Depression and dementia linked even in middle age

People who suffer from depression are more likely to develop dementia in both middle and older age, according to a study published in the journal 'eClinicalMedicine' by scientists from the Institute of Mental Health and School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham, the University of Adelaide and the Dementia Centre of Excellence at Curtin University in Australia.

Treating Depression Also Protects the Brain from Dementia

The team, led by Jacob Brain and Maha Alshahrani , evaluated a systematic review and meta-analysis. First, the research team collected and analyzed all the best available data from studies examining the link between depression and dementia. Next, the scientists extracted and reanalyzed the information from individual studies, adding more recent research.

The findings, experts say, underscore the importance of recognizing and treating depression across the lifespan to promote mental health and as part of a broader strategy to protect brain health. Public health efforts must place greater emphasis on preventing brain health, including expanding access to effective mental health care.

The Links Between Depression and Dementia

Dementia, experts say, affects 57 million people worldwide, but has no cure. The potential links between depression and dementia are complex and may include chronic inflammation, dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, vascular changes, alterations in neurotrophic factors, and neurotransmitter imbalances. Previous research suggests a strong correlation in older adults, but middle-aged patients have not been evaluated.

Depression as an early sign of dementia?

"Our findings," Brain says, "raise the possibility that depression in later life may not only be a risk factor, but also an early sign of dementia. This work helps guide future research, treatment, and prevention strategies. We focused on when depression was measured," he concludes, "and calculated how much it increased the risk of developing dementia. This allowed us to provide a more accurate and up-to-date picture of how depression at different stages of life is related to the risk of dementia."