Depression in Late Life: Etiology, Presentation, and Management

Motivation and sensitivity to monetary reward in late-life insomnia: moderating role of sex and the inflammatory marker CRP

“…Prior research has also shown sex differences in reward processing, with adult females exhibiting reduced motivation for monetary reward relative to adult males [28,31]. The current study suggests this pattern remains evident in older adults, despite the array of neurobiological and socioemotional changes that accompany aging [7,14,15,42,43]. However, in the presence of late-life insomnia, this pattern was reversed; males showed a heightened vulnerability to dysregulation of monetary reward processes, in which late-life insomnia conferred greater reductions in reward motivation in males relative to females.…”

“…Furthermore, sleep disturbance has been shown to predict depression recurrence in older adults independent of depressive symptom severity, chronic illness, or antidepressant use [6]. The mechanisms that contribute to the link between insomnia and depression are not known, and the absence of research is particularly striking in older adults given their prevalence of insomnia and the adverse effects of late-life depression on psychosocial and physical health [1,7,8].…”

“…Anhedonia, a cardinal symptom of depression, is thought to be due to alterations in reward processing and can manifest as reduced motivation for reward (i.e., reduced "wanting"), reduced sensitivity for reward (i.e., reduced "liking"), and/or blunted reward learning. Older adults report difficulties with motivation in the context of depression [7] and are hypothesized to be vulnerable to reward dysregulation due to age-related decreases in frontostriatal dopaminergic function [14,15].…”

Etiopathogenesis of depression and experimental depression models used in preclinical studies

“…Depression is a psychiatric disorder that ranks first among neurological and mental disorders [1,2]. Today, this disease, which can disrupt normal functioning in many societies worldwide, causes depressive thoughts, deterioration in cognitive and social functions, severely impair the patient's quality of life, and significantly increases morbidity and mortality [3][4][5]. Low socio-economic status, being divorced, unemployment, substance and alcohol addiction, anxiety disorders, history of depression, stress factors, childhood traumas, some drugs and diseases are the main risk factors for the development of depression [6,7].…”

Investigating the relationship between satisfaction of basic psychological needs, general health, and some background variables in the Iranian older adults: a cross-sectional study

“…People feel competent when they can participate in experiences and activities in which they use their skills and expertise [ 20 ]. The older adults’ sense of competence is affected by changes in cognitive competencies as well as physical limitations and injuries [ 21 ]. Accordingly, meeting BPNs, such as autonomy, competence, and relatedness can help reduce mental diseases, such as depression and anxiety, and mobility reduction in older adults.…”