Factors associated with happiness among community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: To identify factors associated with self-reported happiness among community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was conducted. Searches were conducted in the PsycInfo, Web of Science, Scopus and Pubmed databases for relevant articles published in English, Spanish or Portuguese using the following search strategy and Boolean operators: (happiness*) AND (elder* OR (old adult*)). No restriction was imposed with regards to year of publication. This review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42018107302). RESULTS: Forty-six articles met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Economic, social and health-related factors were associated with happiness among community-dwelling older adults. The sociodemographic characteristics of older adults, such as the female sex, being married, an older age, a higher level of schooling and having a religion, were also associated with happiness. CONCLUSIONS: The articles included in the present systematic review demonstrate that social, economic and health-related aspects have an association with happiness in community-dwelling older adults.

Development and validation of a brief digital cognitive test based on the paradigm of stimulus equivalence in a sample of older adults.

With the technological advancement and democratization of electronic devices, computerized cognitive tests have been increasingly used in the clinical context to evaluate cognitive performance in individuals. Objective: This study aimed to propose a brief digital cognitive test based on the paradigm of stimulus equivalence and assess its convergent validity by comparing it with traditionally applied tests. Methods: The study was carried out with a non-probabilistic sample of 50 older adults selected from a public call through the communication media, health units, and day centers of a city in the countryside of São Paulo. Participants were assessed by the brief digital cognitive test, Mini-Mental State Examination, Brief Cognitive Screening Battery, and the Five Digit Test. Results: Participants had a mean age of 71.23 years (standard deviation [SD]: ±9.36) and a mean of 7.15 years of schooling (SD: ±5.34). The mean time to answer the test was 5.33 minutes (SD: ±1.92). There were statistically significant correlations between traditional and digital tests in most domains evaluated. In addition, considering the total score of the digital test, the test could discriminate participants with and without cognitive impairment: area under the ROC curve=0.765; 95%CI 0.630-0.901. Conclusion: The brief digital cognitive test, using the stimulus equivalence paradigm, is an easy-to-apply and valid instrument for the investigation of cognitive impairment in older adults.

Com o avanço tecnológico e a democratização de dispositivos eletrônicos, os testes cognitivos computadorizados vêm sendo cada vez mais utilizados no contexto clínico para avaliar o desempenho cognitivo de indivíduos. Objetivo: Este estudo teve como objetivo propor um Teste Cognitivo Digital Breve baseado no paradigma de equivalência de estímulos e avaliar sua validade convergente comparando-o com testes aplicados tradicionalmente. Métodos: O estudo foi realizado com uma amostra não probabilística de 50 idosos selecionados por chamada pública pelos meios de comunicação, unidades de saúde e centros dia de uma cidade do interior de São Paulo. Os participantes foram avaliados pelo Teste Cognitivo Digital Breve, Miniexame do Estado Mental, Bateria Breve de Rastreio Cognitivo e Teste dos Cinco Dígitos. Resultados: Os participantes tinham média de idade de 71,23 anos (desvio padrão ­ DP: ±9,36) e média de anos de estudo de 7,15 anos (DP: ±5,34). O tempo médio para a realização do teste foi de 5,33 minutos (DP: ±1,92). Houve correlações estatisticamente significativas entre os testes tradicionais e o Teste Digital na maioria dos domínios avaliados. Além disso, considerando o escore total do teste digital, o teste foi capaz de discriminar participantes com e sem comprometimento: área sob a curva ROC=0,765; IC95% 0,630­0,901. Conclusão: O teste digital cognitivo breve com o uso do paradigma de equivalência de estímulos é um instrumento de fácil aplicação e válido para a investigação de comprometimento cognitivo em idosos.

Effects of the Acute and Chronic Administration of Cannabidiol on Cognition in Humans and Animals: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: The effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on cognition has been investigated in recent years to determine the therapeutic potential of this cannabinoid for a broad gamut of medical conditions, including neuropsychiatric disorders. The aim of the present study was to perform a systematic review of studies that analyzed the effects of the acute and chronic administration of CBD on cognition in humans and animals both to assess the cognitive safety of CBD and to determine a beneficial potential of CBD on cognition. Methods: The PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases were searched in December of 2022 for relevant articles using the following combinations of keywords: ("cannabidiol" OR "CBD") AND ("cognition" OR "processing cognitive" OR "memory" OR "language" OR "attention" OR "executive function" OR "social cognition" OR "perceptual motor ability" OR "processing speed"). Results: Fifty-nine articles were included in the present review (36 preclinical and 23 clinical trials). CBD seems not to have any negative effect on cognitive processing in rats. The clinical trials confirmed these findings in humans. One study found that repeated dosing with CBD may improve cognitive in people who use cannabis heavily but not individuals with neuropsychiatric disorders. Considering the context of neuropsychiatric disorders in animal models, CBD seems to reverse the harm caused by the experimental paradigms, such that the performance of these animals becomes similar to that of control animals. Conclusions: The results demonstrate that the chronic and acute administration of CBD seems not to impair cognition in humans without neuropsychiatric disorders. In addition, preclinical studies report promising results regarding the effects of CBD on the cognitive processing of animals. Future double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials with larger, less selective samples, with standardized tests, and using different doses of CBD in outpatients are of particular interest to elucidate the cognitive effects of CBD.

Development and validation of a brief digital cognitive test based on the paradigm of stimulus equivalence in a sample of older adults / Desenvolvimento e validação de um teste cognitivo digital breve baseado no paradigma de equivalência de estímulos em uma amostra de idosos

ABSTRACT With the technological advancement and democratization of electronic devices, computerized cognitive tests have been increasingly used in the clinical context to evaluate cognitive performance in individuals. Objective: This study aimed to propose a brief digital cognitive test based on the paradigm of stimulus equivalence and assess its convergent validity by comparing it with traditionally applied tests. Methods: The study was carried out with a non-probabilistic sample of 50 older adults selected from a public call through the communication media, health units, and day centers of a city in the countryside of São Paulo. Participants were assessed by the brief digital cognitive test, Mini-Mental State Examination, Brief Cognitive Screening Battery, and the Five Digit Test. Results: Participants had a mean age of 71.23 years (standard deviation [SD]: ±9.36) and a mean of 7.15 years of schooling (SD: ±5.34). The mean time to answer the test was 5.33 minutes (SD: ±1.92). There were statistically significant correlations between traditional and digital tests in most domains evaluated. In addition, considering the total score of the digital test, the test could discriminate participants with and without cognitive impairment: area under the ROC curve=0.765; 95%CI 0.630-0.901. Conclusion: The brief digital cognitive test, using the stimulus equivalence paradigm, is an easy-to-apply and valid instrument for the investigation of cognitive impairment in older adults.

RESUMO Com o avanço tecnológico e a democratização de dispositivos eletrônicos, os testes cognitivos computadorizados vêm sendo cada vez mais utilizados no contexto clínico para avaliar o desempenho cognitivo de indivíduos. Objetivo: Este estudo teve como objetivo propor um Teste Cognitivo Digital Breve baseado no paradigma de equivalência de estímulos e avaliar sua validade convergente comparando-o com testes aplicados tradicionalmente. Métodos: O estudo foi realizado com uma amostra não probabilística de 50 idosos selecionados por chamada pública pelos meios de comunicação, unidades de saúde e centros dia de uma cidade do interior de São Paulo. Os participantes foram avaliados pelo Teste Cognitivo Digital Breve, Miniexame do Estado Mental, Bateria Breve de Rastreio Cognitivo e Teste dos Cinco Dígitos. Resultados: Os participantes tinham média de idade de 71,23 anos (desvio padrão — DP: ±9,36) e média de anos de estudo de 7,15 anos (DP: ±5,34). O tempo médio para a realização do teste foi de 5,33 minutos (DP: ±1,92). Houve correlações estatisticamente significativas entre os testes tradicionais e o Teste Digital na maioria dos domínios avaliados. Além disso, considerando o escore total do teste digital, o teste foi capaz de discriminar participantes com e sem comprometimento: área sob a curva ROC=0,765; IC95% 0,630-0,901. Conclusão: O teste digital cognitivo breve com o uso do paradigma de equivalência de estímulos é um instrumento de fácil aplicação e válido para a investigação de comprometimento cognitivo em idosos.

Recognition of Facial Expressions of Emotion and Depressive Symptoms among Caregivers with Different Levels of Empathy.

OBJECTIVES: To assess differences in the recognition of facial expressions of emotion among caregivers of older people with different levels of empathy. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 158 caregivers of older adults who provided care in family residences or nursing homes. The caregivers were divided into three groups based on the score of the multidimensional Interpersonal Reactivity Index: "lower empathy", "intermediate empathy", and "higher empathy". Data collection involved the administration of a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Emotion Recognition Test, and the Patient Health Questionnaire. RESULTS: No significant differences were found among the groups in terms of sociodemographic variables. Regarding clinical characteristics, the "higher empathy" group had more depressive symptoms than the other groups (p = .001). Moreover, the "higher empathy" group exhibited greater accuracy at recognizing the expression of sadness than the "lower empathy" group (p = .033). The recognition of sadness remained significant in the analysis of variance adjusted for depressive symptoms (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Caregivers with higher levels of empathy showed greater accuracy at recognizing sadness emotion compared to caregivers with lower levels of empathy. Additionally, caregivers with greater empathy have more depressive symptoms. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The recognition of facial expressions of sadness may give caregivers a skill to infer possible needs in older care recipients. However, a higher level of empathy may exert a negative psychological impact on caregivers of older people, which could have repercussions regarding the quality of care provided.

Depression and empathy in health professionals who work in the long-term care institutions for older adults.

Empathy is an important factor to guarantee the quality of care provided in the long-term care institutions (LTCIs) for older adults, and depression is a factor that affects the health of the professional and, consequently, the care. Thus, it is important that studies are conducted on the relationship of these variables in this context. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to verify the relationship between empathy and depressive symptoms among health professionals working in the LTCIs. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out at LTCIs in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The final sample was constituted by 101 health professionals (i.e., caregivers and nursing technicians) with direct participation in the care of institutionalized older adults. The instruments were used as follows: the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) to assess empathy and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for the diagnosis of depression. For the analyses, the patients were divided into groups with and without depression, according to the score of the PHQ-9. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression among health professionals was 19.8%. Significant statistical differences were found between the groups for the total score of the IRI (p=0.029), for the emotional domain (p=0.023), and for the personal distress (p=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that the presence of depression among health professionals at LTCIs is related to the higher levels of empathy, especially in the emotional domain. Thus, future studies that contribute to understanding how care must be provided with empathy, but without harming the health of the professional, should be carried out.

A empatia é um importante fator na garantia da qualidade do cuidado prestado em Instituições de Longa Permanência para Idosos (ILPIs), e a depressão é um fator que prejudica a saúde do profissional e, consequentemente, esse cuidado. Dessa forma, é importante que se realizem estudos sobre a relação dessas variáveis nesse contexto. OBJETIVO: Verificar a relação entre empatia e sintomas depressivos em profissionais de saúde de ILPIs. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal, realizado em ILPIs no estado de São Paulo. A amostra final foi composta por 101 profissionais da saúde (cuidadores e técnicos de enfermagem), que participavam diretamente do cuidado de idosos institucionalizados. Os instrumentos utilizados foram: a Escala Multidimensional de Reatividade Interpessoal (EMRI) para avaliar empatia e o Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) para o diagnóstico de depressão. Para as análises, os participantes foram divididos em grupos com e sem depressão, de acordo com a pontuação do PHQ-9. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de depressão entre os profissionais de saúde foi de 19,8%. Foram encontradas diferenças estatísticas significativas entre os grupos para a pontuação total do EMRI (p=0,029), para o domínio emocional (p=0,023) e angústia pessoal (p=0,009). CONCLUSÕES: Nossos achados apontam que a presença de depressão entre os profissionais de saúde de ILPIs está relacionada a maiores os níveis de empatia, principalmente no domínio emocional. Assim, pesquisas futuras que contribuam para entender como deve se dar o cuidado prestado com empatia, porém sem prejudicar a saúde do profissional, devem ser realizadas.

Depression and empathy in health professionals who work in the long-term care institutions for older adults / Depressão e empatia em profissionais de saúde de Instituições de Longa Permanência para Idosos

ABSTRACT Empathy is an important factor to guarantee the quality of care provided in the long-term care institutions (LTCIs) for older adults, and depression is a factor that affects the health of the professional and, consequently, the care. Thus, it is important that studies are conducted on the relationship of these variables in this context. Objective: The aim of this study is to verify the relationship between empathy and depressive symptoms among health professionals working in the LTCIs. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at LTCIs in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The final sample was constituted by 101 health professionals (i.e., caregivers and nursing technicians) with direct participation in the care of institutionalized older adults. The instruments were used as follows: the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) to assess empathy and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for the diagnosis of depression. For the analyses, the patients were divided into groups with and without depression, according to the score of the PHQ-9. Results: The prevalence of depression among health professionals was 19.8%. Significant statistical differences were found between the groups for the total score of the IRI (p=0.029), for the emotional domain (p=0.023), and for the personal distress (p=0.009). Conclusions: The findings indicate that the presence of depression among health professionals at LTCIs is related to the higher levels of empathy, especially in the emotional domain. Thus, future studies that contribute to understanding how care must be provided with empathy, but without harming the health of the professional, should be carried out.

RESUMO A empatia é um importante fator na garantia da qualidade do cuidado prestado em Instituições de Longa Permanência para Idosos (ILPIs), e a depressão é um fator que prejudica a saúde do profissional e, consequentemente, esse cuidado. Dessa forma, é importante que se realizem estudos sobre a relação dessas variáveis nesse contexto. Objetivo: Verificar a relação entre empatia e sintomas depressivos em profissionais de saúde de ILPIs. Métodos: Estudo transversal, realizado em ILPIs no estado de São Paulo. A amostra final foi composta por 101 profissionais da saúde (cuidadores e técnicos de enfermagem), que participavam diretamente do cuidado de idosos institucionalizados. Os instrumentos utilizados foram: a Escala Multidimensional de Reatividade Interpessoal (EMRI) para avaliar empatia e o Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) para o diagnóstico de depressão. Para as análises, os participantes foram divididos em grupos com e sem depressão, de acordo com a pontuação do PHQ-9. Resultados: A prevalência de depressão entre os profissionais de saúde foi de 19,8%. Foram encontradas diferenças estatísticas significativas entre os grupos para a pontuação total do EMRI (p=0,029), para o domínio emocional (p=0,023) e angústia pessoal (p=0,009). Conclusões: Nossos achados apontam que a presença de depressão entre os profissionais de saúde de ILPIs está relacionada a maiores os níveis de empatia, principalmente no domínio emocional. Assim, pesquisas futuras que contribuam para entender como deve se dar o cuidado prestado com empatia, porém sem prejudicar a saúde do profissional, devem ser realizadas.

Cognitive performance of older adults with a low level of education with and without depression.

Major depression can develop in individuals aged 60 years or older and is commonly associated with cognitive decline in this population, especially the domains of working memory, attention, executive functions, and processing speed. Schooling is a protective factor with regard to cognitive decline. OBJECTIVE: To compare the cognitive performance of community-dwelling older adults with a low level of schooling with and without major depression. METHODS: A descriptive, analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted with 22 community-dwelling older adults with depression and 187 without depression. The following assessment tools were employed: Mini Mental Health Examination, Brief Cognitive Screening Battery, Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), Digit Span Test (forward and backward), and an object similarity test. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found between the groups with and without depression on any of the tests. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that there are no differences in the cognitive performance of older people with and without depression on neurocognitive tests commonly used in clinical practice. Future studies with different designs and methods as well as specific tests for older people with a low level of schooling could assist in the understanding of these relations and the mechanisms involved.

A depressão maior pode se manifestar em indivíduos com 60 anos ou mais e, comumente, está associada ao declínio cognitivo, especialmente nos domínios memória de trabalho, atenção, função executiva e velocidade de processamento. Nesse contexto, a escolaridade é um fator de proteção em relação ao declínio cognitivo. OBJETIVO: Comparar o desempenho cognitivo entre idosos de baixa escolaridade da comunidade com e sem depressão maior. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo transversal, descritivo e analítico. Foram selecionados 22 idosos da comunidade com depressão e 187 idosos sem depressão, que foram avaliados por meio dos seguintes instrumentos: Mini-Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM), Bateria Breve de Rastreio Cognitivo (BBRC), Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), teste de extensão de dígitos de ordem direta e inversa, e um teste de semelhança de objetos. RESULTADOS: Não foram encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os grupos com depressão e sem depressão em nenhum dos testes aplicados. CONCLUSÕES: O presente estudo demonstrou que não existem diferenças no desempenho cognitivo de idosos com e sem depressão em testes neurocognitivos comumente utilizados na prática clínica. Estudos futuros com métodos e delineamentos diferentes, com testes específicos para idosos com baixa escolaridade, podem auxiliar na compreensão dessas relações e dos mecanismos envolvidos.

Cognitive performance of older adults with a low level of education with and without depression / Desempenho cognitivo de idosos com baixa escolaridade com e sem depressão

ABSTRACT. Major depression can develop in individuals aged 60 years or older and is commonly associated with cognitive decline in this population, especially the domains of working memory, attention, executive functions, and processing speed. Schooling is a protective factor with regard to cognitive decline. Objective: To compare the cognitive performance of community-dwelling older adults with a low level of schooling with and without major depression. Methods: A descriptive, analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted with 22 community-dwelling older adults with depression and 187 without depression. The following assessment tools were employed: Mini Mental Health Examination, Brief Cognitive Screening Battery, Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), Digit Span Test (forward and backward), and an object similarity test. Results: No statistically significant differences were found between the groups with and without depression on any of the tests. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that there are no differences in the cognitive performance of older people with and without depression on neurocognitive tests commonly used in clinical practice. Future studies with different designs and methods as well as specific tests for older people with a low level of schooling could assist in the understanding of these relations and the mechanisms involved.

RESUMO. A depressão maior pode se manifestar em indivíduos com 60 anos ou mais e, comumente, está associada ao declínio cognitivo, especialmente nos domínios memória de trabalho, atenção, função executiva e velocidade de processamento. Nesse contexto, a escolaridade é um fator de proteção em relação ao declínio cognitivo. Objetivo: Comparar o desempenho cognitivo entre idosos de baixa escolaridade da comunidade com e sem depressão maior. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo transversal, descritivo e analítico. Foram selecionados 22 idosos da comunidade com depressão e 187 idosos sem depressão, que foram avaliados por meio dos seguintes instrumentos: Mini-Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM), Bateria Breve de Rastreio Cognitivo (BBRC), Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), teste de extensão de dígitos de ordem direta e inversa, e um teste de semelhança de objetos. Resultados: Não foram encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os grupos com depressão e sem depressão em nenhum dos testes aplicados. Conclusões: O presente estudo demonstrou que não existem diferenças no desempenho cognitivo de idosos com e sem depressão em testes neurocognitivos comumente utilizados na prática clínica. Estudos futuros com métodos e delineamentos diferentes, com testes específicos para idosos com baixa escolaridade, podem auxiliar na compreensão dessas relações e dos mecanismos envolvidos.

Lesion localization and performance on Theory of Mind tests in stroke survivors: a systematic review

Abstract Background: Theory of Mind (ToM) is the ability to attribute mental states to oneself and others. Individuals with a brain lesion following a stroke exhibit a compromised ability to perform ToM tasks. Objective: To analyze studies that evaluated ToM in stroke survivors considering the lesion localization and performance on ToM tests. Methods: The searches were carried out until November 28, 2018, using the following search terms: "social cognition" or "Theory of Mind" and "stroke". Searches were conducted in the PubMed, PsycInfo, Web of Science and Scopus data bases. The initial search led to the retrieval of 425 articles. After the exclusion of duplicates and the analysis of the titles, abstracts and full texts, 20 articles were selected for the present review. Results: The studies showed that patients with lesion in the right hemisphere present lower performance on ToM tasks compared to those with lesion in the left hemisphere. In addition, patients with lesion in the right hemisphere presented significant impairment in the performance on ToM tasks compared to healthy individuals. Furthermore, the studies that evaluated lesions in specific regions such as temporal lobe, prefrontal cortex, posterior parietal cortex, and temporo-parietal junction, indicated a significant deficit in ToM performance of these patients compared to healthy individuals. Discussion: This review showed that stroke survivors have a poor performance on ToM tasks. The right hemisphere and prefrontal cortex seem to be associated with the deficit of this ability.

Recognition of dynamic and static facial expressions of emotion among older adults with major depression / Reconhecimento de expressões faciais estáticas e dinâmicas das emoções em idosos com depressão maior

Abstract Introduction The recognition of facial expressions of emotion is essential to living in society. However, individuals with major depression tend to interpret information considered imprecise in a negative light, which can exert a direct effect on their capacity to decode social stimuli. Objective To compare basic facial expression recognition skills during tasks with static and dynamic stimuli in older adults with and without major depression. Methods Older adults were selected through a screening process for psychiatric disorders at a primary care service. Psychiatric evaluations were performed using criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5). Twenty-three adults with a diagnosis of depression and 23 older adults without a psychiatric diagnosis were asked to perform two facial emotion recognition tasks using static and dynamic stimuli. Results Individuals with major depression demonstrated greater accuracy in recognizing sadness (p=0.023) and anger (p=0.024) during the task with static stimuli and less accuracy in recognizing happiness during the task with dynamic stimuli (p=0.020). The impairment was mainly related to the recognition of emotions of lower intensity. Conclusions The performance of older adults with depression in facial expression recognition tasks with static and dynamic stimuli differs from that of older adults without depression, with greater accuracy regarding negative emotions (sadness and anger) and lower accuracy regarding the recognition of happiness.

Resumo Introdução O reconhecimento de expressões faciais das emoções é essencial para a convivência em sociedade. Entretanto, indivíduos com depressão maior apresentam uma tendência a interpretar de forma negativa informações consideradas imprecisas, o que pode afetar diretamente sua capacidade de decodificação de estímulos sociais. Objetivo Comparar a habilidade de reconhecimento de expressões faciais das emoções básicas em tarefas com estímulos estáticos e dinâmicos em idosos com e sem depressão maior. Métodos Os idosos foram selecionados a partir de um rastreamento de transtornos psiquiátricos na atenção básica, realizada por meio de avaliação psiquiátrica de acordo com os critérios da 5ª edição do Manual Diagnóstico e Estatístico de Transtornos Mentais (DSM-5). Vinte e três idosos com diagnóstico de depressão e um grupo de 23 idosos sem diagnóstico psiquiátrico atual foram convidados a realizar duas tarefas de reconhecimento de emoções faciais, utilizando estímulos estáticos e dinâmicos. Resultados Os idosos com depressão maior apresentaram maior acurácia no reconhecimento da emoção tristeza (p=0,023) e da emoção raiva (p=0,024) na tarefa com estímulos estáticos, e menor acurácia para a emoção alegria na tarefa com estímulos dinâmicos (p=0,020). O prejuízo está relacionado principalmente ao reconhecimento de emoções de menores intensidades. Conclusões O desempenho de idosos com depressão maior em tarefas com estímulos estáticos e dinâmicos é diferente quando comparados com idosos sem depressão. A acurácia de emoções negativas (tristeza e raiva) é maior, enquanto que a acurácia para alegria é menor.

Recognition of dynamic and static facial expressions of emotion among older adults with major depression.

INTRODUCTION: The recognition of facial expressions of emotion is essential to living in society. However, individuals with major depression tend to interpret information considered imprecise in a negative light, which can exert a direct effect on their capacity to decode social stimuli. OBJECTIVE: To compare basic facial expression recognition skills during tasks with static and dynamic stimuli in older adults with and without major depression. METHODS: Older adults were selected through a screening process for psychiatric disorders at a primary care service. Psychiatric evaluations were performed using criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5). Twenty-three adults with a diagnosis of depression and 23 older adults without a psychiatric diagnosis were asked to perform two facial emotion recognition tasks using static and dynamic stimuli. RESULTS: Individuals with major depression demonstrated greater accuracy in recognizing sadness (p=0.023) and anger (p=0.024) during the task with static stimuli and less accuracy in recognizing happiness during the task with dynamic stimuli (p=0.020). The impairment was mainly related to the recognition of emotions of lower intensity. CONCLUSIONS: The performance of older adults with depression in facial expression recognition tasks with static and dynamic stimuli differs from that of older adults without depression, with greater accuracy regarding negative emotions (sadness and anger) and lower accuracy regarding the recognition of happiness.