Cognitive impairment and depression in older people have challenged clinicians and families for decades. These conditions affect well over half of people after age 65 with an incidence that increases with advancing age. Many factors account for this including the aging brain, loss of purpose, social isolation, personal losses, medical morbidity, and others. The mortality, disability, and burdens associated with these conditions, affecting patients, family members, and society at large are legion. Advances in epidemiology, brain science, therapeutics, and in service delivery continue to improve our understanding of these conditions, their causes, and the best ways to treat them. Despite this cognitive impairment and depression in later life remain underdiagnosed and undertreated in the United States. This book provides a single source for clinicians who treat older people to become more effective in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of these challenging late life conditions. It offers a pragmatic, easy-to-use, resource that guides clinicians in how to best evaluate and treat older people with depression and cognitive impairment.

PBR:Department of PsychiatryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimore, MDMS:Department of PsychiatryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimore, MD

1. Cognitive Impairment and Depression Martin Steinberg, M.D. and Paul B. Rosenberg, M.D. 2. The Office Assessment of Depression and Cognitive Impairment Martin Steinberg, M.D. and Paul B. Rosenberg, M.D. 3. What Are the First Signs and Symptoms of Dementia? Paul B. Rosenberg, M.D. 4. The role of Neuropsychological Examination Martin Steinberg, M.D., Nicholas Bienko, B.A., and Cynthia Munro, Ph.D. 5. Medical Conditions That May Cause Cognitive Impairment Kanwal Awan, M.D. and Martin Steinberg, M.D. 6. Treatment of Depression Martin Steinberg, M.D. 7. Treatment of Cognitive Impairment Paul B. Rosenberg, M.D. 8. "Driving Considerations" in Cognitive Impairment and Depression in Older Patients Christopher M. Marano 9. Capacity and Decision-Making Eitan Kimchi, M.D. 10. Afterword: Future Directions Paul B. Rosenberg, M.D.