Psychophysiological indices of late-life depression: A systematic review

Major depression in the older population has a profound impact on patients' quality of life and is associated with an increased risk of developing several medical illnesses. Psychophysiological methods, such as electroencephalography (EEG), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and eye-tracking, have provided evidence of physiological changes associated with depression in adult life. However, these aspects have not been thoroughly investigated during late-life (over 60 years of age).

A systematic review of the scientific literature covering the studies published between 1990 and 2022 was performed to describe the current evidence on easily attainable psychophysiological factors (detected by EEG, fNIRS and eye-tracking) associated with depression in late-life.

Twelve studies were included in the systematic review. The included studies showed some consistent physiological patterns associated with late-life depression, such as brain hypoactivation in frontal and temporal areas and attentional biases toward emotional stimuli. No reliable patterns in EEG asymmetry and power spectrum were found, in contrast to studies on early-life depression.

The small number of available studies, together with the heterogeneity in the techniques and methods used, highlight the need for further research to reliably identify the psychophysiological aspects of depression in late-life.

Physiological indices of late-life depression, as assessed by EEG, fNIRS and eye-tracking, may differ from those of early-life. The study of these indices could better clarify the physiological mechanisms underlying late-life depression with possible clinical and research implications. Recommendations for future research are also discussed.