EFFECTS OF MAJOR DEPRESSION ON THE COGNITIVE FUNCTION OF YOUNGER AND OLDER SUBJECTS

The effects of age and depression on cognitive function were investiga ted in two groups of in-patient major depressives aged under and over 60 years who were tested when depressed and after recovery. The majori ty of the tests showed impaired performance during depression with imp rovement after recovery, and also differences between the two age-grou ps in both the depressed and recovered phases. However, the older subj ects were not more severely affected by depression than the younger su bjects. The pattern of impairment associated with depression was diffe rent to that associated with older age: depression affected performanc e on more 'complex tasks', whereas age was associated particularly wit h slowing on timed tests. This study did not suggest that the impairme nt from baseline due to depression is greater in the elderly than in y ounger subjects.