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VOLUME 2, ISSUE 9    THE INTERPSYCH NEWSLETTER     NOVEMBER,1995
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                      SECTION A: RESEARCH

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| This section is intended for original articles and calls  |
| for collaborators and information. For guidelines         |
| regarding submissions, please send a message to Sean P.   |
| Sullivan (ssulliva@opal.tufts.edu). To submit to this     |
| section, please send an ASCII version of the manuscript   |
| to the IPN Mailbox (newsletter@fra.psych.nemc.org)        |
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                          * INDEX *
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1.   DEPRESSION IN ALZHEIMER'S PATIENTS: Volunteers Needed for
     Study

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1.   DEPRESSION IN ALZHEIMER'S PATIENTS: Volunteers Needed for
     Study
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A new research grant has been awarded to the University of South
Florida (USF) Suncoast Gerontology Center by the AARP Andrus
Foundation to "find and treat" depression in Alzheimer's
patients.  The aim of this project is to find Alzheimer's
patients who are depressed, and to offer them effective
antidepressant therapy to improve their qualtiy of life and that
of their family caregivers. 

Persons who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease will be 
_screened_ for depression at three sites in the Tampa Bay area. 
One of these sites will be at USF in Tampa, another at the Claude
Pepper Senior Center in New Port Richey, and a third at The
Hospice of the Florida Suncoast in Largo.  Those whose screening
test indicates that they are probably depressed will be given a
full clinical evaluation, and if depression is confirmed they
will be offered a four month treatment program.

Eligible persons for this study are Alzheimer's patients who have
a family caregiver and are still living at home or in the
community.  The costs of the study will be covered by the
research grant and by reimbursement from Medicare.

Symptoms of depression include sadness, discouragement,
pessimism, refusal to eat, weight loss, loss of appitite and
disrupted sleep.  Other symptoms may include fatigue, loss of
interest, inability to make decisions, as well as suicidal
thoughts.

To enroll someone who has Alzheimer's disease and who may also be
depressed, please call the USF Suncoast Gerontology Center at 
813-974-4355 or 1-800-633-4563 to schedule a screening
appointment.