Past Issues
Depressive Mood and Cognition in the Elderly
Schizophrenic Patients
Chao Huang, M.D., MHSc 1,2, Ya-lin Zhang, M.D., Ph.D.2, Yu-Tsai Lin, M.D.1
Objectives: To investigate gender difference and correlation between depression,
cognition and symptoms, role function of chronic ward elderly schizophrenic
patients. Methods: With the cross-sectional study method, we investigated all the
hospitalized elderly schizophrenia patients in one northern psychiatric chronic
ward from June to September 2007. All the subjects were matched the diagnostic
criteria of schizophrenia in DSM-IV-TR and age 60 years old or above. We
enrolled 52 subjects (31 males, mean age=65.7 years). We collected information of
demographic data and illness history. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Center
for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Mini-Mental Status Examination,
Activities of Daily Living Rating Scale for Psychiatric Patients, Community
Self-Suffi ciency Test, and the General Assessment of Functioning Scale were
administered. Results: Depression was found to be related to positive, general
psychopathology, and total symptoms severity. Cognitive impairment was found
to be related to negative symptoms, ADLRS independent subscale and total score.
Female patients was found to have more being married and positive symptoms.
Conclusions: In chronic ward elderly schizophrenic patients, depression and cognitive
impairment had different related factors. Further large scale, longitudinal
studies are needed to understand the causes of these fi ndings.
cognition and symptoms, role function of chronic ward elderly schizophrenic
patients. Methods: With the cross-sectional study method, we investigated all the
hospitalized elderly schizophrenia patients in one northern psychiatric chronic
ward from June to September 2007. All the subjects were matched the diagnostic
criteria of schizophrenia in DSM-IV-TR and age 60 years old or above. We
enrolled 52 subjects (31 males, mean age=65.7 years). We collected information of
demographic data and illness history. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Center
for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Mini-Mental Status Examination,
Activities of Daily Living Rating Scale for Psychiatric Patients, Community
Self-Suffi ciency Test, and the General Assessment of Functioning Scale were
administered. Results: Depression was found to be related to positive, general
psychopathology, and total symptoms severity. Cognitive impairment was found
to be related to negative symptoms, ADLRS independent subscale and total score.
Female patients was found to have more being married and positive symptoms.
Conclusions: In chronic ward elderly schizophrenic patients, depression and cognitive
impairment had different related factors. Further large scale, longitudinal
studies are needed to understand the causes of these fi ndings.
| Key Word | elderly schizophrenia, clinical symptoms, cognition, role function |
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