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Link discovered between depression and changes in the brain in Alzheimer's disease
February 07, 2006Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers discovered Alzheimer's patients with lifetime history of depression have more rapid cognitive decline
A lifetime history of depression is associated with increased plaques and tangles in the brains of those with Alzheimer's disease and more rapid cognitive decline, according to a study by researchers at the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The study is published in the February issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Previous studies have linked depression and Alzheimer's disease, according to background information in the article. People with a lifetime history of major depressive disorder (MDD) may be more likely to be diagnosed with AD. In addition, both AD and MDD are likely to affect the brain's memory-related temporal lobes. MDD is likely to caused atrophy of the hippocampus, the area where the largest amounts of plaques and tangles form in patients with AD, the authors write.
To assess how MDD might affect the development of AD, Michael A. Rapp, MD, PhD and colleagues at the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Mount Sinai School of Medicine compared the brains of 44 AD patients with a history of depression to those of 51 without. The group included 32 men and 63 women with an average age at death of 81 years.
Patients with a history of depression had more tangles and plaques in the hippocampus than those without, the authors report. People who were depressed at the time they were diagnosed with AD had even more pronounced changes in their brains than those whose depression occurred earlier or later. Based on analyses of cognitive tests given during participants' lifetimes, patients with AD who had a history of depression also experienced a more rapid decline into dementia than those who did not have depression.
"These results have great clinical significance in that the identification of potential mechanisms that link geriatric MDD as a treatable risk factor to neuropathological changes in AD may lead to the development of differential intervention and prevention strategies for AD," the authors conclude. "Such specific interventions would be especially needed since geriatric patients with MDD with cognitive impairment may have less favorable treatment outcomes."
The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine
To assess how MDD might affect the development of AD, Michael A. Rapp, MD, PhD and colleagues at the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Mount Sinai School of Medicine compared the brains of 44 AD patients with a history of depression to those of 51 without. The group included 32 men and 63 women with an average age at death of 81 years.
Patients with a history of depression had more tangles and plaques in the hippocampus than those without, the authors report. People who were depressed at the time they were diagnosed with AD had even more pronounced changes in their brains than those whose depression occurred earlier or later. Based on analyses of cognitive tests given during participants' lifetimes, patients with AD who had a history of depression also experienced a more rapid decline into dementia than those who did not have depression.
"These results have great clinical significance in that the identification of potential mechanisms that link geriatric MDD as a treatable risk factor to neuropathological changes in AD may lead to the development of differential intervention and prevention strategies for AD," the authors conclude. "Such specific interventions would be especially needed since geriatric patients with MDD with cognitive impairment may have less favorable treatment outcomes."
The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Depression Current Events and Depression News RSSBurnout and mental distress strongly related to errors by US surgeons
Major medical errors self-reported by American surgeons are strongly related to both burnout and depression. Those findings appear today in the online edition of Annals of Surgery. The Mayo Clinic-led study included collaborators from Johns Hopkins and the American College of Surgeons.
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Asthma symptoms can worsen in children with depressed mothers, according to research from Johns Hopkins Children's Center published online in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology.
Dispensing prescription drugs in 3-month supplies reduces drug costs by a third
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New Down syndrome treatment suggested by Stanford/Packard study in mice
At birth, children with Down syndrome aren't developmentally delayed. But as they age, these kids fall behind. Memory deficits inherent in Down syndrome hinder learning, making it hard for the brain to collect experiences needed for normal cognitive development.
At-risk college students reduce HBP, anxiety, depression through Transcendental Meditation
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Teens' mental health affects how long they stay in school, new study shows
Queen's University researcher Steven Lehrer has won a prestigious international award in recognition of his contributions to health economics.
Ethnic pride may boost African-American teens' mental health
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Faulty body clock may make kids bipolar
Malfunctioning circadian clock genes may be responsible for bipolar disorder in children. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Psychiatry found four versions of the regulatory gene RORB that were associated with pediatric bipolar disorder.
Women with asthma feel worse
Women with asthma are more anxious, find it harder to sleep and are more tired during the day than their male counterparts, but nevertheless tend to be better at following their treatment.
Connection between depression and osteoporosis detailed by Hebrew University researchers
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