Symptoms In Elderly Research Articles

Will-To-Live Scale as a Predictor of Depressive Symptoms in Elderly: an Evidence-Based Case Report

Will-To-Live Scale as a Predictor of Depressive Symptoms in Elderly: an Evidence-Based Case Report

Associations Among Depression, Stress, Resilience, and Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarkers in Older Adults Following a Major Societal Stressor

AbstractBackgroundBetter predicting depression following a stressor like COVID‐19 would help identify vulnerable individuals who might benefit the most from early intervention. We examined change in depressive symptoms relative to the onset of COVID‐19 and longitudinal trajectories of depressive symptoms post‐pandemic‐onset. As a secondary objective, we examined associations of these changes with stress, resilience, and in vivo AD biomarkers.MethodData were analyzed from 101 older adults (cognitively unimpaired at baseline) from the Harvard Aging Brain Study, a longitudinal observational cohort study. Depressive symptoms are assessed annually with the 30‐item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and for these analyses, participants had no/mild self‐reported depression (GDS<11) at the last pre‐COVID examination. GDS‐delta scores were computed using the mean of the post‐COVID‐onset scores subtracted by the last pre‐COVID examination for participants. Levels of resilience (Connor‐Davidson Resilience scale) and stress (Perceived Stress Scale) were assessed within a year after pandemic onset. Cortical amyloid (PiB) and entorhinal (EC) and inferior temporal (IT) tau (FTP) were analyzed using pre‐pandemic acquisition (mean 1.6 years to pandemic onset). We used linear models to predict GDS‐delta and linear mixed effects models to predict GDS trajectory post‐COVID onset from resilience, stress, and the interaction of each with AD biomarkers (PiB and FTP).ResultsGDS‐delta was predicted by resilience (t = ‐4.69, p<0.001) and stress (t = 3.51, p<0.001) such that those with lower resilience and higher stress experienced higher GDS‐delta. EC tau, but not IT tau or cortical amyloid, interacted with stress to predict GDS‐deltas (EC tau*stress: t = 2.04; p = 0.04) indicating that those with higher levels of EC tau and stress experienced higher GDS‐delta. For post‐pandemic‐onset GDS trajectory, no significant longitudinal associations were observed, but there was a marginal interaction between EC‐tau*stress in predicting greater GDS trajectories (t = ‐1.79, p = 0.08).ConclusionResults suggest that change in depressive symptoms in elders following a societal stressor is associated with lower resilience and higher stress; this may be exacerbated by concurrent EC tau pathology. Moreover, elevated depressive symptoms in the years following onset of a societal stressor can be partially predicted by increased EC tau and stress, highlighting a vulnerable population who may benefit from preventive interventions throughout a major stressor.

From Sarcopenia to Depressive Symptoms in Elderly: A Path Analysis.

Sarcopenia is an age-related progressive, generalized skeletal muscle disorder involving the accelerated loss of muscle function and muscle mass. The aim of this study was to assess the complex relationship between sarcopenia, malnutrition, cognitive impairment, physical activity, and depression in the elderly, with the potential role of quality of life as a mediator in these associations. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample (n = 298) of elderly patients admitted to Special Hospital for Rehabilitation "Termal", Vrdnik, Serbia. Sarcopenia, the risk for malnutrition, cognitive impairment, physical activity, quality of life, and depressive symptoms were measured by standardized instruments. Additional data included sociodemographic characteristics. Simultaneous assessment of the direct and indirect relationships of all determinants was performed by path analysis. A total of 40% (n = 120) of the elderly were diagnosed with sarcopenia, and 42.6% had depression symptoms. The risk of malnutrition was present in 23.5%, cognitive impairment in 5.4%, and a low level of physical activity was reported in 26.2% of elderly participants. The mean reported quality of life measured by Sarcopenia and Quality of Life Questionnaire was 60 (on the scale ranging from 0 to 100; where a higher score reflects a higher quality of life). The best-fitted model (χ2/DF = 1.885, NFI = 0.987, CFI = 0.993, GFI = 0.997, RMSEA = 0.055) highlighted the mediating effect of quality of life between sarcopenia, malnutrition, cognitive impairment, lower level of physical activities and depression. According to the model, quality of life was a direct negative predictor of depressive symptoms in the elderly, while malnutrition positively affected depression. The presented path model may assist rehabilitation centers in developing strategies to screen for sarcopenia and risk of malnutrition, and promote physical activity in elderly, aiming to prevent their negative effects on mental health. For the elderly currently affected by sarcopenia, we consider regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy, which, in view of their etiology, could be a potential therapeutic strategy for sarcopenia.

COVID 19: A Risk Factor for Stroke and New Neurological Symptoms in Elderly

COVID 19: A Risk Factor for Stroke and New Neurological Symptoms in Elderly

Comparative efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions on behavioural and psychological symptoms in elders with dementia: A network meta-analysis.

AimTo explore the best non‐pharmaceutical interventions for improving the behavioural and psychological symptoms in elders with dementia.DesignBayesian network meta‐analysis.MethodsA comprehensive electronic literature search was performed in five English databases and four Chinese databases to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that were published up to 31 October 2019.ResultsA total of 41 RCTs were included in this network meta‐analysis involving 5 different non‐pharmacological interventions: therapeutic recreation (TC), reminiscence therapy (RT), behaviour therapy (BT), massage therapy (MT) and individualized nursing (IN).The results of network meta‐analysis showed that individualized nursing was the best in improving depression, cognitive function, and activities of daily living of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. Behaviour therapy was the best in improving anxiety symptoms. Reminiscence therapy was the best in improving neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Comparison of cognitive functioning of elders with late-life depression and patients with and without a history of depressive episodes: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Nowadays there are numerous studies on the occurrence of cognitive dysfunction in late-life depression (LLD). The role of executive dysfunctions in the psychopathology of depression is particularly emphasized and needs further examination. The aim was to assess cognitive functions and their relation to depressive symptoms in elders with LLD, previously depressed, and patients without the history of depressive episodes. The study consisted of 824 older adults who underwent a neuropsychological evaluation (97 currently depressed, 114 previously depressed and 613 patients without the history of depressive episodes). LLD patients performed poorer in ACE-III and AVLT and poorer in TMT-B than those previously depressed and never depressed. The LLD group also performed significantly poorer than the previously depressed on Digit Span Forward. Results of a multiple regression analysis indicated that performance on measures of executive functioning was associated with depression severity in LLD (β =.227, P =.024). The results of this study suggest that executive functions are the most impaired in the elderly with LLD. Furthermore, there is a relationship between executive dysfunction and the severity of depression in LLD. Executive dysfunction appears to be the core neurocognitive deficit in LLD.

Chronic Intra Oral Pain and Depressive Symptoms in Japanese Community-Dwelling Elderly: A Longitudinal Study.

The incidence of major depressive disorder in the elderly ranges from 0.2 to 14.1/100 person-years, and the incidence of clinically relevant depressive symptoms is 6.8/100 person-years. This study aimed to assess the longitudinal relationship between chronic intra oral pain and depressive symptom in Japanese elderly. 3-year cohort study. 212 community-dwelling seniors (129 men, 83 women) aged 77 years residing in the city of Niigata, Japan in 2005. At baseline, subjects were asked about chronic intra oral pain (tooth, gingival or denture pain), with response choices of "yes" or "no". Any type of pain, was counted as chronic intra oral pain. The General Health Questionnaire 30 (GHQ-30) was used to assess depression at follow up. The Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology (TMIG) Index of Competence was used to assess activities of daily living. In multivariate logistic regression, baseline intra oral pain predicted depressive symptoms at follow up (Odds Ratio = 3.2, 95% CI = 1.32-7.81) after adjusting for serum HbA1c, creatinine and working life. Chronic intra oral pain increased the risk for the development of depressive symptoms in the elderly.

Letter to the editor: Responses. Long-Term Tea Consumption and Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in Elderly.

Responses: We thank Dr Joob and Dr Wiwanitkit for their interest in our research work and the valuable comments and suggestions they have provided. I fully agree with them that some uncontrolled factors, such as the intake of other foods, beverages or activities, may help protect against depressive and anxiety symptoms, and hence residual confounding cannot be completely ruled out. Further investigation is needed for a definitive conclusion. Indeed, motivated by growing evidence on neuroprotective benefits of tea consumption (1), my coworkers and I are now planning a new study in which we aim to assess the effects of tea drinking on brain health in a randomized controlled trial.

Interrelatioship between Diet Quality and Depressive Symptoms in Elderly.

Several observational studies have shown association between diet quality and depression, but few studies have explored the interrelationship between these variables. The aim of this study was to assess the interrelationship between diet quality and depressive symptoms in elderly. Cross-sectional study. Population based. 1,378 elderly in the city of Pelotas, Brazil. The diet quality was assessed by a short food frequency questionnaire and the prevalence of depressive symptoms was estimated by the abbreviated Brazilian version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The association between diet quality and depressive symptoms was assessed using logistic regression. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 15.3%. Elderly with low-quality diet were more likely to experience depressive symptoms, and the association was almost twice higher in males than in females (men OR = 3.8, 95% CI 1.4, 10.6; women OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.4, 3.3). On the other hand, depressive elderly had higher odds of consuming a low-quality diet (OR 2.4, 95% CI: 1.7, 3.8). Self-reported data and cross-sectional design limit our conclusions. The choice of a low-quality diet was associated to a higher risk of depressive symptoms in elderly, and vice-versa. These results highlight the importance of encouraging the choice of healthy food habits, especially in depressed elderly, in order to promote healthy aging.

Depressive Symptoms in Elderly Living only or Accompanied: The Impact of Hearing Protection

Depressive Symptoms in Elderly Living only or Accompanied: The Impact of Hearing Protection

BEHAVIORAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA: A 5-YEAR COHORT FOLLOW UP

BEHAVIORAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA: A 5-YEAR COHORT FOLLOW UP

The Effects of Activity in Rhythem Movement on Depressive Mood, Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Elderly with Mild Alzheimer’s Disease

The Effects of Activity in Rhythem Movement on Depressive Mood, Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Elderly with Mild Alzheimer’s Disease

The Prevalence of Neck and Shoulder Symptoms and Associations with Comorbidities and Disability: The Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project.

Neck and shoulder pain are common but underreported by older people, raising important questions of frequency, medical comorbidities, gender and racial disparities and functional impact associated with neck and shoulder symptoms in elders, which we examined in this analysis. We performed a cross-sectional analysis in the community-based Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project, a cohort that is representative of the U.S. population, utilizing data from 1672 participants with a mean age of 68 years; 69% were white and 68% were women. Trained staff obtained data on participant-reported: symptoms, comorbidities, depression, and functional status; and performance-based functional assessments. Regression models of neck and shoulder symptoms and functional measures were adjusted for age, sex, race, and body mass index, and additionally for other joint symptoms and comorbidities. Symptoms of neck (8%), shoulder (13%) or both (13%) were reported by participants. Neck symptoms were most frequently reported by White women; shoulder symptoms were evenly distributed among race and gender subgroups. Neck and shoulder symptoms were associated with cancer, diabetes mellitus, depression, and lung, cardiovascular, and other musculoskeletal problems, as well as pain, aching or stiffness at other sites, and independently with self-reported and performance -based functional measures. These findings suggest that primary health care providers should inquire about neck and shoulder symptoms and address potential underlying causes to improve functional status and decrease disability in older people.

410 Upper Gastrointestinal Mucosal Injury and Symptoms in Elderly Low-Dose Aspirin Users

410 Upper Gastrointestinal Mucosal Injury and Symptoms in Elderly Low-Dose Aspirin Users

Neighborhood support network, perceived proximity to community facilities and depressive symptoms among low socioeconomic status Chinese elders

Objectives: Depressive symptoms are common in older people; most previous research on elderly depression focused on individual-level characteristics or neighborhood socioeconomic status. Modifiable neighborhood characteristics of older people dwelling in low-income communities are under-studied. This study aims to identify potentially modifiable social and physical neighborhood characteristics that influence depressive symptoms independent of individual-level characteristics among older Chinese.Method: Data came from a cross-sectional survey conducted in four low-income public rental housing estates in Hong Kong in 2012. We interviewed a total of 400 elderly residents. The structured questionnaire covered demographics, activities of daily living, recent fall history, neighborhood support networks, and perceived proximity by walk to community facilities. Multiple regression was used to test whether inclusion of neighborhood factors in addition to individual characteristics increases model fit in explaining depressive symptoms in elders with low socioeconomic status.Results: At individual level, activities of daily living and income significantly predicted depressive symptoms. Receiving support from friends or neighbors is associated with fewer depressive symptoms. However, participants who received organizational support had a 1.17 points of increase on the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). At-ease walkable proximity to medical facilities was positively associated with a better GDS score.Conclusion: Neighborhood support networks and perceived proximity by walk to community facilities contribute significantly to depressive symptoms among low-income elders. Programs and policies that facilitate neighborhood support and commuting or promote facility accessibility may help ameliorate depressive symptoms common among low-income elders.

The Association of Neck Pain with Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in Elderly

The present study purposed to investigate the association of neck pain and disorders with depression and anxiety symptoms. An available sample of 200 elderly aged over 60 years with mean age of 65.85 years were selected to be surveyed. The general health questionnaire of Goldberg(1972) and Nordic questionnaire were used at this study. Logistic regression with the significance level of p ≤ 0.05 was used. logistic regression predicted the association of neck pain and disorders with depression and anxiety symptoms(p<0.05). The present study concluded that neck pain and dysfunction may be associated with depression and anxiety in the elderly.

Factors Associated With Depressive Symptoms Among Elders in Senior Residences: The Importance of Feeling Valued by Others

This study investigated (a) whether feeling valued and important is a significant predictor of depressive symptoms in elders residing in senior residences and (b) whether feeling valued and important is a more important predictor of depressive symptoms than self-rated health in this population. The sample consisted of older adults (N = 47) from four senior residences in New York City. The Geriatric Depression Scale was used to assess depressive symptoms and a multiple regression analysis was employed for the analysis. Self-rated health, education level, and feeling valued and important were significant predictors of depressive symptoms. Further, the unique contribution of feeling valued and important accounted for an equal amount of the variance in depressive symptoms as compared to the well established predictor of self-rated health. Therefore, given the importance of feeling valued and important, interventions that provide the opportunity for elders in senior residences to provide meaningful contributions to family and society should be considered.

Effects Of Aerobic Exercise On Depressive Symptoms In Elderly

In Spain, a progressive increase of the associated sanitary cost in problems exists of the mental disorders, for that reason the search of new cheaper, useful, feasible alternatives is necessary and of easy application in elderly. At the present time numerous studies suggest it regular physical activity is related to a reduction of the depressive symptoms. PURPOSE: To study the relation between the moderate physical activity and the depressive symptoms in elderly. METHOD: This study examined during 12 months the relation between a program of aerobic exercise of low intensity based on walking and depressive symptoms, in 180 women (61,6±6,6), of who 51% suffered dysthymic depressive disorder according to the Manual of Statistical Diagnosis and of Mental Diseases, fourth edition, reviewed text (DSM-IV-TR). No of the subjects took antidepressing medication. One valued the depressive state and the mood using the questionnaires Hamilton Rating for Scale Depression (HRSD) and Profile of Mood States (POMS) at the beginning and at the end of the exercise pogramme. RESULTS: After 12 months of exercise, the depressive group showed to significant diminutions in the melancholy (p<.041), somatitation (p<.040), index of melancholy (p<.023), stress (p<.044), tire (p<.039) and confusion (p<.044). CONCLUSIONS: The aerobic exercise in the long term produces important improvements in the symptoms of moderate depression in elderly. The exercise can be considered an alternative to the medical antidepressing treatment.

Comparison of Short Scales to Measure Depressive Symptoms in Elders With Diabetes

Depression is the most common mental health problem among American elders and it is also prevalent among those with diabetes. The 20-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is commonly used to measure depressive symptoms in elders, but its length is potentially burdensome. Twelve short forms of the CES-D (4 to 16 items) exist, but they have not been tested with elders with diabetes. This study compared reliability and validity estimates across the 12 short forms and investigated similarities in classifying elders with diabetes as clinically depressed using standardized cut scores. Beck's theory provides a framework for identifying the affective, cognitive, behavioral, and somatic symptoms that are measured by the CES-D. Data were merged from two studies, which yielded 80 elders with diabetes who completed the CES-D items during structured interviews. Cronbach's alpha was .87 for the CES-D; it ranged from .60 (5 items) to .84 (16 items) for shorter forms. Correlations of the full CES-D and short forms ranged from .82 (4 items) to .98 (16 items). Using the CES-D cut score, 14% of the elders with diabetes had clinically significant depressive symptoms: 21% men, 11% women, 17% African Americans, and 13% Caucasians. A 5-item scale overestimated 29% as clinically depressed: 33% men, 27% women, 25% African Americans, and 29% Caucasians. The findings suggest that shortened scales to measure depressive symptoms may be potentially useful with elders with diabetes. Further psychometric studies of the CES-D short forms are recommended with elders with chronic conditions.

Primary Docs Often Overlook Depressive Symptoms in Elderly

Primary Docs Often Overlook Depressive Symptoms in Elderly