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Major Depression in Down's Syndrome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

A. C. Warren ,
S. Holroyd  and
M. F. Folstein
A. C. Warren*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
S. Holroyd
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
M. F. Folstein
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
*
∗600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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Abstract

Five patients with trisomy 21 (Down's syndrome (DS)), referred to us for evaluation of dementia, were instead found to have major depression. All had shown cognitive and behavioural deterioration and this had led to a mistaken diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in two. We outline and contrast the features of major depression and Alzheimer's disease in DS, and suggest that electroconvulsive therapy is an effective treatment for major depression in DS.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 155 , Issue 2 , August 1989 , pp. 202 - 205
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1989 

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