A total of 149 patients in 7 centers in Denmark, Norway and Sweden entered a 6-week double-blind trial intended to assess the antidepressant effect and safety of citalopram vs placebo in depressed elderly patients (65 years of age or older) who might also suffer from somatic disorders and/or senile dementia. Results of ratings on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale and the Clinical Global Impression Scale provided consistent evidence that the citalopram-treated patients improved more than the placebo-treated patients. Results of ratings on the Gottfries-Bråne-Steen dementia rating scale indicated that both cognitive and emotional functioning improved significantly more in the citalopram-treated subgroup of patients with dementia than in the placebo-treated subgroup.