RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to determine the effect of depressive symptoms of patients in the burden perceived by the carer, evaluate the course of this burden in relation to the disappearance, persistence or appearance of depressive symptoms after twelve months and find which factors are associated with a rise or fall in the carer s load after twelve months. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective observational study for 12 months of a sample of 150 patients with the clinical diagnosis of probable Alzheimer s disease on the criteria of NINDCS ADDRA: The sociodemographic data of their carers were collected and tested on the following scales: CAMDEX, CAMCOG, NPI, RDRS 2 and Burden Interview (BI) initially and twelve months later. RESULTS: The existence of depression initially was associated with an increased burden (score of BI of 22.76 compared with 15.79), increased non cognitive symptoms (NPI score of 16.23 compared with 5.94) and greater functional disability (RDRS 2 score of 27.89 compared with 25.53). The burden increased in the group of patients whose depressive symptoms persisted and in those in whom they appeared after twelve months. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that depressive symptoms increase functional disability and are associated with an increase in non cognitive symptoms. At the same time the functional disability and non cognitive symptoms increase the carer's burden.