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Diagnosis and Management of Depressed Mood in the Older Person

  • Brendan FlynnEmail author
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Abstract

  • Depressive symptoms are not synonymous with a depressive disorder.

  • There is a wide range of explanations for depressive symptoms, many of which are not related to psychiatric illness.

  • The presence or absence of melancholic symptoms is a core diagnostic distinction, particularly in the older individual.

  • Effective treatment of a major depressive episode includes pharmacological, social and psychological strategies.

  • The evidence for differential efficacy of antidepressants is modest.

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Copyright information

© The Editor(s)  2018

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.University of NewcastleNewcastleAustralia
  2. 2.Director of Medical ServicesHunter New England Mental Health, Hunter New England Local Health DistrictNewcastleAustralia

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