UCLA awarded grant to study depression in older adults

UCLA and four other institutions have been awarded a $13.9 million grant to evaluate treatment strategies for older adults with depression. UCLA psychiatry professor Dr. Helen Lavretsky will serve as principal investigator for the study. Depression decreases quality of life for older adults more than any other illness; however, most existing treatments are ineffective for this age group. Dr. Lavretsky says, “understanding the risks and benefits of antidepressant strategies in older adults could vastly improve the quality of life of seniors and save billions of dollars each year in health care costs.” This wide-scale study aligns with the Depression Grand Challenge’s mission to cut the burden of depression in half by 2050.

Source: UCLA awarded grant to study depression in older adults UCLA Newsroom, 29 Sep 2016

Additional coverage about depression treatment resistance in older adults:

Older Americans wrestle with ongoing depression The Spokesman-Review, 17 Oct 2016

UCLA receives grant to research antidepressant resistance in seniors Daily Bruin, 16 Oct 2016

UCLA launches $14 million initiative to combat depression in elderly population Health Care IT News, 11 Oct 2016

More baby boomers may face treatment-resistant depression CNN, 30 Sept 2016