Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-m8qmq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-18T16:00:23.836Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Ageing and Affective Disorders: The Age at First Onset of Affective Disorders in Scotland, 1969–1978

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

John M. Eagles  and
Lawrence J. Whalley
John M. Eagles*
Affiliation:
Royal Cornhill Hospital, Cornhill Road, Aberdeen AB9 2ZH
Lawrence J. Whalley
Affiliation:
MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Thomas Clouston Clinic, 153 Morningside Drive, Edinburgh EH10 5LG
*
∗Correspondence
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

First admission rates from 1969–78 for Scottish psychiatric units were calculated for discharge diagnoses of affective psychosis for each five-year age-group from 15 years to over 74 years. There were clear-cut linear increases in rates of depressive psychoses, mania, and all affective psychoses, consistent with a relatively steady increase in the rate of first-onset affective psychoses with increasing age. These findings are discussed in terms of social, psychological, and biological hypotheses of the causes of affective disorder. It is argued that no single factor could produce the observed linear increases with age and that the data appear more consistent with an integrative aetiological model of affective disorder.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 147 , Issue 2 , August 1985 , pp. 180 - 187
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Achte, K. (1970) Menopause from the psychiatrist's point of view. Acta Obstetricia et Gynaecologica Scandinavica, 49, Supp. 1, 7–17.Google Scholar
Akiskal, H. S. & McKinney, W. T. (1975) Overview of recent research in depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 32, 285–305.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ambelas, A. (1979) Psychologically stressful events in the precipitation of manic episodes. British Journal of Psychiatry, 135, 15–21.Google Scholar
Ballinger, C. B. (1975) Psychiatric morbidity and the menopause; screening of a general population sample. British Medical Journal, 3, 344–346.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barraclough, B., Bunch, J., Nelson, B. & Sainsbury, P. (1974) A hundred cases of suicide: clinical aspects. British Journal of Psychiatry, 125, 355–373.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bengtsson, C., Lindquist, O. & Redvall, L. (1981) Menstrual status and menopausal age of middle-aged Swedish women. Acta Obstetricia et Gynaecologica Scandinavica, 60, 269–275.Google Scholar
Blazer, D. & Williams, C. D. (1980) Epidemiology of dysphoria and depression in an elderly population. American Journal of Psychiatry, 137, 439–444.Google Scholar
Blessed, G. & Wilson, I. (1982) The contemporary natural history of mental disorder in old age. British Journal of Psychiatry, 141, 59–64.Google Scholar
Boyd, J. H. & Weissman, M. M. (1981) Epidemiology of affective disorders: a re-examination and future directions. Archives of General Psychiatry, 38, 1039–1046.Google Scholar
Boyd, J. H. & Weissman, M. M. (1982) Epidemiology In Handbook of Affective Disorders, (ed. Paykel, E. S.), Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.Google Scholar
Boyd, W. D. & Robinson, R. A. (1983) Psychiatry of Old Age in: Companion to Psychiatric Studies, (ed. Kendell, R. E. and Zealley, A. K.), Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.Google Scholar
Brody, H. & Vijayashankar, N. (1977) Anatomical Changes in the Nervous System In Handbook of the Biology of Ageing, (ed. Finch, C. E. and Hayflick, L.), pp. 241–261, New York: Van Nostrand Rheinhold.Google Scholar
Brown, G. W., Harris, T. O. & Copeland, J. R. (1977) Depression and loss. British Journal of Psychiatry, 130, 1–18.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brown, G. W., Parkes, C. M. & Wing, J. K. (1961) Admissions and readmissions to three London mental hospitals. Journal of Mental Science, 107, 1070–1077.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bungay, G. T., Vessey, M. P. & McPherson, C. K. (1980) Study of symptoms in middle life with special reference to the menopause. British Medical Journal, 281, 181–183.Google Scholar
Christie, A. B. (1982) Changing patterns in mental illness in the elderly. British Journal of Psychiatry, 140, 154–159.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Christie, A. B. & Train, J. D. (1984) Change in the pattern of care for the demented. British Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 9–15.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Christie Brown, M. (1976) Emotional response to the menopause In The Management of the Menopause and Post-menopausal Years, (ed. Campbell, S.), Lancaster: MTP Press.Google Scholar
Clayton, P., Halikas, J. & Maurice, W. (1972) The depression of widowhood. British Journal of Psychiatry, 120, 71–77.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coulam, C. B. (1981) Age, estrogens and the psyche. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 24, 219–229.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Deykin, E. Y., Jacobson, S. Klerman, G. & Soloman, M. (1966) The empty nest: psychosocial aspects of conflict between depressed women and their grown children. American Journal of Psychiatry, 122, 1422–1426.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dilling, H. & Weyerer, S. (1984) Prevalence of mental disorders in the small-town-rural region of Traunstein (Upper Bavaria). Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 69, 60–79.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Eagles, J. M. & Gilleard, C. J. (1984) The demented elderly admitted to a psychogeriatric assessment unit: changes in disability and outcome from 1977–1982. British Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 314–316.Google Scholar
Eaton, W. W. & Kessler, L. G. (1981) Rates of symptoms of depression in a national sample. American Journal of Epidemiology, 114, 528–538.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Finch, C. E. (1977) Neuroendocrine and autonomic aspects of ageing In Handbook of the Biology of Ageing, (eds. Finch, C. E. & Hayflick, L.). New York: Van Nostrand Rheinhold.Google Scholar
Freud, S. (1917) Mourning and melancholia In Collected Papers, Vol. 4, London: Hogarth Press, 1950.Google Scholar
Gurland, B. J. (1976) The comparative frequency and types of depression in various adult age groups. Journal of Gerontology, 31, 283–292.Google Scholar
Hallstrom, T. (1984) Point prevalence of major depressive disorder in a Swedish urban female population. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 69, 52–59.Google Scholar
Harel, Z., Sollod, R. N. & Bognar, B. J. (1982) Predictors of mental health among semi-rural aged. Gerontologist, 22, 499–504.Google Scholar
Hughes, M. & Gove, W. R. (1981) Living alone, social integration and mental health. American Journal of Sociology, 87, 48–74.Google Scholar
Jolley, B. J. & Arie, T. (1978) Organisation of psychogeriatric services. British Journal of Psychiatry, 132, 1–11.Google Scholar
Joyce, B. R. (1984) Age of onset in bipolar affective disorder and misdiagnosis as schizophrenia. Psychological Medicine, 14, 145–149.Google Scholar
Kay, D. W. K., Beamish, P. & Roth, M. (1964) Old age mental disorders in Newcastle upon Tyne, Part 2—Study of possible social and medical causes. British Journal of Psychiatry. 110, 668–682.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kendell, R. E. (1970) Relationship between aggression and depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 22, 308–318.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kendell, R. E. (1983) Affective psychoses In Companion to Psychiatric Studies (eds. Kendell, R. E. & Zealley, A. K.). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.Google Scholar
Kennedy, S., Thompson, R., Stancer, H. C. Roy, A. & Persad, E. (1983) Life events precipitating mania. British Journal of Psychiatry. 142, 398–403.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kessel, N. & Shepherd, M. (1962) Neurosis in hospital and general practice. Journal of Mental Science, 108, 159–166.Google Scholar
Klein, M. (1965) A contribution to the psychogenesis of manic depressive states In Contributions to Psychoanalysis, 1921–45 (ed. Sutherland, J. D.). London: Hogarth Press.Google Scholar
Kreitman, N. (1983) Suicide and parasuicide In Companion to Psychiatric Studies (eds. Kendell, R. E. & Zealley, A. K.). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.Google Scholar
Larson, B. (1978) Thirty years of research on the subjective well being of older Americans. Journal of Gerontology, 33, 109–129.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Levanger, A. W. & Levine, P. M. (1978) Age at onset of bipolar affective illness. Archives of General Psychiatry, 35, 1345–1348.Google Scholar
Lyketsos, G. C. Blackburn, I. M. & Tsiantis, J. (1978) The movement of hostility during recovery from depression. Psychological Medicine, 8, 145–149.Google Scholar
McGeer, P. L., McGeer, E. G. & Suzuki, J. S. (1976) Ageing and extrapyramidal function. Archives of Neurology, 34, 33–35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Macmahon, B. & Worcester, J. (1966) Age at Menopause. United States 1960–62. Washington D. C.: National Centre for Health Statistics.Google Scholar
Murphy, E. & Grundy, E. (1984) A comparative study of bed usage by younger and older patients with depression. Psychological Medicine. 14, 445–450.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Office of Health Economics (1981) Suicide and Deliberate Self Harm. Luton: White Crescent Press.Google Scholar
Parkes, C. M. (1964) Recent bereavement as a cause of mental illness. British Journal of Psychiatry, 110, 198–204.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Paykel, E. S., Myers, J. K., Dienelt, M. N., Klerman, G. L., Lindenthal, J. J. & Pepper, M. P. (1969) Life events and depression: a controlled study. Archives of General Psychiatry. 21, 753–766.Google Scholar
Paykel, E. S. (1982) Life events and early environment In Handbook of Affective Disorders (cd. Paykel, E. S.). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.Google Scholar
Pederson, A. M., Barry, D. J. & Babigan, H. M. (1972) Epidemiological considerations of psychotic depression. Archives of General Psychiatry. 27, 193–197.Google Scholar
Perris, C. (1968) The course of depressive psychoses. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 44, 238–248.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pittendrigh, C. S. & Dean, S. (1974) Orcadian oscillators in rodents: a systematic increase in their frequency with age. Science. 186, 548–550.Google Scholar
Pollitt, J. (1977) Sex difference and the mind. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine, 70, 145–148.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Post, F. (1982) Affective disorders in old age In Handbook of Affective Disorders (cd. Paykel, E. S.). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.Google Scholar
Rawnsley, K. & Loudon, J. B. (1962) Factors influencing the referral of patients to pscyhiatrists by general practitioners. British Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine. 16, 174–182.Google Scholar
Robertson, N. C. (1979) Variations in referral pattern to the psychiatric services by general practitioners. Psychological Medicine. 9, 355–364.Google Scholar
Rosenthal, S. H. (1968) The involutional depressive syndrome. American Journal of Psychiatry. 124, (Supplement—Depression), 21–35.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Seligman, M. E. P. (1976) Reversal of performance deficits and perceptual deficits in learned helplessness and depression. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 85, 11–26.Google Scholar
Shepherd, M., Cooper, B. Brown, A. C. & Kalton, G. (1966) Psychiatric Illness in General Practice. London: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Shock, N. W. (1977) Systems integration In Handbook of the Biology of Ageing (eds. Finch, C. E. & Hayflick, L.). New York: Van Nostrand Rheinhold.Google Scholar
Shulman, K. & Arie, T. (1978) Fall in admission rate of old people to psychiatric units. British Medical Journal. 1, 156–158.Google Scholar
Shulman, K. & Post, F. (1980) Bipolar affective disorders in old age. British Journal of Psychiatry. 136, 26–32.Google Scholar
Silverman, C. (1968) The Epidemiology of Depression. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press.Google ScholarPubMed
Spicer, C. C., Hare, E. H. & Slater, E. (1973) Neurotic and psychotic forms of depressive illness: evidence from age-incidence in a national sample. British Journal of Psychiatry, 123, 535–541.Google Scholar
Tunstall, J. (1966) Old and Alone. A Sociological Study of Old People. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.Google Scholar
Weismann, M. M. (1979) The myth of involutional melancholia. Journal of the American Medical Association. 242, 742–744.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weismann, M. M. & Klerman, G. L. (1977) Sex differences and the epidemiology of depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 34, 98–111.Google Scholar
Weismann, M. M. & Myers, J. K. (1978) Rates and risks of depressive symptoms in a United States urban community. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 57, 219–231.Google Scholar
Wever, R. (1979) The Orcadian System of Man. Berlin: Springer-Verlag.Google Scholar
Whalley, L. J., Roberts, D. F., Wentzel, J. & Wright, A. F. (1982) Genetic factors in puerperal affective psychoses. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 65, 180–193.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Williams, D. (1971) The menopause. British Medical Journal, 2, 208–211.Google Scholar
Wing, J. K. & Hailey, A. M. (1972) Evaluation a Community Psychiatric Service: The Camberwell Register 1964–1971. London: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Winokur, G. (1973) Depression in the menopause. American Journal of Psychiatry, 130, 92–93.Google Scholar
Winokur, G. Clayton, P. & Reich, T. (1969) Manic-depressive Illness. St. Louis: C. V. Mosby.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.