Late life depression and late onset depression: are the same clinical and pathopsysiological picture?
Phenomenological differences between older patients with late- and early-onset depression may reflect differences in aetiology and neuropathological processes involved in these two types of depression. Early- onset depression has been mainly correlated to a family history of depression while late-onset depression has been principally correlated to vascular dysfunction. The same cortical and sub-cortical areas are involved in both types of depression. However, lesions in these brain areas and cognitive impairment are most pronounced in late-onset depression. Based on these observations we propose a common neuroanatomical substrate but different pathophysiological processes implicated in these two types of depression.
Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences, University "Aldo Moro", Bari, Piazza Giulio Cesare, 9 - 70124 Bari, Italy. a.papazacharias@yahoo.it
Apostolos
A
Papazacharias
Giancarlo
G
Logroscino
Maria Rosaria
MR
Barulli
Marcello
M
Nardini
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged