Psychiatry Research EG

Objective The aim was to study the relation between plasma lipid severity of cognitive impairment in elderly patients with depression and dementia. Background Cognitive functions are related to changes in lipid profile. Materials and methods Two groups of participants were studied: group A (patient group) included 60 patients subdivided into two subgroups: 30 patients who currently have dementia as a whole without taking into consideration the different kinds of dementia, but after exclusion of vascular dementia, and 30 patients with depressive disorders. Group B (control group) included 30 normal participants selected from among volunteers matched to the patient group for age, sex, education, sociodemographic, and economic status. They were subjected to the following: a psychological assessment that included the geriatric depression scale, the Wechsler memory scale − revised short form, and plasma lipid concentration assessment (overnight fasting blood was collected from each participant by standard venipuncture). Results The results of the study clarified that dementia patients showed more statistically significant impairment in cognitive functions than depressed patients in terms of the Wechsler memory scale − revised. The mean values of the blood cholesterol level, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein in the depressed group were significantly higher than those of the dementia and control groups. Conclusion There is a relation between cognitive impairment in depressed and dementia patients and plasma lipid concentration.