Beyond nosography of depression in elderly.

The patterns of depressive symptoms that occur in the elderly are appreciably different from those manifested in younger-age groups. Older depressed patents tend to report more somatic and cognitive symptoms than affective ones. An exclusively categorical approach to depression among the elderly does not provide adequate means for an exhaustive classification of mood disorders in old age. Taking into account clinical features, high comorbidity and the overlap with the physiological somatic changes due to aging, a dimensional approach seems to better account for depressive symptoms in the elderly.