Definition
The term depression can have different meanings. It can be regarded as a “symptom” (low mood), a “syndrome” (a set of symptoms with various definitions), or as a medically defined diagnosis according to a classification system. Depressive symptoms can be viewed dimensionally, from more or less normal reactions to pathologically severe depressive symptoms. The symptoms occur on a continuum of severity from mild reactions to complete disablement. The classification systems have traditionally viewed depressive symptoms and depression categorically (Baldwin 2014).
There is no defined biomarker for depression; the diagnosis is based on a clinical interview, observation, and supplemental information from relatives and caregivers. A diagnosis of depression is made according to two main classification systems: the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), or the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). To...
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Selbaek, G., Borza, T. (2015). Depression in Later Life. In: Pachana, N. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geropsychology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-080-3_94-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-080-3_94-1
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