Frontal function, disability and caregiver burden in elderly patients with major depressive disorder.
Caregivers of patients with late-life major depressive disorder experience a significant level of general caregiver burden. Disability in patients is possibly one of the origins of caregiver burden. Frontal lobe dysfunction might be the source of disability. This study investigated if frontal lobe dysfunction (body level) of patients with late-life major depressive disorder was associated with their disability (individual level), and if it led to a high level of caregiver burden (societal level). Thirty-four unselected pairs of caregivers and their family members with late-life major depressive disorder were recruited. Frontal Assessment Battery and Timed Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (TIADL) were used to assess patients' frontal function and disability, and Caregiver Burden Inventory was used to measure caregiver burden. Frontal Assessment Battery correlated with TIADL (r= -0.47; p<0.006). TIADL score was also associated with two subscales of the Caregiver Burden Inventory: social (r = 0.38, p=0.026) and time-dependent (r= 0.37, p= 0.033). This study supported the hypothesis that frontal lobe dysfunction in elderly patients with depression is associated with their disability in instrumental activities of daily living. Disability is related to social and time-dependent aspects of caregiver burden. Further studies to examine proposed cognitive interventions are suggested to reduce patient disability and caregiver burden.
Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Health Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Hui-Mei
HM
Chen
Shu-Ying
SY
Hou
Yi-Chun
YC
Yeh
Chiung-Yi
CY
Chang
Ju-Yu
JY
Yen
Chih-Hung
CH
Ko
Cheng-Fang
CF
Yen
Cheng-Sheng
CS
Chen
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003710:Demography; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult