Geriatric depression: further evidence for the 'vascular depression' hypothesis

Depression in the elderly is a heterogeneous group of syndromes with many biologic and psychosocial antecedents. Recent studies support the notion that vascular processes may play a role in a subset of geriatric depressions. More recently, studies have attempted to delineate between 'vascular' and 'nonvascular' geriatric depression across many different measures. The authors review the recent literature of 'vascular depression' including outcome studies, poststroke depression, neuropsychological studies, and electroencephalographic studies. Some suggestions for future areas of study are forwarded. (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.