• F Benazzi.
• Department of Psychiatry, Public Hospital Morgagni, Forlì, Italy. f.benazzi@fo.nettuno.it
• Int Psychogeriatr. 1999 Sep 1;11(3):325-32.

AbstractThe aim of the report was to study clinical differences between psychotic late-life depression and psychotic depression in younger patients, to determine if differences were age-related or specific for psychotic late-life depression. Three hundred seventy-six consecutive outpatients, presenting for treatment of unipolar or bipolar depression (with or without psychotic features), were assessed by means of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, the Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale, and the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale. Results showed that psychotic late-life (50 years or more) depression, versus psychotic depression in younger patients, was associated with significantly higher age at study entry/onset, longer duration, and lower comorbidity. Psychotic depression versus nonpsychotic late-life depression, in late-life and in younger patients, was associated with significantly greater severity, lower comorbidity, more patients with bipolar I disorder, and fewer patients with unipolar disorder. Findings were related to psychosis or to age, and not to specific features of psychotic late-life depression. These results support a unitary view of psychotic depression.

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