Study Links Depression to Alzheimer’s Disease Risk

Boston (HealthKnowItAll) - Results of a new study suggest that people who are depressed are at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s is the leading cause of dementia in people over the age of 65, and is eventualy fatal as there is currently no cure for it.

The disease occurs when plaque protein builds up on the brain of the effected person, resulting in memory loss.

For their study, researchers studied more than 700 people who were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, a condition that is characterized by the beginning of memory loss, but not yet an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Of the 750 study participants, more than 200 of them went on to develop depression.

Using a point scale, researchers learned that for every increased point that a person scored on their level of depression, their overall risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease increased.

Researchers also learned that when people dealing with MCI were given the drug donepezil, the likelyhood of them developing Alzheimer’s decreased.

“Our longer term findings add to the body of evidence that suggests depression is a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease,” said study author Po H. Lu, assistant professor of neurology with the David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California in Los Angeles. “Since the drug donepezil has been shown to improve the behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, our study also tested whether the drug would delay the progression to Alzheimer’s.

“If we can delay the progression of this disease for even two years, it could significantly improve the quality of life for many people dealing with memory loss,” said Lu.