SUBCORTICAL HYPERINTENSITIES ON MRI AND ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING INGERIATRIC DEPRESSION

Data from 30 elderly inpatients with major depression were analyzed to explore the relationship between subcortical hyperintensities (SH) on MRI and activities of daily living (ADLs). A comparison of subjects b ased on a median split of the severity of SH revealed that subjects wi th greater SH performed worse on both instrumental and physical ADLs. A hierarchial multiple, regression revealed that age, depression sever ity, neuropsychological test performance, and SH variables accounted f or a total of 53% of the variance in ADL functioning. Severity of SH a ccounted for an additional 18% of the variance over and above the othe r three variables. Results suggest that severity of subcortical diseas e measured by MRI improves prediction of functional impairment in elde rly individuals.