Two patients, aged 104 and 91 years, who presented with medical problems and depression were successfully treated with 1.25 to 5 mg of methylphenidate without evidence of tolerance or toxicity. Benefits were sustained for more than 8 months on smaller amounts of this central nervous system stimulant than has been previously reported. (J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 1990;3:152-154).
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Crook T.: Central-nervous-system stimulants: appraisal of use in geropsychiatric patients . J Am Geriatr Soc1979;27:476.
2.
Gerner RH: Present status of drug therapy in late life. J Affect Disord1985;(Suppl):s23.
3.
Kaplitz SE: Withdrawn, apathetic geriatric patients responsive to methylphenidate. J Am Geriatr Soc1975;23:271.
4.
Katon W., Raskind M.: Treatment of depression in the medically ill elderly with methylphenidate . Am J Psychiatry1980;137:963.
5.
Kaufmann MW, Cassem N., Murray G., et al: The use of methylphenidate in depressed patients after cardiac surgery. J Clin Psychiatry1984;45:82.
6.
Askinazi C., Weintraub RJ, Karamouz N.: Elderly depressed females as a possible subgroup of patients responsive to methylphenidate. J Clin Psychiatry1986;47:467.
7.
Chiarello RJ , Cole JO: The use of stimulants in general psychiatry . Arch Gen Psychiatry1987;44:286.
8.
Woods SW, Tesar GE, Murray GB, Cassem NH: Psychostimulant treatment of depressive disorder secondary to medical illness . J Clin Psychiatry1986;47:12.
9.
Salzman C., van der Kolk B.: Treatment of depression, in Salzman C: Clinical Geriatric Psychopharmacology . New York, McGraw-Hill, 1984.
10.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, ed 3 revised. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 1987.
