Sertraline treatment of elderly patients with depression and cognitive impairment.

Background: There is little information on the efficacy and side effects of antidepressant treatment in elderly patients with combined depression and cognitive impairment without dementia (DEP-MCI), and it is unclear if cognitive performance improves with antidepressant response in these patients.

Methods: In 39 elderly DEP-MCI patients, changes in depression and cognitive impairment were evaluated with open sertraline treatment up to 200 mg/day for 12 weeks.

Results: Of the 26 completers, 17 were responders and nine were non-responders.