Depression and Aging, Correlation in a Sample of Older

Adults from Bogota-Colombia

Urazan, J. C*; Nitola L. M*; Polanco A. M*; Mejia O. J**
*Programa de Psicología Coorporación Universitaria Iberoamericana, **Universidad
Manuela Beltrán
jcurazan@gmail.com; juan.urazan@ibero.edu.co

INTRODUCTION
Depression in later life has been associated with an
approximate two-fold increased risk of Alzheimer dementia
(AD). Several mechanisms of association have been proposed to
explain the excess risk observed among older adults with
depression.
However, depression is a heterogeneous disorder, and it is not
clear which clinical characteristics among older adults with
depression are most closely associated with risk of AD.
Alternately, it has been proposed that depression is not a true
risk factor for AD but occurs as an early symptom of beta-
amyloid deposition and neurodegenerative disease.
Conversely, several studies, including those with much
longer durations of follow-up, have reported an increased risk of
AD among those with early onset depression. In these studies,
an incremental risk has been reported according to number of
previous depressive episodes and severity of symptoms.
METODOLOGY
Objective: The aim of this research was to evaluate the levels
of depression in a simple of elderly adults with normal aging,
mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
Participants: Ninety-one elderly adults (60-80 years old) from
both sexes from Bogotá.
Methods: Cross-sectional study where data was collected with
a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Zarit burden interview,
the Cornell scale for depression in dementia, the functional
activities questionnaire, and the Montreal interview. Descriptive
data was assessed and a Spearman correlation between Cornell
scale and Zarit burden, Montreal and the functional activities
questionnaire.

RESULTS
According to the Cornell scale 46,15% of participants do not present depression, 18,68% present a likelihood of depression, and
35.,16% present depression. According to Montreal Interview, 24,18% do not present cognitive impairment, 40,66% present mild
cognitive impairment, and 35,16% present dementia. According to the functional activities questionnaire, 76,92 do not present
functional dependence, and 23.08% present functional dependence. According to Zarit burden, 90,11% present great burden, 5,49%
present a light burden, and 4,4% present a burden without tension. Spearman correlation between variables revealed a positive
correlation between depression and cognitive impairment, a positive correlation between depression and dependence, and a positive
correlation between depression and burden.

CONCLUSIONS
these results suggest that elderly adults without cognitive impairment
are less likely to present depression, and that adults with high
depression will have a great burden on caretakers and high levels of
dependence. However, more studies are required to expand this
conclusion.
REFERENCES
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