title: Cognitive Function in Older Suicide Attempters and a Population-Based Comparison Group.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to compare cognitive function in older suicide attempters with a population-based comparison group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospitalized suicide attempters aged 70 years and older were assessed cognitively at baseline (n = 99) and 1-year follow-up (n = 59). Depression symptoms were rated with the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Results of cognitive assessments in attempters were compared with results in nonattempter comparison subjects (n = 115) selected among participants in our population-based health studies to yield a similar distribution of MADRS scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Suicide attempters scored lower on Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) than comparison persons. Among attempters, the mean MMSE score was lower in those with medically serious attempts. Attempters displayed poorer performance on tests of pentagon drawing and abstract thinking compared to comparison persons, and the results remained also after exclusion of those with medically serious attempts. At 1-year follow-up, significant improvement in MADRS scores was observed in the attempters. No evidence of improvement could be shown regarding cognitive deficits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older suicide attempters may have cognitive deficits, which may in part be related to the attempt itself. This needs to be taken into account when designing intervention strategies.
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Section of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institution of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Petter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Olsson
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Section of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institution of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden stefan.wiktorsson@neuro.gu.se.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wiktorsson
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Section of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institution of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sacuiu
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Section of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institution of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marlow
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Section of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institution of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Svante
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Östling
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Section of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institution of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Madeleine Mellqvist
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fässberg
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Section of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institution of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ingmar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Skoog
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Section of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institution of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Margda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waern
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: MMSE; aging; cognition; depression; suicide attempt