ASSOCIATION OF AGE, SEX, COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION, AND DISABILITY WITH MAJOR DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN AN ELDERLY SAMPLE

Objective: Previous studies have yielded conflicting results regarding the association of age, sex, and cognitive deficit with depression in the elderly. However, there is agreement about a relationship between depressive symptoms and disability. The authors previously conducted a factor analysis of the symptoms of major depression in elderly subje cts and found that the symptoms clustered into factors of mood disturb ance and motivation disturbance. The aim of the present study was to r eplicate these findings in a larger population sample and relate some of the variables possibly associated with depression to these two fact ors. Method: A population sample of 1,304 persons aged 75 years or old er registered in a parish of Stockholm were examined by physicians to determine DSM-III-R depressive symptoms and disability in activities o f daily living. The Mini-Mental State examination was also performed. Results: Factor analysis showed factors of mood and motivation symptom s, and these were related differently to the associated variables. Whe n the other associated variables were controlled for, age was unrelate d to both types of symptoms. Women had more mood disturbance, but men had slightly more motivation disturbance. As cognitive function declin ed, mood disturbance first increased, then decreased. Motivation sympt oms increased sharply with decreasing cognitive function. A relationsh ip was found between increasing disability and both the mood and motiv ation symptoms. Conclusions: In the elderly, symptoms of depression in volve either mood or motivation disturbance and the two types of sympt oms are associated with different variables.