Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 29, 2026

Therapeutic Massage for Psychological Well-being in Geriatric Oncology
Published on: May 22, 2026
[Treatment of anxiety disorders in the elderly]
G-J Hendriks1, G P J Keijsers, M Kampman
1Centrum voor Angststoornissen Overwaal, Lent. g.hendriks@propersona.nl
Aim:
To collect empirical evidence concerning the effectiveness of the treatment of anxiety disorders in the elderly.
Method:
Meta-analysis and randomised controlled trials.
Results:
Meta-analysis showed that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) was more successful than waiting-list control or active control as a treatment for older persons with anxiety disorders. In a direct comparison of the treatment of older persons with panic disorder (PD) both CBT an paroxetine were found to be more effective than waiting-list control. CBT was more successful in reducing avoidance behaviours in older persons with PD. Older persons with reported fewer and less severe agoraphobic cognitions than younger patients, but there was no difference between the severity of agoraphobic avoidance in older patients with PD and younger patients with PD.
Conclusion:
There is sufficient empirical evidence to support the effectiveness of CBT in the treatment of older persons with anxiety disorders. In assessing the severity of PD in the elderly, one should carefully consider the severity of avoidance behaviours. Because no difference was found between the effectiveness of CBT and paroxetine for the treatment of PD in the elderly and because was more effective in reducing avoidance behaviours in older patients with PD than in younger patients with pd, there seems to be a slight preference for CBT in the case of older patients with PD. Older age is not associated with a poorer outcome of treatment with CBT.
Related Concept Videos
Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
Anxiolytic Drugs: Overview
Primary Types of Anxiolytic Drugs
1. Benzodiazepines:
Benzodiazepines bind to the GABA-A receptor in the brain, enhancing GABA's interaction. This action reduces neurotransmission, effectively blocking anxiety-associated limbic circuitry.
Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age
Behavior Therapy
Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves systematic exposure to feared stimuli, either in real...
Drug Therapy
Antianxiety Medications
Anxiolytic Drugs: Benzodiazepines and Buspirone