Abstract
Background: Early onset depression (EOD) and late onset depression (LOD) may be different phenomena. In this study, differences between EOD and LOD in symptomatology, psychiatric characteristics and psychosocial/somatic factors were examined.
Methods: Baseline data were from 1104 participants with a current major depressive disorder participating in the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (age range 18-65 years). DSM-IV diagnoses, depressive symptoms and age of onset were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Analyses were performed by using a continuous as well as a dichotomous (cut-off 40 years) age of onset indicator.
Results: Differences between EOD and LOD were observed: longer duration of symptoms (p
Conclusions: Despite similarities, our observed differential findings in symptoms, psychiatric characteristics, and psychosocial factors between EOD and LOD further support that EOD is associated with more frequent occurrence of some clinical features of depression. These differential findings are important factors to keep in mind for diagnostics, treatment, and prevention. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 259-267 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Affective Disorders |
| Volume | 138 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - May-2012 |
Keywords
- Depressive disorder
- Age of onset
- Risk factors
- LATE-LIFE DEPRESSION
- NATIONAL-COMORBIDITY-SURVEY
- TEST-RETEST RELIABILITY
- OF-ONSET
- MAJOR DEPRESSION
- FAMILY-HISTORY
- ANXIETY
- DISORDERS
- INTERVIEW
- PREVALENCE