Older news items (pre-2010) brought over from the old website
Psychological distress, not depression, linked to increased risk of stroke
A study following 20,627 people for an average of 8.5 years has found that psychological distress was associated with an increased risk of stroke and that the risk of stroke increased the more distress the participants reported. This association remained the same regardless of cigarette smoking, systolic blood pressure, overall blood cholesterol, obesity, previous heart attack, diabetes, social class, education, high blood pressure treatment, family history of stroke and recent antidepressant medication use. However, there was no increased risk for people who had experienced an episode of major depression in the past year or at any point in their lifetime.
[1298] Surtees, P. G., Wainwright N. W. J., Luben R. N., Wareham N. J., Bingham S. A., & Khaw K. - T.
(2008). Psychological distress, major depressive disorder, and risk of stroke.
Neurology. 70(10), 788 - 794.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/aaon-pdn022608.php
Depression increases risk of executive dysfunction in older people
A two-year study of more than 700 older adults (65 and older) has found that depression increased the risk of declining executive function (high-level mental processes, such a making decisions, organizing, planning and doing a series of things in sequence).
[1417] Cui, X., Lyness J. M., Tu X., King D. A., & Caine E. D.
(2007). Does Depression Precede or Follow Executive Dysfunction? Outcomes in Older Primary Care Patients.
Am J Psychiatry. 164(8), 1221 - 1228.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-10/uorm-dcf100807.php
Depressed older adults more likely to become cognitively impaired
A study involving 2,220 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study, a longitudinal prospective study of adults 65 and older, has found that 19.7% of subjects with moderate to high depression developed mild cognitive impairment within six years, compared to 10% of subjects with no depressive symptoms and 13.3% of subjects with low depressive symptoms. There was no correlation between depression and vascular disease, although it has been hypothesized that vascular disease might lead to both depression and cognitive impairment by causing inadequate blood flow to different brain structures.
[409] Barnes, D. E., Alexopoulos G. S., Lopez O. L., Williamson J. D., & Yaffe K.
(2006). Depressive Symptoms, Vascular Disease, and Mild Cognitive Impairment: Findings From the Cardiovascular Health Study.
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 63(3), 273 - 279.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-03/uoc--doa030206.php
Treatable depression often accompanies mild memory loss
A large-scale study of older adults begun in 1989 has revealed that 43% of those with mild cognitive impairment had psychiatric symptoms (such as depression, irritability, loss of interest in activities, or changes in sleep or appetite) in the month before examination. Such symptoms are often shrugged off as emotional reactions to memory decline, but they may be due to changes in brain function, and may respond to treatment.
[1275] Lyketsos, C. G., Lopez O., Jones B., Fitzpatrick A. L., Breitner J., & DeKosky S.
(2002). Prevalence of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment: Results From the Cardiovascular Health Study.
JAMA. 288(12), 1475 - 1483.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-09/wfub-tdo092702.php