Citation

Chan SS, Lyness JM, Conwell Y. Am. J. Geriatr. Psychiatry 2007; 15(6): 541-544.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. schan@cuhk.edu.hk

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1097/JGP.0b013e31803c5523

PMID

17545453

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Cerebrovascular pathologies have been implicated as a cause of depressive disorders. This study aims to examine the role of cerebrovascular risk factors in late-life suicide. METHODS: The authors calculated cerebrovascular risk factor (CVRF) score, based on the American Heart Association Criteria, for each case and comparison subject from a psychological autopsy study of suicide among community-dwelling adults over age 50 years. RESULTS: CVRF scores were significantly higher in suicide cases than community-dwelling comparison subjects after accounting for age, sex, depression diagnosis, and functional status. CONCLUSION: Cerebrovascular disease may predispose to suicide in older adults by a variety of psychopathological means.

Language: en