1. ¹PET Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
2. ²Department of Psychiatry Research, the Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, NY, USA
3. ³Department of Psychiatry, Weil Medical College of Cornell University, White Plains, NY, USA
4. ⁴Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
5. ⁵Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
6. ⁶Geriatrics Translational Neuroscience and Psychopharmacologic Intervention Programs, Geriatrics Research Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

Correspondence: Dr GS Smith, PET Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M5T 1R8. Tel: +416 535 8501 X7379; Fax: +416 979-4656; E-mail: gwenn_smith@camh.net

Received 21 August 2006; Revised 11 December 2006; Accepted 18 December 2006; Published online 28 February 2007.

Abstract

Clinical and epidemiological studies have consistently observed the heterogeneous symptomatology and course of geriatric depression. Given the importance of genetic and environmental risk factors, aging processes, neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular disease processes, and medical comorbidity, the integration of basic and clinical neuroscience research approaches is critical for the understanding of the variability in illness course, as well as the development of prevention and intervention strategies that are more effective. These considerations were the impetus for a workshop, sponsored by the Geriatrics Research Branch in the Division of Adult Translational Research and Treatment Development of the National Institute of Mental Health that was held on September 7–8, 2005. The primary goal of the workshop was to bring together investigators in geriatric psychiatry research with researchers in specific topic areas outside of geriatric mental health to identify priority areas to advance translational research in geriatric depression. As described in this report, the workshop focused on a discussion of the development and application of integrative approaches combining genetics and neuroimaging methods to understand such complex issues as treatment response variability, the role of medical comorbidity in depression, and the potential overlap between depression and dementia. Future directions for integrative research were identified. Understanding the nature of geriatric depression requires the application of translational research and interdisciplinary research approaches. Geriatric depression could serve as a model for translational research integrating basic and clinical neuroscience approaches that would have implications for the study of other neuropsychiatric disorders.