[The emotional memory in the elderly and depression].

The recognition of emotional stimuli such as facial expressions is an important component of emotion processing contributing to interactional behavior. Healthy individuals recognize positive emotional stimuli better than negative stimuli. The ability to recognize both facial identity and emotional expression decline with advanced age but the positive bias remain stable. In depressive patients, on the other hand, there is a negative bias favoring negative emotional stimuli which leads to dysfunctional behavior and social isolation. Early diagnostic and treatment of depression can help to overcome the devastating consequences of cognitive disturbances of the disease.