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Late-Life Depressive Disorder in the Community

II. the Relationship between Psychiatric History, MMSE and Family History

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Rob Van Ojen ,
Chris Hooijer ,
Dick Bezemer ,
Cees Jonker ,
Jaap Lindeboom  and
Willem Van Tilburg
Rob Van Ojen*
Affiliation:
Valerius Clinic, Amsterdam; Department of Psychiatry, Free University, The Netherlands
Chris Hooijer
Affiliation:
Valerius Clinic, Amsterdam; Department of Psychiatry, Free University, The Netherlands
Dick Bezemer
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine (EMGO), The Netherlands
Cees Jonker
Affiliation:
Valerius Clinic, Amsterdam; Department of Psychiatry, Free University, The Netherlands
Jaap Lindeboom
Affiliation:
Valerius Clinic, Amsterdam; Department of Psychiatry, Free University, The Netherlands
Willem Van Tilburg
Affiliation:
Valerius Clinic, Amsterdam; Department of Psychiatry, Free University, The Netherlands
*
Rob van Ojen, AMSTEL Project, Prins Hendriklaan 27–29, 1075 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Abstract

Background

In previous studies, dementia was linked to a family history of dementia and Down's syndrome. This study tested the hypothesis that late-life depression accompanied by cognitive impairment in elderly individuals with no history of psychiatric illness is also associated with these family histories.

Method

We investigated an age-stratified sample of 4051 elderly people in the community aged 65–84 (AMSTEL). The relationship between family history (CAMDEX questionnaire) and depression (GMS-AGECAT diagnosis) was studied.

Results

A family history of mental health problems was associated with all subtypes of depression. Family history of dementia was associated with depression in subjects with a psychiatric history, but a family history of Down's syndrome was only associated with the combination of depression and cognitive impairment in subjects with no history of psychiatric illness.

Conclusions

The heritability pattern confirms the concept of a dementia-related subtype of late-life depression.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 166 , Issue 3 , March 1995 , pp. 316 - 319
Copyright
Copyright © 1995 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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