Late-Life Depression PDF
Preview Late-Life Depression
Late-Life Depression This page intentionally left blank LATE-LIFE DEPRESSION Edited by STEVEN P. ROOSE HAROLD A. SACKEIM OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 2004 OXfORD UNIVERSITY PRESS Oxford New York Auckland Bangkok Buenos Aires Cape Town Chennai Dar es Salaam Delhi Hong Kong Istanbul Karachi Kolkata Kuala Lumpar Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Mumbai Nairobi Sao Paulo Shanghai Taipei Tokyo Toronto Copyright © 2004 by Oxford University Press Published by Oxford University Press, Inc. 198 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016 http://www.oup.org Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Oxford University Press Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Late-life depression / edited by Steven P. Roose, Harold A. Sackeim. p. ; cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-19-515274-3 1. Depression in old age. 2. Geriatric psychiatry. 1. Roose, Steven P., 1948- II. Sackeim, Harold A. [DNLM: 1. Depressive Disorder—Aged. 2. Aged—psychology. WM 171 L351 2004] RC537.5.L38 2004 618.97'68527-dc22 2003069051 The science of medicine is a rapidly changing field. As new research and clinical experience broaden our knowledge, changes in treatment and drug therapy do occur. The author and publisher of this work have checked with sources believed to be reliable in their efforts to provide information that is accu- rate and complete, and in accordance with the standards accepted at the time of publication. However, in light of the possibility of human error or changes in the practice of medicine, neither the author, nor the publisher, nor any other party who has been involved in the preparation or publication of this work warrants that the information contained herein is in every respect accurate or complete. Readers are encouraged to confirm the information contained herein with other reliable sources, and are strongly advised to check the product information sheet provided by the pharmaceutical company for each drug they plan to administer. 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 21 Printed in the United States of America on acid free paper For Liz, Matthew and Katie Roose, Alexander Sackeim, and Judith Kiersky. These are the people with whom we wish to grow old. This page intentionally left blank Preface Detection and treatment of depression in the elderly are of paramount importance. The demographics are compelling: by the year 2030, over 70 million people in the United States will be over the age of 65 years. In fact, the most rapidly growing segment of the population is the group over the age of 85 years, whose numbers will double in the next decade. The remarkable growth of the segment of the pop- ulation over the age of 65 is not restricted to the United States or Europe. Indeed, this rate of increase will be equaled, if not exceeded, in Africa, Asia, and South America. Thus, disorders that are prevalent and cause significant morbidity and mortality in older individuals will consume greater health care resources and re- quire more intensive research. Late-life depression is a public health problem of great concern. It is an illness that torments individuals and their families and can frequently frustrate the best at- tempts of the most caring and knowledgeable physicians. Given its significance, it is notable that until now there was no textbook specifically devoted to the com- prehensive presentation of current knowledge about this disease. We felt that there was a compelling need for this book. We sought out prominent scientists and clinicians expert in this field and asked them to write a fresh chapter, critically and comprehensively reviewing the state of knowledge about their topic. We also asked them to incorporate their own think- ing about current theories of the illness, methodological problems endemic to the research area, and optimal treatment of their patients. Senior authors had to agree that they would write the chapter themselves and that it would constitute a new effort. For whom is this book intended? Who should find this volume relevant to their work? Our first goal was to ensure that the volume be accessible, useful, and stim- ulating to the clinician who strives to understand the multiple dimensions of aging and the complexity of late-life depression and who aspires to practice evidence- based interventions. In addition, researchers wrote this book for other researchers, offering perspectives on where the field has been and where it should go. This is a volume that was also prepared for educators and students, including academic fac- ulty, clinical and research fellows, residents, and graduate students. In addition to the review of current knowledge, each chapter illustrates how the author organizes an often methodologically disparate and large database, critically evaluates the find- ings, and distills justifiable conclusions. It is our hope that the contents of this book will influence our judgment, empa- thy, and decision making as we struggle with the most complex and important task—the diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of the suffering patient. New York, NY S. P. R. New York, NY H. A. S. vn This page intentionally left blank Acknowledgments Throughout our careers, we have benefited from teachers, colleagues, students, and, most of all, patients who have taught, influenced, frustrated, and inspired us. To all of them, far too many to mention, we are grateful. We are also grateful to Fiona Stevens, our editor, who transformed our inchoate but strongly held opinions into the plan for this book, and to Judith Kiersky, who formatted and reformatted the chapters until the dawn. IX
The list of books you might like
