Cognitive Correlates of Antidepressant Treatment Response in Elders

Unity Health Toronto30 enrolled

Overview

Major depression is a very common health problem affecting older persons. The present standard of treatment is with medications called "antidepressants". Antidepressants have been studied extensively in older persons with normal brain function and have been shown to be effective. However, certain types of brain dysfunction called "executive impairment" (inability to do higher order thinking) may lead to poor treatment outcomes. This study will compare how older depressed people with different levels of executive impairment respond differently to standard antidepressant treatment. Knowing this information will lead to more rational targeting of available treatments, leading to improved treatment outcomes.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Depression

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 65 YearsMax age: 90 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * above the age of 65, * speak English fluently, * experience depression, AND * not yet on active treatment. Exclusion Criteria: * active delirium, * substance abuse, * mental illness other than major depression, * active CNS disease, * unstable systematic medical disease, OR * current of past psychotic disorder.

Cognitive Correlates of Antidepressant Treatment Response in Elders

Overview

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes