Prioritizing clinical research on late-life anxiety disorder
10.3760/cma.j.cn113661-20250515-00218
- VernacularTitle:重视老年焦虑障碍的临床研究
- Author:
Wei CHEN
1
;
Chanchan SHEN
1
Author Information
1. 浙江大学医学院附属邵逸夫医院精神卫生科，杭州310016
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Anxiety disorders;
Older adults;
Pathogenesis;
Cognitive impairment;
Health anxiety;
Death anxiety
- From:
Chinese Journal of Psychiatry
2025;58(10):721-727
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Late-life anxiety disorder (LAD) is a common yet long-neglected mental health condition in older adults, with significant implications for quality of life, social functioning, and physical and mental health. Compared to anxiety disorders in younger populations, LAD is characterized by distinctive clinical features, etiological mechanisms, treatment responses, and long-term trajectories. However, current understanding of its pathophysiology, intervention strategies, and long-term outcomes remains limited. Clinical management is largely extrapolated from adult anxiety disorder protocols, lacking sufficient age-specific validation. This review systematically summarizes the clinical characteristics, underlying mechanisms, treatment modalities, and long-term outcomes of LAD. It also highlights key research gaps and proposes future directions, including mechanistic studies, optimization of interventions, and longitudinal follow-ups, to improve early detection and personalized care for LAD ultimately supporting mental health and functional independence in aging populations.
