementia&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; often deny any memory problems but don&amp;amp;#39;t do as well on &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/mini-mental-state-exam-as-an-alzheimers-screening-test-98623&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;14&amp;quot;&amp;gt;mental status exams&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; and similar tests. Also, a depressed person is less likely to show severe mood swings, whereas someone with &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/what-is-dementia-98745&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;15&amp;quot;&amp;gt;dementia&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; shows a wider range of emotions and sometimes makes inappropriate emotional responses (e.g., laughing while others are sad).&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is a screening instrument used to detect &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/depression-facts-you-should-know-1067617&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;16&amp;quot;&amp;gt;depression&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; among older adults. The GDS should be one of several methods used in an evaluation. Older adults might have depression that looks like &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/what-is-alzheimers-disease-98795&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;17&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Alzheimer&amp;amp;#39;s&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, or they might have both depression and Alzheimer&amp;amp;#39;s or another dementia. If depression is detected, it can be treated alongside other disorders, such as Alzheimer&amp;amp;#39;s disease.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Depression can be reversed, but treating it can be as complex as treating &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/what-is-alzheimers-disease-98795&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;18&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Alzheimer&amp;amp;#39;s&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. While symptoms don&amp;amp;#39;t go away immediately, depression often responds well to a combination of antidepressant medication and psychotherapy. People who have depression may experience relapses, so it&amp;amp;#39;s important to find a qualified professional or health care team to treat it, whether or not the depression occurs alongside &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/what-is-alzheimers-disease-98795&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;19&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Alzheimer&amp;amp;#39;s&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;Sources:&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;American Psychiatric Association (1994). &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;Hill, C. L., &amp;amp;amp; Spengler, P. M. (1997). Dementia and depression: A process model for differential diagnosis. &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;Journal of Mental Health Counseling&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;, 19, 23-39.&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;Yesavage, J., Brink, T., Rose, T., Lum, O., Huang, V., Adey, M., &amp;amp;amp; Leirer, V. (1983). Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: A preliminary report. &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;Journal of Psychiatric Research&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;, 17, 37-49.&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<https://www.verywell.com/depression-or-dementia-98057>