MENTAL-ILLNESS IN LATE-LIFE - THE NEUROBIOLOGY OF DEPRESSION

The majority of elderly adults negotiate late life free from significa nt psychological disability. However, depression is one of the most co mmon and distressing mental health problems they face. A number of fac tors associated with mental heath, illness and depression in older adu lts is reviewed. In addition, an overview of selected psychological an d biological theories related to depression are presented with the foc us on genetic studies and the neurobiologic nature of stress to demons trate the interaction between brain, behavior, cognition, and emotion. Psychiatric mental health nurses are challenged not only to examine t he complex interaction between physical, mental, and social factors, b ut to integrate this knowledge into the discipline of psychiatric-ment al health nursing, its practice, research, and education. Copyright (C ) 1995 by W.B. Saunders Company