S. Dahabra et al., STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL ABNORMALITIES IN ELDERLY PATIENTS CLINICALLY RECOVERED FROM EARLY-ONSET AND LATE-ONSET DEPRESSION, Biological psychiatry, 44(1), 1998, pp. 34-46
Background: Structural and functional brain changes have been describe
d in elderly patients with unipolar affective disorder. Changes appear
to be more marked in patients with late-onset depression, but the rev
ersibility of such changes after clinical recovery is not known. Metho
ds: Magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalography (EEG), and cogn
itive tests were performed in 23 elderly patients (mean age 66.5 years
) clinically recovered from major depression. Twelve had late-onset de
pression (first episode over 55 years of age); 11 had early onset (fir
st episode before 50 years), EEG and cognitive testing were also perfo
rmed on 15 control subjects. Results: Patients with late-onset depress
ion had larger third and lateral ventricles, increased ventricular-bra
in ratio, and greater frequency and severity of subcortical white matt
er lesions than those with early onset. There was no difference betwee
n early- and late-onset patients in EEG and cognitive measures, but co
mpared with controls patients showed significant changes in EEG evoked
potentials and increased slow-wave activity slowed reaction times, an
d global impairments in cognitive function. Conclusions: These results
suggest that structural changes are greater in patients with late-ons
et depression, and that EEG and cognitive impairments persist after re
covery regardless of age of onset of depression, and are independent o
f structural changes. Biol Psychiatry 1998;44:34-46 (C) 1998 Society o
f Biological Psychiatry.