Age disorientation in chronically hospitalized patients with mood disorders.
Age disorientation was studied in 45 geriatric patients with chronic mood disorders. In a yearly assessment of cognitive functions, subjects were questioned about their age, year of birth, and the current year. Patients who misstated their age by > or = 5 years were considered age disoriented. Among the 45 patients, age-disorientation data were available for 32 patients, with the remainder either stating that they did not know their age or providing age-delusional responses. Six of the 32 patients were characterized as age disoriented at baseline and again at 12- to 18-month follow-up assessment. Age-disoriented patients performed worse overall on the Mini-Mental State Examination compared with patients who did not show age disorientation. Future studies of brain function and structure should include poor-outcome patients with mood disorders as well as patients with schizophrenia in attempts to identify the possible neurological dysfunctions that may underlie the phenomenon of age disorientation.
Lombardi
J
J
Pilgrim Psychiatric Center, West Brentwood, NY 11717, USA.
Harvey
P D
PD
White
L
L
Parrella
M
M
Powchik
P
P
Davidson
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011581:Psychological Tests