Objective:

Identifying the neuropsychological alterations associated with depression on the elderly with mild neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer’s disease, of the High Specialty Medical Unit (UMAE) at the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS).

Theoretical:

The findings have also shown that all neurocognitive changes are more evident when depression emerges in the elderly.

Methodology:

785 elderly people with Alzheimer’s disease participated in the research, divided in two groups: the experimental group, where elderly had a clinical diagnosis of depression and the control group, whose participants do not suffer from depression. Participants were evaluated with the administration of the Beck II Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and the NEUROPSI Neuropsychological Battery.

Results:

Statistically meaningful effects were found between depression and neuropsychological mechanisms; in addition, depression has a significant influence in orientation, attention and concentration, memory, language and executive functions.

Conclusions:

Considering the results, it can be verified that the neuropsychological processes have a negative and reduced functioning impairments, considering that the level of decrease is related to depression level.

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