Comparison Between Distinguished Type Of Late Life Depression In Biology, Psychosocial Factor And Execution Function

Background:There is no clear idea about the pathogenesis of late life depression. Some clinical research manifested that personality characteristics ,psychosocial factor and biological factor in common result in late life depression. The influence of these factors in different type of aged depression has been distinction. And clinical manifestation such as cognition impairment is also difference in each type of depression. Comparative study about these aspects is still lacking in different types of depression in late life.Objective:1. Compare the personality characteristics, psychosocial factor, vascular risk factor and execution function impairment in different type of late life depression.2. Provide assistant for early identification, society and psychological intervention and therapy of late life depression.Methods:1. We assessed the depression aged over 60 years with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ,4th edition (DSM-IV).2. Ninety late life depression subjects were grouped by diagnosis averagely into three clinical groups: Recurrent geriatric depression (RGD), Late onset depression (LOD), Secondary geriatric depression (SGD).3. The follo wing neuropsychological tasks were used to assess the all subjects: self-restraint scale, Eysenck Personality Questionnaires (EPQ), Life Event Scale (LES), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), Stroop color-word interference test (CWI), verbal fluency (VF).4. Screening the main vascular risk factor according to Framingham Risk Score.we compared the variation between groups with analysis of variance.Results:1. EPQ: The neurotic trait (N) score of RGD group is highest, the other groups having no variation. About E, P and L , there are no statistical signification between three groups.2. LES and SSRS: the negative life events as well as healthy factor effects SGD group more greatly than the others groups.3. The variation of the vascular risk factors according to Framingham Risk Score exists within the groups. The LOD group has higher score than the other groups. However, no significant difference was found between RGD and SGD groups.4. The score of executive impairment in LOD groups is more than the other groups. However, no significant difference was found between RGD and SGD groups.All two-tailed alpha level for each test was set at 0.05.Conclusion:1. Relative to RGD and SGD, the LOD patients have more vascular risk factors,more executive impairment than the other groups.2. The RGD group showing more associated with neurotic trait.3. In SGD group, psychosocial factors which result in depression playing more important role than the other groups.