Is there a distinct subtype of major depression in the elderly?
Evidence for and against the notion of a specific subtype of depressive illness in the elderly is reviewed. There is little to support a distinction based on clinical features, neurobiological markers, treatment response or prognosis, but subtle organic cerebral change may predispose to late-onset depression in a significant minority of cases.
Consultant Psychiatrist for the Elderly, York House, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9BX, UK.
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Baldwin