According to a recent article in HealthDay News, researchers at
the University of California, San Francisco, and the San Francisco VA
Hospital have discovered that “depressed seniors are more likely to
develop mild cognitive impairment within six years than those who are
depression-free.” Researchers also pointed out that the more
severe the depression, the more serious the mental decline.
The study included 2,200 men and women who were 65 years of age or
older at the start of the research 6 years ago. Each was checked at the
beginning of the study for signs of depression and were than
individually assessed for impairment 6 years later.
Study subjects who exhibited moderate to high depression had a higher
level of cognitive impairment – almost 20 percent. That’s
compared with only 10% for those with no symptoms of depression and 13%
for those with mild depression.
"This is important, because mild cognitive impairment often precedes
dementia," study lead author Deborah Barnes, a mental health researcher
at SFVAMC, said in a prepared statement. She also stressed the
importance of family members keeping an eye on the elderly for signs of
depression, especially after the death of a spouse. Doctors
should be on the lookout as well.
Barnes also noted that the study found no connection between depression
and vascular disease. This was noted as a significant finding because
other researchers have suggested that vascular disease may cause
inadequate blood flow to different areas of the brain, resulting in
depression and cognitive impairment.
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