Late versus early onset geriatric depression in a memory research center

119.DILLON C, ALLEGRI RF, SERRANO CM, ITURRY M, SALGADO P, GLASER FB, TARAGANO FE

Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment

DOVEPRESS

Lugar: Auckland; Año: 2009 vol. 5 p. 517 - 526

1176-6328

Objective: To contrast early-onset (ðl60 years) and late-onset (ðn60 years) depression in geriatric patients by evaluating differences in cognition, vascular comorbidity and sociological risk factors. Both patient groups were compared with normal subjects. Materials and methods: We recruited 76 patients with depressive symptoms (37 late onset and 39 early onset) and 17 normal controls matched by age and educational level. All subjects were assessed using a semistructured neuropsychiatric interview and an extensive neuropsychological battery. Vascular and sociological risk factors were evaluated. Results: We found a severe variation in performance between depressive patients and normal controls in most cognitive functions, especially memory (P ðl 0.0001), semantic fluency (P ðl 0.0001), verbal fluency, and digit-symbol (P ðl 0.0001). Late-onset depression patients scored lower and exhibited more severe impairment in memory domains than early-onset depression patients (P ðl 0.05). Cholesterol levels and marital status were significantly (P ðl 0.05) different between the depressive groups. Both depressed groups (early- and late-onset) were more inactive than controls (P ðl 0.05; odds ratio: 6.02). Conclusion: Geriatric depression may be a manifestation of brain degeneration, and the initial symptom of a dementia. It is important to consider this in the treatment of patients that exhibit late-onset depressive symptoms.To contrast early-onset (ðl60 years) and late-onset (ðn60 years) depression in geriatric patients by evaluating differences in cognition, vascular comorbidity and sociological risk factors. Both patient groups were compared with normal subjects. Materials and methods: We recruited 76 patients with depressive symptoms (37 late onset and 39 early onset) and 17 normal controls matched by age and educational level. All subjects were assessed using a semistructured neuropsychiatric interview and an extensive neuropsychological battery. Vascular and sociological risk factors were evaluated. Results: We found a severe variation in performance between depressive patients and normal controls in most cognitive functions, especially memory (P ðl 0.0001), semantic fluency (P ðl 0.0001), verbal fluency, and digit-symbol (P ðl 0.0001). Late-onset depression patients scored lower and exhibited more severe impairment in memory domains than early-onset depression patients (P ðl 0.05). Cholesterol levels and marital status were significantly (P ðl 0.05) different between the depressive groups. Both depressed groups (early- and late-onset) were more inactive than controls (P ðl 0.05; odds ratio: 6.02). Conclusion: Geriatric depression may be a manifestation of brain degeneration, and the initial symptom of a dementia. It is important to consider this in the treatment of patients that exhibit late-onset depressive symptoms.