Depression in old age Specific psychotherapy can help

Huge study on specific psychotherapy for age depression
Experts pointed out last year that mental illness in old age is far more common than is often assumed. Of particular importance are depression. In a new study, the effectiveness of a specific psychotherapy for age depression will now be examined.

More and more people suffer from depression
According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, the number of people with depression worldwide has increased significantly. In the EU too, more and more people are suffering from the mental illness. Actually, depression can be treated well, as long as they are detected early. But what about seniors who often have a late detection of the disease? In a large study, the effectiveness of a specific psychotherapy for age depression will now be examined.

Depression is a serious - sometimes life-threatening and increasing mental illness in high to high age. In a large study, the effectiveness of a specific psychotherapy for age depression will now be examined. (Image: pololia / fotolia.com)

Sometimes life-threatening illness
Depression can manifest itself in a variety of symptoms: lack of drive, lack of motivation, sadness, little zest for life.

However, the effects are often very different. For example, depression in old age often goes unrecognized because the mental illness is reflected in physical rather than emotional symptoms.

This complicates the therapy. But especially in high to high age, depression is a serious - sometimes life-threatening and increasing mental illness.

Although psychotherapeutic concepts that specifically address the issues of the elderly are available, they have not been adequately tested in clinical trials.

Largest study on psychotherapy of age depression
With a total of more than 1.9 million euros, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) supports the world's largest multicenter study on the psychotherapy of aging depression under the coordination of Prof. Dr. med. Frank Jessen, Director of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Cologne together with Prof. Dr. med. Martin Hautzinger, University of Tübingen.

"Since antidepressant drug therapies in old age are often limited in their use due to contraindications or interactions with other drugs, and are also less effective in their efficacy than younger age, proven effective psychotherapeutic strategies for the treatment of age depression would be of great value." Prof. Jessen in a communication.

The study, which involves a total of seven centers in Germany, will treat a total of 248 subjects, each with a duration of eight weeks, with a behavioral intervention specifically developed for age depression in comparison with non-specific supportive therapy.

The primary objective of the study is to investigate depression six months after onset. "Should the study prove the effectiveness of specific psychotherapy in old age, an immediately implementable effective treatment would be available for this often complex patient group," said study coordinator Prof. Jessen. (Ad)