Cognitive Correlates of Antidepressant Treatment Response in Elders

Summary

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.

Timeline

Start

2007-06

Primary completion

2009-04

Completion

2009-10

Drugs

Indications