Late- versus early-onset geriatric depression in a memory research center.
OBJECTIVE
To contrast early-onset (<60 years) and late-onset (>60 years) depression in geriatric patients by evaluating differences in cognition, vascular comorbidity and sociological risk factors. Both patient groups were compared with normal subjects.


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 also evaluated.


RESULTS
We found a significant variation in performance between depressive patients and normal controls in most cognitive functions, especially memory (P < 0.0001), semantic fluency (P < 0.0001), verbal fluency, and digit-symbol (P < 0.0001). Late-onset depression patients scored lower and exhibited more severe impairment in memory domains than early-onset depression patients (P < 0.05). Cholesterol levels and marital status were significantly (P < 0.05) different between the depressive groups. Both depressed groups (early- and late-onset) were more inactive than controls (P < 0.05; odds ratio: 6.02).


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Memory Research Center, Department of Neurology, Hospital General Abel Zubizarreta, GCBA Buenos Aires, Argentina. drcaroldillon@yahoo.com.ar, http//www.cemic.edu.ar/
Carol
C
Dillon
Ricardo F
RF
Allegri
Cecilia M
CM
Serrano
Mónica
M
Iturry
Pablo
P
Salgado
Frank B
FB
Glaser
Fernando E
FE
Taragano