Mental health and aging

We begin this chapter with a brief overview of biological, cognitive, social, and emotional development in late life. We then examine some of the most prominent forms of psychopathology with respect to epidemiology, presentation, etiology, and treatment. Where the disorder appears to increase or decrease in prevalence compared to earlier points in the lifespan, we evaluate possible explanations for these age-related changes. The disorders we cover include anxiety disorders, mood disorders and suicide, schizophrenia, substance use disorders, personality disorders, sleep disorders, and dementia. For disorders not included in this chapter, the interested reader is referred to Segal, Qualls, and Smyer (20ll)