Depression in the elderly after traumatic brain injury: A systematic review

Primary objective: To systematically review recent research published in peer-reviewed journals that focus on depression in the elderly with TBI. To better understand the prevalence of depression in the elderly after TBI and to note any differences or similarities between the elderly and their younger counterparts. Explore depression in the general elderly population and depression in the overall TBI population to better understand depression in the elderly after TBI. Methods and procedures: MEDLINE and PsychINFO searches garnered one peer-reviewed English language article that met the following inclusion criteria: elderly participants with TBI, depression directly assessed and use of self-report measures and/or structured clinical interview. Main outcomes and results: Prevalence of depression in the elderly range from 1.8-8.9% in community-residing elders to 25% in nursing homes and long-term care settings. Prevalence of depression in the overall TBI population ranges from 15.3-42%. Little research has been published on depression in the elderly following TBI, but the available research report a prevalence of 21-37%. Conclusion: The presence of depression after TBI in the elderly has important implications for rehabilitation treatment. There is a great need for more research in this area requiring more stringent age markers and methodology.