Adverse Life Events in Elderly Patients With Major Depression or Dysthymic Disorder and in Healthy-Control Subjects

2002 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.P. Devanand ◽  
Min Kyung Kim ◽  
Natalya Paykina ◽  
Harold A. Sackeim
Keyword(s):  
Major Depression ◽  
Elderly Patients ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Dysthymic Disorder ◽  
Adverse Life Events ◽  
Control Subjects ◽  
Healthy Control

scholarly journals Sensation-seeking, life events and depression

2001 ◽  
Vol 178 (6) ◽  
pp. 549-552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Farmer ◽  
Kate Redman ◽  
Tanya Harris ◽  
Arshad Mahmood ◽  
Stephanie Sadler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Personality Trait ◽  
Genetic Risk ◽  
Sensation Seeking ◽  
Genetic Risk Factors ◽  
Adverse Life Events ◽  
Control Subjects ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
The Relationship

BackgroundThe relationship between adversity and genetic risk factors in depression could be mediated by familial ‘hazard prone’ traits, as reflected in high levels of sensation-seeking.AimsTo examine whether high sensation-seeking scores are associated with more adverse life events resulting in depression.MethodIn a sib-pair design, 108 probands with depression and their siblings and 105 healthy control subjects and their siblings were compared for psychopathology, life events and scores on the Sensation-Seeking Questionnaire (SSQ).ResultsThe SSQ scores were correlated negatively with depression, were familial and were correlated positively with less severe events, but not the severe events typically associated with depressive onsets.ConclusionsThe SSQ measures a familial personality trait and depression is associated with lower scores. Although high sensation-seeking is associated with a higher rate of life events, these carry little threat.

The epidemiology of psychiatrist-ascertained depression and DSM-III depressive disorders Results from the Eastern Baltimore Mental Health Survey Clinical

1992 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 629-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Romanoski ◽  
M. F. Folstein ◽  
G. Nestadt ◽  
R. Chahal ◽  
A. Merchant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Major Depression ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Multiple Logistic Regression ◽  
Adverse Life Events ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Symptom Profiles ◽  
Examination Method ◽  
Treatment Of Depression ◽  
History Of

SynopsisPsychiatrists used a semi-structured Standardized Psychiatric Examination method to examine 810 adults drawn from a probability sample of eastern Baltimore residents in 1981. Of the population, 5·9% was found to be significantly depressed. DSM-III major depression (MD) had a prevalence of 1·1% and ‘non-major depression’ (nMD), our collective term for the other depressive disorder categories in DSM-III, had a prevalence of 3·4%. The two types of depression differed by sex ratio, age-specific prevalence, symptom severity, symptom profiles, and family history of suicide. Analyses using a multiple logistic regression model discerned that both types of depression were influenced by adverse life events, and that nMD was influenced strongly by gender, marital status, and lack of employment outside the home. Neither type of depression was influenced by income, education, or race. This study validates the concept of major depression as a clinical entity. Future studies of the aetiology, mechanism, and treatment of depression should distinguish between these two types of depression.

Affective Disorders Among Elderly General Practice Patients

1994 ◽  
Vol 165 (4) ◽  
pp. 533-537 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Turrina ◽  
R. Caruso ◽  
R. Este ◽  
F. Lucchi ◽  
G. Fazzari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Major Depression ◽  
Elderly Patients ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Affective Disorders ◽  
Dysthymic Disorder ◽  
Not Otherwise Specified ◽  
Prevalence Of Depression ◽  
General Practices

BackgroundWe investigated the prevalence of depression among 255 elderly general practice patients and the practitioners' performance in identifying depression.MethodElderly patients attending 14 general practices entered a screening phase with GHQ-12 and MMSE. Those positive were then interviewed with GMS and HAS.ResultsDSM-III-R major depression affected 22.4%, dysthymic disorder 6.3%, not otherwise specified (n.o.s.) depression 7.1 %. General practitioners performed fairly well: identification index 88.4%, accuracy 0.49, bias 1.85.ConclusionsDepression was markedly high. A selective progression of depressed elderly from the community to general practitioners is implied.

Humiliation, loss and other types of life events and difficulties: a comparison of depressed subjects, healthy controls and their siblings

2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 1169-1175 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANNE E. FARMER ◽  
PETER McGUFFIN
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
The Other ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Adverse Life Events ◽  
Severe Event ◽  
The Face ◽  
Loss Event ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
Depressive Episodes ◽  
The Impact

Background. It has been proposed that adverse life events involving loss or humiliation are particularly potent in provoking depressive episodes. We have also previously suggested that experiencing high rates of non-severe events may play a role in the development of resilience to the impact of severe threatening events when these occur.Method. The Life Events and Difficulties Schedule (LEDS) (Brown & Harris, 1978) was used to record the life events experienced by 108 depressed probands and their nearest aged siblings as well as 105 healthy control subjects and their nearest aged siblings. All subjects were interviewed using the Schedule for the Clinical Assessment of Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) (Wing et al. 1990).Results. Depressed probands were significantly more likely to have experienced a severe threatening event, loss event, or a humiliation event compared to the other subjects. These events also made up a greater proportion of the total number of events, in the depressed probands. Humiliation events were more frequent in depressed men than depressed women. There were no differences between the four groups for experiencing a non-severe event, although depressed probands also experienced more difficulties than the other three groups. Fifty-six healthy subjects who had not become depressed despite having experienced at least one severe and threatening event, had significantly more non-severe events, than the 116 subjects who were depressed at the time of interview.Conclusions. The findings support the hypothesis that loss and humiliation events are particularly depressogenic. Experiencing a high rate of non-severe events may be associated with resilience to becoming depressed in the face of a threatening event.

Larger amygdala volumes in first depressive episode as compared to recurrent major depression and healthy control subjects

2003 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 338-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Frodl ◽  
Eva Maria Meisenzahl ◽  
Thomas Zetzsche ◽  
Christine Born ◽  
Markus Jäger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Major Depression ◽  
Depressive Episode ◽  
Control Subjects ◽  
Healthy Control

Long-Term Prognosis of Major Depression in Old Age: A Comparison With Prognosis of Dysthymic Disorder

1995 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. 69-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sirkka-Liisa Kivelä
Keyword(s):  
Major Depression ◽  
Clinical Outcome ◽  
Elderly Patients ◽  
Poor Prognosis ◽  
Sexual Interest ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Dysthymic Disorder ◽  
Long Term Prognosis ◽  
Two Age Groups

The 5-year prognosis of 42 elderly patients with major depression (mean age 73.2 ± 6.3 years for men and 73.0 ± 7.3 years for women) is described. Furthermore, the clinical outcome of elderly patients with major depression is compared to that of 199 elderly patients with dysthymic disorder (mean age 69.6 ± 7.2 years for men and 71.3 ± 7.7 years for women) described in a previous article.Twelve percent of patients with major depression recovered, 26% still had depression after 5 years, 12% had possible dementia, 45% had died, and 5% could not be contacted. The outcome did not significantly differ between the sexes or the two age groups (65–74 and 75+). A poor clinical outcome of patients with major depression was related to a greater number of diagnosed diseases, strong feelings of restlessness, and higher sexual interest at the beginning of the follow-up. A poor prognosis was also found for the patients whose functional abilities and hobby activities declined during the follow-up. A poor prognosis tended to be related to absence of hypertension, frequent trembling of hands, low activity in listening to music, and high activity in watching TV at the onset, and to absence of malignant disease and occurrence of a high number of negative and positive life events during the follow-up period.Thirty-six percent of dysthymic patients recovered, 26% still had depression after 5 years, 9% had possible dementia, 25% had died and 4% could not be contacted. The outcome of dysthymic patients did not significantly differ between the sexes or the two age groups (65–74 and 75+). The clinical outcome of dysthymic patients tended to be more favorable than that of patients with major depression. The factors related to a poor outcome differed between patients with major depression and dysthymic patients.

Dysthymic disorder in the elderly population

2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. P. Devanand
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Major Depression ◽  
Depressive Disorder ◽  
Elderly Patients ◽  
Elderly Population ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Combined Treatment ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Dysthymic Disorder

ABSTRACTThe diagnosis of dysthymic disorder was created in DSM-III and maintained in DSM-IV to describe a depressive syndrome of mild to moderate severity of at least two years’ duration that did not meet criteria for major depressive disorder. The prevalence of dysthymic disorder is approximately 2% in the elderly population where subsyndromal depressions of lesser severity are more common. Dysthymic disorder was replaced in DSM-V by the diagnosis of “persistent depressive disorder” that includes chronic major depression and dysthymic disorder. In older adults, epidemiological and clinical evidence supports the use of the term “dysthymic disorder.” In contrast to young adults with dysthymic disorder, older adults with dysthymic disorder commonly present with late age of onset, without major depression and other psychiatric disorders, and with a low rate of family history of mood disorders. They often have stressors such as loss of social support and bereavement, and some have cerebrovascular or neurodegenerative pathology. A minority has chronic depression dating from youth with psychiatric comorbidity similar to young adults with dysthymic disorder. In older adults, both dysthymic disorder and subsyndromal depression increase disability and lead to poor medical outcomes. Elderly patients with dysthymic disorder are seen mainly in primary care where identification and treatment are often inadequate. Treatment with antidepressant medication shows marginal superiority over placebo in controlled trials, and problem-solving therapy shows similar efficacy. Combined treatment and collaborative care models show slightly better results, but cost effectiveness is a concern. Further work is needed to clarify optimal approaches to the treatment of dysthymic disorder in elderly patients.

scholarly journals Sleep Organisation in Depression and Schizophrenia: Index of Endogenous Periodicity of Sleep as a State Marker [Retracted]

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-75
Author(s):  
Andrej Ilankovic ◽  
Aleksandar Damjanovic ◽  
Vera Ilankovic ◽  
Srdjan Milovanovic ◽  
Dusan Petrovic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Major Depression ◽  
Eye Movement ◽  
Sleep Latency ◽  
Total Sleep Time ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Sleep Onset ◽  
Sleep Time ◽  
Rapid Eye Movement Sleep ◽  
Control Subjects ◽  
Healthy Control

Background: Sleep disorders are frequent symptoms described in psychiatric patients with major depression or schizophrenia. These patients also exhibit changes in the sleep architecture measured by polysomnography (PSG) during sleep. The aim of the present study was to identify potential biomarkers that would facilitate the diagnosis based on polysomnography (PSG) measurements.Subjects and Methods: 30 patients with schizophrenia, 30 patients with major depression and 30 healthy control subjects were investigated in the present study. The mean age in the group with schizophrenia was 36.73 (SD 6.43), in the group of patients with depression 40.77 (SD 7.66), in the healthy controls group 34.40 (SD 5.70). The gender distribution was as follows: 18 male, 12 female in the group with schizophrenia; in the group of patients with depression 11 male, 19 female; in the control group 16 male and 14 female. All subjects underwent polysomnography (PSG) for a minimum time of 8 hours according to the criteria of Rechtschaffen & Kales (1968). The following polysomnographic (PSG) parameters were analyzed: sleep latency (SL), total sleep time (TST), waking time after sleep onset (WTASO), number of awakenings (NAW), slow wave sleep (SWS), rapid eye movement sleep (REM), rapid eye movement sleep latency (REML), first REM period (REM 1), and first NREM period (NREM 1). We tested the potential of multiple sleep variables to predict diagnosis in different groups by using linear discriminate analysis (LDA).Results: There were significant differences in polysomnography (PSG) variables between healthy control subjects and psychiatric patients (total sleep time, sleep latency, number of awakenings, time of awakening after sleep onset, REM 1 latency, REM 1 and index of endogenous periodicity). Importantly, LDA was able to predict the correct diagnosis in 88% of all cases.Conclusions: The presented analysis showed commonalities and differences in polysomnography (PSG) changes in patients with major depressive disorder and in patients with schizophrenia. Our results underline the potential of polysomnography (PSG) measurements to facilitate diagnostic processes.

The Cardiff Sib-Pair Study

Crisis ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 71-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Farmer ◽  
Kate Redman ◽  
Tanya Harris ◽  
Ruth Webb ◽  
Arshad Mahmood ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Limited Evidence ◽  
Adoption Studies ◽  
Suicidal Thoughts ◽  
Control Subjects ◽  
Completed Suicide ◽  
Healthy Control

Summary: Depression is associated with high rates of suicidal ideation, which varies in intensity from transient thoughts of wishing to be dead to the making of plans and, finally, to attempts to kill oneself. There is limited evidence from family, twin, and adoption studies that completed suicide is familial and has a genetic etiological component. However, it is unclear whether suicidal ideation is also familial. The familiality of suicidal ideation has been examined in the subjects who participated in the Cardiff Depression Study, namely, 108 depressed probands, their nearest-aged siblings, and 105 healthy control subjects and their siblings. The study showed that 66% of depressed subjects had experienced suicidal ideation in the week prior to the interview, and that this was significantly associated with recurrent illness. Suicidal ideation was not shown to be familial. However, somewhat surprisingly, 6% of healthy, never-depressed subjects admitted to having had transient suicidal thoughts. Suicidal ideation was significantly associated with high neuroticism and psychoticism scores and severe threatening life events.

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