Special issue

F.R.J. Verhey, M.L. Stek, F. Bouckaert, R.C. Oude Voshaar

Prevention of depression and anxiety in older people

P.J. van 't Veer-Tazelaar, P. Cuijpers, A.J. Beekman

summary
background In older people, sub-threshold symptom levels of depression or anxiety are characterised by a high prevalence and an unfavourable prognosis. They are the best predictors of the onset of full-blown disorders. There is an urgent ne...

Prevention is coming of age

R.A. Schoevers

Treatment of anxiety disorders in the elderly

G.-J. Hendriks, G.P.J. Keijsers, M. Kampman, M.J.P.M. Verbraak, T.G. Broekman, C.A.L. Hoogduin, R.C. Oude Voshaar

summary
background Although anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in the elderly, they tend to be underdiagnosed and inadequately treated.
aim To collect empirical evidence concerning the effectiveness of the treatmen...

Anxiety in the elderly: From a lack of recognition to improved diagnosis and suitable treatment

J. Schuurmans

Cognitive deficits in late-life depression

S. Köhler, F.R.J. Verhey

summary
background Depression in later life is often accompanied by cognitive deficits that can mimic those of (beginning) dementia. These deficits are expected to vanish when the depression lifts, but this does not always happen.
aim To provide an...

The link between vascular disease, depression and cognitive deterioration in the elderly. Has the vascular depression hypothesis proofed to be correct?

R.C. van der Mast, D.J. Vinkers

Depressive symptoms, cortisol, visceral fat and metabolic syndrome

N. Vogelzangs, B.W.J.H. Penninx

summary
background Metabolic syndrome might explain the relationship between depression and cardiovascular disease.
aim To examine the (longitudinal) relationship between depressive symptoms, cortisol and metabolic syndrome, especially visceral fat....

Depression as a physical disorder

P. Eikelenboom

Imaging of language and communication in dementia

M. Vandenbulcke, R. Vandenberghe

summary
background Social interaction in patients with dementia is compromised by language problems and impairment of other cognitive domains involved in communication.
aim To describe language and communication problems in patients with dementia a...

The many faces of our language

P. van Domburg

The immune system and Alzheimer’s disease

E. van Exel, P. Eikelenboom, H.C. Comijs, C. Kurniawan, M. Frölich, J.H. Smit, M.L. Stek, P. Scheltens, J.E. Eefsting, R.G.J. Westendorp

summary
background It has still not been established unequivocally whether vascular risk factors and inflammatory reactions, determined by heredity, are a cause or a result of Alzheimer’s disease (ad). If the offspring of parents with ad have more ...

What do we really mean by Alzheimer’s?

F.R.J. Verhey

The role of CSF markers in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease

S.J.B. Vos, P.J. Visser, F.R.J. Verhey

summary
background Biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (csf) are being used increasingly to diagnose early Alzheimer’s disease (ad). A csf profile that is suggestive of ad is an abnormal ratio of the proteins Ab1-42 to total tau.
aim To describe the ...

Searched for and found: non-demented patients with Alzheimer’s disease

S. Engelborghs

The costs and benefits of an integrated approach to dementia

C.A.G. Wolfs, C.D. Dirksen, J.L. Severens, A. Kessels, M. Verkaaik, F.R.J. Verhey

summary
background An integrated approach to dementia is generally recommended because no one discipline is adequately equipped it deal with the complex psychic, physical and social problems that are inherent in dementia. A multidisciplinary appr...

Collaborative care works

F. Bouckaert

Elderly patients with schizophrenia: prevalence and distribution of age at onset in a psychiatric catchment area in Amsterdam

P.D. Meesters, M.L. Stek

summary
background Elderly patients with schizophrenia are underrepresented in the literature on schizophrenia, although they constitute a rapidly growing group with specific characteristics. The Amsterdam-based study entitled ‘Schizophrenia in Old...

Elderly with late-onset schizophrenia

J. Peuskens

Diagnosis and assessment of psychopathological symptoms in Parkinson’s disease

J.S.A.M. Reijnders, A.F.G Leentjens

summary
background Parkinson’s disease(pd) is a multidimensional disorder characterized primarily by motor symptoms, but often accompanied by non-motor symptoms, including psychopathological and autonomic symptoms.
aim To provide an overview of cur...

Cooperation between neurologist and psychiatrist improves care