TY - JOUR
T1 - Depression and mortality in the elderly
AU - Schulz, Richard
AU - Martire, Lynne M.
AU - Beach, Scott R.
AU - Scheier, Michael F.
N1 - Funding Information:
Preparation of this manuscript was supported in part by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health (R01 MH46015, R01 MH52247, T32 MH19986), National Institute on Aging (AG13305, AG01532), and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (P50 HL65112).
PY - 2000/12
Y1 - 2000/12
N2 - It is well known that depression can be a consequence of medical illness and disability, but a growing literature suggests also that depression can cause biological changes linked to morbidity and mortality. Depression is strongly implicated as a contributor to cardiovascular disease and mortality. Using the cascade-to-death model as a conceptual framework, we explore the complex relations among behavior, affect, motivation, and pathophysiology that might account for the association between depression and premature death. Our model suggests that some individuals become entrapped in a downward spiral in which behaviour, medical illness, and depressive affect feed on each other to undermine the biological integrity of the organism. In addition to specifying behavioral and biological mechanisms linking depression to mortality, future research needs to more closely examine phenomenological aspects of depression in order to determine what aspects of depression and related constructs such as hopelessness, vital exhaustion, and motivational depletion account for the link between depression and mortality.
AB - It is well known that depression can be a consequence of medical illness and disability, but a growing literature suggests also that depression can cause biological changes linked to morbidity and mortality. Depression is strongly implicated as a contributor to cardiovascular disease and mortality. Using the cascade-to-death model as a conceptual framework, we explore the complex relations among behavior, affect, motivation, and pathophysiology that might account for the association between depression and premature death. Our model suggests that some individuals become entrapped in a downward spiral in which behaviour, medical illness, and depressive affect feed on each other to undermine the biological integrity of the organism. In addition to specifying behavioral and biological mechanisms linking depression to mortality, future research needs to more closely examine phenomenological aspects of depression in order to determine what aspects of depression and related constructs such as hopelessness, vital exhaustion, and motivational depletion account for the link between depression and mortality.
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U2 - 10.1111/1467-8721.00095
DO - 10.1111/1467-8721.00095
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0034338664
SN - 0963-7214
VL - 9
SP - 204
EP - 208
JO - Current Directions in Psychological Science
JF - Current Directions in Psychological Science
IS - 6
ER -