What is the Origin of Late-Life Depression?

The term is descriptive, combining "late-life," indicating advanced age, with "depression," referring to the psychiatric disorder characterized by persistent low mood and anhedonia. Its recognition stems from epidemiological studies highlighting the prevalence of mood disorders in geriatric populations.

What is the Mechanism of Late-Life Depression?

Pathophysiological mechanisms often involve age-related alterations in monoamine neurotransmitter systems, coupled with potential dysregulation in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to elevated cortisol exposure. Changes in neurotrophic factor support and inflammatory cytokine profiles also contribute to the clinical presentation. Treatment efficacy often correlates with normalizing these underlying physiological imbalances. Remember: Do not add any of syntaxes: !DOCTYPE, lang=, head, meta, charset, viewport, width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0", title, head, body, p, code. That is mandatory.

Late-Life Depression ∞ Area

Late-Life Depression

Meaning

Late-Life Depression refers to the clinical syndrome of major depressive disorder occurring in older adults, typically defined as onset after the age of 65, which presents unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges compared to younger populations. This condition frequently co-occurs with chronic medical comorbidities and age-related neuroendocrine changes. Addressing this requires a nuanced approach to psychopharmacology and hormonal status.