According to study published this month in the journal Neurology, people with depression appear to be at greater risk of developing dementia. Dr. Jane Saczynski and her team of researchers looked at 949 people participating in the Framingham Heart Study, who were free of dementia at the start of the study. At the same time, all were tested for symptoms of depression and 13% were classified as having depression at the start of the study. The participants were then followed for 17 years and, by the end of the study, 164 people had developed dementia, 136 of which had Alzheimer's disease. The researchers determined that about 22% of the people with depression at the start of the study had developed dementia, compared with 17% of those who had not had depression, indicating a 70% increased risk for developing dementia in those who initially had depression.
The researchers noted that it was impossible to determine from their work whether depression actually caused dementia, but also said that there are several different ways that depression might potentially affect the risk of dementia. The researchers suggested that brain inflammation, also called “neuroinflammation” caused by depression may increase certain proteins in the brain that increase the risk of dementia. They also said that certain lifestyle factors associated with depression , like poor diet and nutrition along with lack of exercise may play a role. In my book, Healing and Wholeness: Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Mental Health, the three chapters on depression, dementia, and Alzhiemer’s disease all discuss in great detail the relationship between these conditions and neuroinflammation, diet, and lifestyle. In turns out, that scientists have long known that illnesses like depression can actually causer brain damage if left untreated for long periods of time.
Study:
Saczynski, J. S., Beiser, A., Seshadri, S., Auerbach, S., Wolf, P.A. , & Au, R. (2010). Depressive symptoms and risk of dementia. Neurology, 75, 35-41.
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