Development of an autobiographical memory test for older electroconvulsive therapy candidates

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 214-217
Author(s):  
Daniel Allan ◽  
Matthew Croucher ◽  
Susan Gee ◽  
Richard Porter
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Electroconvulsive Therapy ◽  
Older Patients ◽  
Memory Loss ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Memory Test ◽  
Face Validity ◽  
Common Life

Objectives: To develop a test of autobiographical memory for monitoring of older people during a course of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Method: A list of events commonly experienced in later life was gathered from older people ( n = 26) at a psychogeriatric day clinic and from psychiatrists ( n = 23) who work with older depressed patients. The most common events were chosen as question domains for an autobiographical memory interview. This was piloted with 12 severely depressed older patients. Results: A list of 15 common life events was developed. After pilot testing, a final 30-item questionnaire covering six common life events was proposed. Conclusion: This study developed an autobiographical memory test with good face validity and potential for clinical use. It was modelled on a well-validated scale (The Columbia University Autobiographical Memory Interview, CUAMI-SF) and represented a useful first step in the development of a test for memory loss in older patients receiving ECT. The proposed test may be particularly sensitive to autobiographical memory loss in older people undergoing ECT because it uses recent personal memories, which are relatively commonly experienced in the older depressed population.

scholarly journals What happens to anxiety disorders in later life?

2002 ◽  
Vol 24 (suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 74-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard JA Byrne
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Older People ◽  
Older Patients ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Late Onset ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Pharmacological Interventions ◽  
Measuring Change ◽  
Pathological Anxiety

Anxiety disorders decline in prevalence with advancing age but remain more common than depressive disorders. They are often of late-onset and there is frequent comorbidity with depressive disorders and physical illness. While anxiety disorders in older people are likely to respond to the same non-pharmacological interventions that have been shown to work in younger people, there is currently little formal evidence of this. Although there is some evidence that the non-benzodiazepine anxiolytic medication, buspirone, is effective against late life anxiety symptoms, clinical trials in older people with rigorously diagnosed anxiety disorders are needed. An anxiety scale with demonstrated reliability and validity in older people is needed for screening for pathological anxiety and for measuring change in older patients undergoing treatment for anxiety disorders.

scholarly journals Onderzoek naar de levensloop van ouderen: ervaringen met het McAdams-levensverhaalinterview

KWALON ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-63
Author(s):  
Lise Switsers ◽  
Hannelore Stegen ◽  
Sofie Van Regenmortel ◽  
Liesbeth De Donder
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Life Story ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Interview Method ◽  
Onderzoek Naar ◽  
Life Story Interview ◽  
Younger Age

Abstract Studying the life courses of older people: The McAdams life-story interview Research among older people often focuses on the present. Nevertheless, life course research can help to understand how certain behavior and feelings take shape and evolve throughout the course of life, and how life events at a younger age can influence conditions, behaviors and feelings in later life. In this article, we focus on the McAdams life story interview method, which we applied in three different studies. We describe the different steps, reflect on the main pitfalls in the implementation of this approach and explain how we attempted to avoid them. The experiences and reflections of both the participants and the researchers are discussed.

Distorted Memory Beliefs

2020 ◽  
pp. 19-41
Author(s):  
Lisa Bortolotti
Keyword(s):  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Information Exchange ◽  
Memory Loss ◽  
Autobiographical Memories ◽  
The Past ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Epistemic Innocence

In this chapter, the author argues that beliefs about the past that are based on distorted autobiographical memories have the potential for epistemic innocence. The focus is on beliefs about the past that people report in the context of dementia and other conditions in which autobiographical memory is severely compromised. Such beliefs may embellish people’s past achievements or present circumstances, or simply be inconsistent with life events that people can no longer remember. Having memory beliefs to report increases the opportunity for socialisation and information exchange with peers, making content available for sharing and enabling feedback on it. More important still, the maintenance and reporting of memory beliefs about the autobiographical past, when these are not entirely fabricated and contain a grain of truth, enable the retention of key self-related information that would otherwise be threatened by progressive memory loss.

scholarly journals Life events, difficulties and onset of depressive episodes in later life

2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 859-869 ◽  
Author(s):  
ELS I. BRILMAN ◽  
JOHAN ORMEL
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Prior History ◽  
Health Related ◽  
History Of ◽  
Depressive Episodes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
History Of Depression

Background. The importance of stressful life events and long-term difficulties in the onset of episodes of unipolar depression is well established for young and middle-aged persons, but less so for older people.Method. A prospective case–control study was nested in a large community survey of older people. We recruited 83 onset cases during a 2-year period starting 2½ years after the survey, via screening (N = 59) and GP monitoring (N = 24), and 83 controls, a random sample from the same survey population. We assessed depression with the PSE-10 and life stress exposure with the LEDS.Results. Risk of onset was increased 22-fold by severe events and three-fold by ongoing difficulties of at least moderate severity. Severe events accounted for 21% of all episodes but ongoing difficulties for 45%. The association of onset with life stress, often health-related such as death, major disability and hospitalization of subject or someone close, was most pronounced in the cases identified by screening. While a clear risk threshold for events was found between threat 2 and 3 (on a scale of 1–4), the risk associated with difficulties increased more gradually with severity of difficulty. Compared with controls, severe events involved a larger risk for cases without a prior history of depression (OR = 39·48) than for cases with (OR = 8·86). The opposite was found for mild events (OR = 2·94 in recurrent episodes; OR = 1·09 in first episodes). The impact of ongoing difficulties was independent of severity of episode and history of depression.Conclusion. Although the nature of life stress in later life, in particular health-related disability and loss of (close) social contacts, is rather different from that in younger persons, it is a potent risk factor for onset of a depressive episode in old age. Severe events show the largest relative risk, but ongoing difficulties account for most episodes. The association of severe events with onset tends to be stronger in first than in recurrent episodes. Mild events can trigger a recurrent episode but not a first one.

Psychotherapies and Older Adults

2003 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 537-548 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Garner
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Older Patients ◽  
Psychiatric Care ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The Body ◽  
Therapeutic Technique ◽  
Psychotherapeutic Approach ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural ◽  
Old Age Psychiatry ◽  
Better Than

Objective: To confirm clinical experience which suggests that older people are offered psychotherapies significantly less often than younger ones. For those who are able to access psychotherapeutic help the outcome is comparable, sometimes better, than for younger patients. Method: Contemporary and older seminal literature was reviewed for psychodynamic, cognitive–behavioural, reminiscence and systemic family therapies treating older patients. Results: The main findings supported the experience of staff in old age psychiatry that if the reluctance of referrers and sometimes of older patients themselves can be overcome this type of work is valuable and effective. Conclusions: Each patient is unique. Generalizations are not always appropriate, however, with advancing years some common themes emerge in therapeutic work. It may be necessary to make modifications to the therapeutic technique to accommodate the difficulties experienced by people in later life but also to use their strengths. Staff working in this field need to have the capacity to be aware of and to understand their own feelings and prejudices about the second half of life. For patients not offered formal therapy a psychotherapeutic approach will nevertheless enhance their psychiatric care. Although the body of research is growing, more work needs to be done in evaluating all of the psychotherapies offered to older people.

Electroconvulsive therapy: is there a role for treating older patients?

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 283-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
MI Ramos-Garcia ◽  
CF González-Salazar
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Electroconvulsive Therapy ◽  
Older Patients ◽  
Acute Treatment ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
Review Literature ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Risks And Benefits ◽  
Resistant Depression

SummaryElectroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a powerful acute treatment for severe and resistant depression. We review literature related to the efficacy, safety and tolerability of ECT in older people, with an emphasis on research studies and reviews published in the last 25 years. In general ECT has been considered a very effective and safe treatment for depression and other psychiatric and non-psychiatric disorders in older people. Amnesia is commonly attributed to ECT treatment, but studies suggest that the negative effects of ECT on cognition are probably small in older patients. Currently the balance of risks and benefits of ECT justify its use for severe depression in older patients, both with and without dementia.

Understanding Why Older People Develop a Wish to Die

Crisis ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 204-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. L. Rurup ◽  
H. R. W. Pasman ◽  
J. Goedhart ◽  
D. J. H. Deeg ◽  
A. J. F. M. Kerkhof ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Cohort Studies ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Traumatic Life Events ◽  
Quantitative Studies ◽  
Wish To Die ◽  
Open Coding ◽  
Death Wishes ◽  
Depth Interviews

Background: Quantitative studies in several European countries showed that 10–20% of older people have or have had a wish to die. Aims: To improve our understanding of why some older people develop a wish to die. Methods: In-depth interviews with people with a wish to die (n = 31) were carried out. Through open coding and inductive analysis, we developed a conceptual framework to describe the development of death wishes. Respondents were selected from two cohort studies. Results: The wish to die had either been triggered suddenly after traumatic life events or had developed gradually after a life full of adversity, as a consequence of aging or illness, or after recurring depression. The respondents were in a situation they considered unacceptable, yet they felt they had no control to change their situation and thus progressively “gave up” trying. Recurring themes included being widowed, feeling lonely, being a victim, being dependent, and wanting to be useful. Developing thoughts about death as a positive thing or a release from problems seemed to them like a way to reclaim control. Conclusions: People who wish to die originally develop thoughts about death as a positive solution to life events or to an adverse situation, and eventually reach a balance of the wish to live and to die.

Negative Life Events Associated With Deliberate Self-Harm in an African Population in Uganda

Crisis ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Kinyanda ◽  
H. Hjelmeland ◽  
S. Musisi
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Negative Life Events ◽  
Life Time ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Dose Effect ◽  
Deliberate Self Harm ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Suicide Interventions

Abstract. Negative life events associated with deliberate self-harm (DSH) were investigated in an African context in Uganda. Patients admitted at three general hospitals in Kampala, Uganda were interviewed using a Luganda version (predominant language in the study area) of the European Parasuicide Study Interview Schedule I. The results of the life events and histories module are reported in this paper. The categories of negative life events in childhood that were significantly associated with DSH included those related to parents, significant others, personal events, and the total negative life events load in childhood. For the later-life time period, the negative life events load in the partner category and the total negative life events in this time period were associated with DSH. In the last-year time period, the negative life events load related to personal events and the total number of negative life events in this time period were associated with DSH. A statistically significant difference between the cases and controls for the total number of negative life events reported over the entire lifetime of the respondents was also observed, which suggests a dose effect of negative life events on DSH. Gender differences were also observed among the cases. In conclusion, life events appear to be an important factor in DSH in this cultural environment. The implication of these results for treatment and the future development of suicide interventions in this country are discussed.

scholarly journals The Role of Stressful Childhood Experiences in Shaping Later-Life Memory Loss Among Black and White U.S. Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 296-296
Author(s):  
Caroline Hartnett
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Memory Loss ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Behavioral Risk ◽  
Black Adults ◽  
Childhood Experiences ◽  
White Children ◽  
Black And White ◽  
Stressful Experiences ◽  
White Adults

Abstract Cognitive decline common in the U.S. and greatly impacts quality of life, both for those who experience it and for those who care for them. Black Americans experience higher burdens of cognitive decline but the mechanisms underlying this disparity have not been fully elucidated. Stress experienced in early life is a promising explanatory factor, since stress and cognition are linked, childhood stressors been shown to have a range of negative implications later in life, and Black children experience more childhood stressors than White children, on average. In this paper, we use data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to examine whether stressful experiences in childhood help explain Black-White disparities in memory loss. These data were available for 5 state-years between 2011 and 2017 (n=11,708). Preliminary results indicate that, while stressful childhood experiences are strongly associated with memory loss, stressful experiences do not mediate the association between race and memory loss. However, race does appear to moderate the association between stressful childhood experiences and memory loss. Specifically, stressful experiences are associated with a higher likelihood of memory loss for Black adults compared to White adults.In addition, there seem to be some noteworthy patterns across different types of experiences (i.e. parental drinking may predict later memory loss more strongly for Black adults than White adults, but parental hitting may predict memory loss more strongly for White adults than Black adults).

scholarly journals Electroconvulsive Therapy and Age: Effectiveness, Safety and Tolerability in the Treatment of Major Depression among Patients under and over 65 Years of Age

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 582
Author(s):  
Monika Dominiak ◽  
Anna Z. Antosik-Wójcińska ◽  
Marcin Wojnar ◽  
Paweł Mierzejewski
Keyword(s):  
Major Depression ◽  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Electroconvulsive Therapy ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Serious Adverse Events ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Trail Making ◽  
Resistant Depression

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) remains the most effective therapy in treatment-resistant depression. However, the safety of ECT has been consistently questioned, particularly among elderly patients. We assessed the efficacy and safety of ECT in patients before and after 65 years old. The study was conducted between 2015 and 2018 and included 91 patients (61 under and 29 over 65 years old) with major depression undergoing ECT. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale was used to evaluate efficacy. Cognitive functions were assessed using: MMSE, RAVLT, Trail Making Test, Stroop Test and Autobiographical Memory Interview-Short Form. ECT was more effective in older patients as compared to younger (p < 0.001). No serious adverse events were observed in either group. Increased blood pressure and arrhythmias were more common in the older compared to the younger group (p = 0.044 and p = 0.047, respectively), while disturbances of consciousness did not differ between groups (p = 0.820). Most of the cognitive functions remained unchanged compared to baseline, whereas the outcomes of MMSE, RAVLT and Stroop tests showed greater improvements in the older compared to the younger group (all p < 0.05). The decline in the retrieval consistency of autobiographical memory was more pronounced in the younger group (p = 0.024). ECT is a highly effective, safe and well-tolerated method of treating depression regardless of age.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document