Evidence map›Paper›PMID 23079957›Full record

SynthesisDrugs & aging2012

Effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in Alzheimer's disease with comorbid depression: a meta-analysis of depression and cognitive outcomes.

Amir A Sepehry, Philip E Lee, Ging Yuek R Hsiung, B Lynn Beattie, Claudia Jacova

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Drugs & aging, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 44 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
44citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
3.6field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

44 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 93 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Music-based therapeutic interventions for people with dementia.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Antidepressants for treating depression in dementia.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018
    Pooled it
  5. Music-based therapeutic interventions for people with dementia.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018
    Pooled it
  6. Music-based therapeutic interventions for people with dementia.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2017
    Pooled it
  7. Pooled it
  8. Trial
  9. Article
  10. Sex differences in neuromodulatory subcortical systems and their implications for Alzheimer's disease.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2026
    Review
  11. Review
  12. Article
  13. Review
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Review
  17. Article
  18. Cognitive Impairment Evaluation and Management.The Medical clinics of North America · 2020
    Review
  19. Article
  20. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Amir A SepehryUniversity of British Columbia, College for Interdisciplinary Studies, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Philip E Lee
Ging Yuek R Hsiung
B Lynn Beattie
Claudia Jacova
University of British Columbia · CAUniversity of British Columbia Hospital · CA

Funding

Canadian Institutes of Health Research
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundComorbid depression is a leading neuropsychiatric complication in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) syndrome. In 2011, diagnostic criteria for AD were revised to include neuropsychiatric symptoms. It has been proposed that adding an antidepressant to existing treatment for AD could provide relief for not only depressive but also cognitive symptoms.

objectiveThe aim was to quantitatively review published studies to examine the efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)/serotonin-noradrenaline (norepinephrine) reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) therapy for alleviation of comorbid, diagnosed depression as well as cognitive decline in AD.

methodsA search of electronic databases was performed. Studies were retained for analysis if SSRI/SNRI antidepressant therapy was compared with placebo among AD patients with comorbid depression. Effect-size (ES) estimates (Hedges' g) were calculated using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software.

resultsFrom 598 examined studies, 12 SSRI studies met the inclusion criteria, and from these, only six met all criteria, among which five reported sufficient and consistent data to be included in the meta-analysis. Within a random effect model, ES estimates of the first and second nested global analyses were non-significant, non-heterogeneous and small to null at the endpoint for depression, favouring SSRIs, -0.06 and -0.10, respectively (p > 0.05). The ES for global cognition as measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination was negligible (ES = 0.001).

conclusionsCurrent evidence does not support the efficacy of SSRI treatment for symptoms of comorbid depression in AD. However, studies differed in terms of criteria for diagnosis of depression, the compound tested and outcome measures for depression. These factors could account for the lack of a clear benefit for depression.

Indexed as

Alzheimer DiseaseAnimalsClinical Trials as TopicCognitionComorbidityDepressionHumansSelective Serotonin Reuptake InhibitorsSelective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

Identifiers

PMID23079957
OpenAlexW95857312

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.