Affective disorders in the elderly

Abstract

The psychopathologic disorders present a high prevalence in the general population (15-25%). On the other hand, the populational aging is one of the demographic phenomena with a clear trend to increase. The aged population, constitutes by if same, a group of risk where, to the related factors of mental problems that affect in the adult age, there are other more specific and characteristic of the old age associated. In the present work we present a review of the affective disorders in the geriatric population, and its relationship with different biological variables related to the own aging, the health state or the functional level; sociodemographic variables as age, sex, residence, functional ability or educational training, and psychosocial variables as life customs, anxiety and depression symptoms, vital events or social support.