TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2016//
TI  - Cognitive function in older suicide attempters and a population-based comparison group
JO  - Journal of geriatric psychiatry and neurology
A1  - Olsson, Petter
A1  - Wiktorsson, Stefan
A1  - Sacuiu, Simona
A1  - Marlow, Thomas
A1  - Ostling, Svante
A1  - Fässberg, Madeleine Mellqvist
A1  - Skoog, Ingmar
A1  - Waern, Margda
SP  - 133
EP  - 141
VL  - 29
IS  - 3
N2  - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to compare cognitive function in older suicide attempters with a population-based comparison group.   Methods: Hospitalized suicide attempters aged 70 years and older were assessed cognitively at baseline (n = 99) and 1-year follow-up (n = 59). Depression symptoms were rated with the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). <br><br>RESULTS of cognitive assessments in attempters were compared with results in nonattempter comparison subjects (n = 115) selected among participants in our population-based health studies to yield a similar distribution of MADRS scores.   Results: Suicide attempters scored lower on Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) than comparison persons. Among attempters, the mean MMSE score was lower in those with medically serious attempts. Attempters displayed poorer performance on tests of pentagon drawing and abstract thinking compared to comparison persons, and the results remained also after exclusion of those with medically serious attempts. At 1-year follow-up, significant improvement in MADRS scores was observed in the attempters. No evidence of improvement could be shown regarding cognitive deficits.   Conclusion: Older suicide attempters may have cognitive deficits, which may in part be related to the attempt itself. This needs to be taken into account when designing intervention strategies.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0891-9887
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0891988715627015
ID  - ref1
ER  -