Researchers studying stroke patients have found a strong association between impairments in a network of the brain involved in emotional regulation and the severity of post-stroke depression. (Radiology, published online June 5, 2012) Read more. [1]
Compared to similar people who don't take them, nursing home residents with dementia who take average doses of a class of drugs used to treat depression are three times more likely to have an injurious fall. (British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, published online February 15, 2012) Read more. [2]
A new study shows that cognitive-behavioral therapy appears to help older adults with anxiety disorders slightly better than other therapies, but not as well as in younger adults. (Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, published online January 27, 2012) Read more. [3]
People with recurrent depressions or those exposed to chronic stress exhibit shorter telomeres (outermost part of the chromosome) in white blood cells. With increasing age, telomeres shorten, and studies have shown that oxidative stress and inflammation accelerate shortening. Shorter telomere length has also been associated with recurrent depression and cortisol levels indicating exposure to chronic stress. (Biological Psychiatry, published online November 2011) Read more. [4]
Older adults who take the antidepressant SSRIs are at more risk of dying or suffering from stroke, falls, fractures, and epilepsy, according to a new study. (British Medical Journal, 2011; 343) Read more. [5]
Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic changes associated with aging bring more risks to treating elderly patients with psychotropics. This article reviews the concerns associated with the use of antipsychotics in older patients, who may be at higher risk for adverse events. (Psychiatric Times, August 4, 2010; 27(8) Read more. [6]
A recent study in Sweden found that seniors who had experienced social anxiety at some point in their lives did not necessarily do so later. (Psychiatric News, September 3, 2010; 45(17):18) Read more. [7]
The prevalence of mood disorders declines with age, but remains a problem for a substantial proportion of the older population, according to data from a national survey. (Archives of General Psychiatry, 2010; 67(5):489-496) Read more. [8]
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in a primary care setting was found to relieve generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in older patients, according to the findings of a study conducted at Baylor College of Medicine. In the older-adult population, GAD affects up to 7.3 percent and 11.2 percent in primary care. Late-life anxiety is usually treated with medication, which may be associated with falls, memory problems, and other issues.
Read more. [9]
Researchers examining octogenarians and centenarians found that diminished problem-solving skills among octogenarians and living in a nursing home among centenarians were strong predictors of depressive symptoms. Centenarians were further depressed by worries about the state of the world for their descendants. (Gerontology, 2010; 56:93-99) Read more. [10]
Links:
[1] http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120605075533.htm
[2] http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/240492.php
[3] http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/03/us-anxiety-therapy-idUSTRE8121W520120203
[4] http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111109093729.htm
[5] http://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d4551
[6] http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/geriatric-psychiatry/content/article/10168/1633418
[7] http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/45/17/18.1.full
[8] http://www.medpagetoday.com/Geriatrics/Depression/19909
[9] http://www.medpagetoday.com/Psychiatry/AnxietyStress/13639
[10] http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?Aktion=ShowAbstract&ArtikelNr=272018&Ausgabe=253858&ProduktNr=224091