Table 1 Clinical features of vascular depression (VaDep) and non-VaDep

Depression occurring at age 65 years or later

Depression occurring at age 50 to 60 years

Absence of family history

Occasional family history

Executive dysfunctions, loss of energy, subjective feeling of sadness, anhedonia, psychomotor retardation, motivational problems, reduced processing speed and visuospatial skills, deficits in self-initiation, lack of insight; depressive symptomatology may not meet criteria for any mood disorder requested in DSM-V

Sadness, depression according to DSM-V diagnostic criteria, increased suicidality, reduced verbal fluency

Higher cardiac illness burden, increased rates of vascular risk factors (hypertension, etc.)

Lower or same cardiac illness burden and rates of vascular risk factors (hypertension, etc.)

Higher risk for cognitive decline and progression to dementia

Lower or similar risk for cognitive decline and progression to dementia

Fluctuating course of cognitive impairment due to progression of white matter hyperintensities

Greater treatment resistance and poorer outcome

Lower or same treatment resistance and outcome(?)

Associated with increased mortality