More than 21% of Galician people exceed 65 years, and 10% has more than 75 years. In the last decade elderly population increased around 3%, being situated in the 21% and expecting that reach the 30% in 2050.

To determine patients over 65 years attended by emotional symptoms in a psychiatric unit in the last 10 years, evaluating the sociodemographic characteristics and analyzing biological and psychosocial factors related.

Descriptive retrospective study of patients over 65 years attended in a psychiatric unit between 1996 and 2006 that received a diagnosis of Affective disorder utilizing DSM-IV and ICD-10 classification criteria.

478 patients over 65 years were obtained, of a total of patients (%), with 246 diagnosed of affective disorder (55,6%). Average age of 72,15 years, with predominance female (proportion 2:1), mainly single, divorced or widowed (55,7%). However the majority live together with their couple (41,9%) or family (31,7%), urban residence (63,4%), inactive work situation (96%), retired (48,5%) or sick-leave (47%). The main diagnoses were Major Depressive Disorder (37%) and Bipolar Disorder (32%), 18% Distimia or Adjustment Disorder.

In spite of the increased rate of elderly population in the last 10 years this is not translated in a change of the profile sociodemographic, labor and clinical dates in elderly patient with affective disorder admitted in an acute psychiatric unit in our influence area, in comparison with a previous study of the years 1996-1999.