Associations Between Vitamin D Levels and Depressive Symptoms in Later Life: Evidence From the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)

AbstractInadequate vitamin D levels have been associated with increased risk of depression. However, most of these studies are cross-sectional and failed to investigate the effect of changes in vitamin D levels. This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal association of changes in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels with depressive symptoms in 3365 participants of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a large nationally-representative study of older adults. Based on their vitamin D levels at baseline and follow-up (sufficient ≥ 50 nmol/L; insufficient < 50 nmol/L), participants were classified as follows: with sufficient levels at both waves; with sufficient levels at baseline but not at follow-up; with insufficient levels at baseline but ≥ 50 nmol/L at follow-up; and with levels < 50 nmol/L at each time point. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 8-point CES-D scale. Data were analysed using logistic regression models. Compared with those with sufficient levels of vitamin D at both waves, only those with insufficient levels throughout were more likely to report elevated depressive symptoms (OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.00–1.93). Becoming or no longer being vitamin D deficient was, in the short term, not associated with elevated depressive symptoms. Further evidence is required on whether vitamin D supplementation might contribute to the prevention or treatment of depression as well as on the duration of time for changes in vitamin D levels to lead to detectable changes in depressive symptoms.

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The longitudinal associations between C-reactive protein and depressive symptoms: evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry ◽

10.1002/gps.4250 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 30 (9) ◽

pp. 976-984 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Bonnie Au ◽

Kimberley J. Smith ◽

Geneviève Gariépy ◽

Norbert Schmitz

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Longitudinal Associations ◽

English Longitudinal Study

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ASSOCIATION OF C-REACTIVE PROTEIN WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN THE ENGLISH LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF AGEING

Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health ◽

10.1136/jech-2013-203098.3 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 67 (10) ◽

pp. e2.14-e2 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Bonnie Au ◽

Norbert Schmitz

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

English Longitudinal Study

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Abstract P010: Mid-life Vitamin D Levels and Later Life Performance on Neuropsychological Testing: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.137.suppl_1.p010 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 137 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Oluwaseun E Fashanu ◽

Di Zhao ◽

Andrea L Schneider ◽

Andreea M Rawlings ◽

Richey A Sharrett ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Neuropsychological Testing ◽

Late Life ◽

Later Life ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities ◽

Vitamin D Levels ◽

And Performance ◽

Age Range

Background: Prior cross-sectional studies among older adults have found associations between low vitamin D (vitD) levels and reduced cognitive performance but were unable to distinguish the temporal order between vitD and the onset of dementia. We examined the association between mid-life vitD levels, assessed by serum 25-hydroxyvitD, with later life performance on neuropsychological testing. Methods: We conducted a non-concurrent cross-sectional analysis of 5,887 white and black participants enrolled in the ARIC Neurocognitive Study. We included participants who had serum vitD concentrations measured at visit 2 (1990-1992; age range 47-69 years) and who had neuropsychological and functional testing at visit 5 (2011-2013; age range 67-91 years). Neuropsychological tests were grouped into memory, language, and executive function domains and were standardized. We categorized vitD using clinical cut points as deficient (<20 ng/mL), intermediate (20-<30 ng/mL), or sufficient (≥ 30 ng/mL). We used Poisson and linear regression models adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic factors to examine the associations between vitD with prevalent dementia and performance on neuropsychological testing. Results: In mid-life, the mean (SD) age of participants was 56 (5) years, 60% were female, and 22% black. Mean (SD) vitD was 24.6 (8.4) ng/mL; 30% had deficient, 46% intermediate, and 24% sufficient vitD levels. Compared to participants with sufficient vitD levels, the prevalence ratios (95% CI) of late-life dementia were 1.35 (0.99, 1.84) and 1.27 (0.90, 1.80) for participants with intermediate and deficient vitD levels, respectively. We found no significant association between mid-life vitD and late-life performance on neuropsychological testing ( Table ). Further adjustments for cardiovascular, genetic, and metabolic factors yielded similar results. Conclusion: In this cohort, mid-life serum vitD levels were not associated with prevalent dementia or with performance on neuropsychological testing 20 years later.

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Leisure time physical activity, risk of depressive symptoms, and inflammatory mediators: The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Psychoneuroendocrinology ◽

10.1016/j.psyneuen.2009.02.004 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 34 (7) ◽

pp. 1050-1055 ◽

Cited By ~ 84

Author(s):

Mark Hamer ◽

Gerard J. Molloy ◽

Cesar de Oliveira ◽

Panayotes Demakakos

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

Inflammatory Mediators ◽

Leisure Time ◽

Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽

English Longitudinal Study

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The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA): Depressive symptoms and physical performance

BMC Proceedings ◽

10.1186/1753-6561-7-s4-s8 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 7 (S4) ◽

Author(s):

Panayotes Demakakos

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

Physical Performance ◽

English Longitudinal Study

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Loneliness, Social Integration, and Incident Dementia Over 6 Years: Prospective Findings From the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

The Journals of Gerontology Series B ◽

10.1093/geronb/gbx087 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 75 (1) ◽

pp. 114-124 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Snorri Bjorn Rafnsson ◽

Martin Orrell ◽

Eleonora d’Orsi ◽

Eef Hogervorst ◽

Andrew Steptoe

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Close Relationships ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Later Life ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Reverse Causality ◽

Dementia Risk ◽

Incident Dementia ◽

English Longitudinal Study

Abstract Objectives Social relationships are important for the maintenance of cognitive function at older ages, with both objective features of social networks and perceived social connections (loneliness) being relevant. There is limited evidence about how different aspects of social experience predict diagnosed dementia. Methods The sample comprised 6,677 dementia-free individuals at baseline (2004) from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Baseline information on loneliness, number of close relationships, marital status, and social isolation (contact with family and friends and participation in organizations) was analyzed in relation to incident dementia over an average 6.25 years using Cox regression, controlling for potential confounding factors. Results Two hundred twenty participants developed dementia during follow-up. In multivariable analyses, dementia risk was positively related to greater loneliness (hazard ratio 1.40, 95% confidence interval 1.09–1.80, p = .008), and inversely associated with number of close relationships (p < .001) and being married (p = .018). Sensitivity analyses testing for reverse causality and different criteria for diagnosing dementia confirmed the robustness of these findings. There was no association with social isolation. Discussion Dementia risk is associated with loneliness and having fewer close relationships in later life. The underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated, but efforts to enhance older peoples’ relationship quality may be relevant to dementia risk.

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Duration of depressive symptoms and mortality risk: The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.bp.114.155333 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 208 (4) ◽

pp. 337-342 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

James White ◽

Paola Zaninotto ◽

Kate Walters ◽

Mika Kivimäki ◽

Panayotes Demakakos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

Mortality Risk ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Epidemiologic Studies ◽

Symptom Duration ◽

Functional Impairments ◽

Hazard Ratios ◽

And Gender ◽

English Longitudinal Study

BackgroundThe relationship between the duration of depressive symptoms and mortality remains poorly understood.AimsTo examine whether the duration of depressive symptoms is associated with mortality risk.MethodData (n = 9560) came from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). We assessed depressive symptom duration as the sum of examinations with an eight-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale score of ⩾3; we ascertained mortality from linking our data to a national register.ResultsRelative to those participants who never reported symptoms, the age- and gender-adjusted hazard ratios for elevated depressive symptoms over 1, 2, 3 and 4 examinations were 1.41 (95% CI 1.15–1.74), 1.80 (95% CI 1.44–2.26), 1.97 (95% CI 1.57–2.47) and 2.48 (95% CI 1.90–3.23), respectively (P for trend <0.001). This graded association can be explained largely by differences in physical activity, cognitive function, functional impairments and physical illness.ConclusionsIn this cohort of older adults, the duration of depressive symptoms was associated with mortality in a dose–response manner.

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