Pseudodementia, pseudo‐pseudodementia, and pseudodepression

Dementia has a wide range of reversible causes. Well known among these is depression, though other psychiatric disorders can also impair cognition and give the appearance of neurodegenerative disease. This phenomenon has been known historically as “pseudodementia.” Although this topic attracted significant interest in the 1980s and 1990s, research on the topic has waned. In this paper, we consider reasons for this decline, including objections to the term itself and controversy about its distinctness from organic dementia. We discuss limitations in the arguments put forward and existing research, which, crucially, does not support inevitable progression. We also discuss other neglected masquerades, such as of pseudodementia itself (“pseudo‐pseudodementia”) and depression (“pseudodepression”). Based on this reappraisal, we argue that these terms, while not replacing modern diagnostic criteria, remain relevant as they highlight unique groups of patients, potential misdiagnosis, and important, but neglected, areas of research.