Treatment of depression in late life

This paper updates the 1996 review of treatment approaches published in the Am J Geriatr Psychiatry (1996;4[suppl 1]:S51-S65 [see ref33]) and a chapter in A Guide to Treatments that Work (Nathan PE, Gorman JM, eds), Oxford University Press, New York, 1998 [see ref 54]:. The major focus is on psychophannacoiogy with attention also to the évidence for the efficacy of psychotherapeutic and somatic approaches.

Anticonvulsant and Other Non-neuroleptic Treatment of Agitation in Dementia

Studies have shown that the vast majority of patients with dementia experience some psychopathologic symptoms during the course of their illness. Symptoms of this nature, which can include frightening hallucinations or anxiety of phobic proportions, are subjectively distressing and can lead both to unsafe or violent situations as well as to the preventable use of inappropriate medication, physical restraint, and frequently to institutionalization. These psychopathologic manifestations of dementia often prove to be a burden on family, caregivers, and the health care system as well. This article presents an overview of the assessment and management of agitation as it relates to the severity of dementia symptoms and cognitive deterioration. Specifically, the use of anticonvulsant and other non-neuroleptic therapies is examined. ( J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 1995; 8(suppl 1):S28-S39).

Neuroleptic Treatment of Agitation and Psychosis in Dementia

Neuroleptics remain the mainstay for the treatment of behavioral disturbance and psychotic symptoms in demented patients. The limited available data suggest that low-dose neuroleptics are significantly more efficacious than placebo, though the magnitude of the effect is moderate in most published studies. Demented patients are particularly prone to neuroleptic side effects, and individualized dose titration may be necessary to achieve the optimal trade-off between efficacy and side effects. Target behavioral symptoms and side effects, including effects on cognition and activities of daily life, should be identified and assessed serially during neuroleptic treatment. The choice of neuroleptic depends more on likely side effects than differential efficacy, and non-response or intolerable side effects should lead to dose adjustment or a switch to an alternative class of neuroleptic (or an alternative type of medication). Further studies of optimal neuroleptic dosage, the optimal duration of continuation neuroleptic treatment, and placebo-controlled studies comparing neuroleptics to other classes of medications are needed. ( J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 1995; 8(suppl 1):S18-S27).

Assessments on a Geropsychiatry Unit

Mood, cognition, behavior, and function are each assessed at least weekly on an inpatient geropsychiatry unit. The performance in each of these four spheres near discharge is examined in relationship to initial performances. Mood is relatively independent of the other spheres with the final mood assessment correlating only with mood near the time of admission. Final cognitive, behavioral, and functional performances are related to initial performances in these three spheres but are not significantly correlated with the initial performance in the mood sphere. ( J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 1990;3:17-20).

Depressive Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease: A Comparison With Disabled Control Subjects

A high incidence of depressive symptoms has been observed in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). PD involves a loss of central monoamines, and a decrease of monoamines has been implicated in depression; therefore, it is possible that depressive symptoms in PD result from the loss of endogenous neurotransmitters. However, it is equally possible that depressive symptoms represent a reaction to the chronic disabling course of PD. By comparing depressive symptoms in PD patients to those in matched patients with other chronic disabling diseases not involving a loss of central monoamines, it may be possible to decide between these alternatives. Thus, depressive symptoms were assessed in 45 patients with PD and 24 disabled controls that did not differ from the PD subjects on a measure of functional disability. Results showed that PD subjects obtained significantly higher total scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) than controls. PD subjects scored significantly higher than controls on BDI items grouped to reflect cognitive-affective and somatic depressive symptoms. The BDI scores of PD subjects were not reliably related to age, sex, duration of PD, or clinical ratings of PD symptom severity or functional disability. Self-rated disability and the number of recent medical problems were the greatest predictors of depressive symptoms. These findings supported the hypothesis that depressive symptoms in PD may not represent solely a reaction to disability. ( J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 1989; 2:3-9).

Osteoporosis With Pathologic Hip Fractures in Major Depression

Osteoporosis and its sequelae have been associated with genetic predisposition, aging, nutritional factors, inactivity, substance abuse, and anorexia nervosa. We report three cases of pathologic osteoporotic hip fractures in elderly females with major depression. Biological consequences of depression and mobilization during hospital treatment are discussed as possible mediators of osteoporotic morbidity. ( J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 1990;3:10-12).