Evaluation of Mood at Mental Status Examination in Geriatric Patients

ABSTRACT

Among the elderly, affective disorders constitute the most commenly encountered psychiatric illness. Evaluation of Mood in the elderly patients is important because of uniqueness of senile depression. Depression in the elderly may present with various clinical symptoms such as chronic pain, multiple somatic complaints, or even dementia (pseudodementia). Also the seriousness of depression in the elderly is shown by the increase in and success of suicidal attempts among this group. About 15% of the total deaths of patients with affective disorder are due to suicide. Although some elderly depressed individuals presently atypically, most can be diagnosed according to the Washington University research criteria, which form the basis for the DSM-IV. In view of the effective therapies available for depression, it is especially crucial to make the diagnosis and proceed with treatment. The auther also reviewed rating scales of depression.