Depression is a risk factor for dementia

You might expect to find that depression is a risk factor for dementia since brain inflammation is a fundamental biological component of both. A paper recently published in the journal Neurology reports on an extensive investigation:

"Depression may be associated with an increased risk for dementia...We examined the association between depressive symptoms and incident dementia over a 17-year follow-up period."

Their data yielded a notable trend:

"During the 17-year follow-up period, 164 participants developed dementia; 136 of these cases were AD [Alzheimer's disease]...Depressed participants (CES-D ≥16) had more than a 50% increased risk for dementia and AD. Results were similar when we included subjects taking antidepressant medications as depressed. For each 10-point increase on the CES-D, there was a significant increase in the risk of dementia and AD."

We can use their stark conclusion as a reminder that we must treat depression from the perspective of restoring brain health, not just managing symptoms:

"Depression is associated with an increased risk of dementia and AD in older men and women over 17 years of follow-up."