Neuropathological correlates of late-life depression in older
                        people

BackgroundDepression is common in old age and is associated with risk of dementia, but its neuropathological correlates in the community are unknown.AimsTo investigate for the first time in a population-representative sample of people with no dementia the association between depression observed during life and neurofibrillary tangles, diffuse and neuritic plaques, Lewy bodies, brain atrophy and cerebrovascular disease found in the brain at post-mortem.MethodOut of 456 donations to a population-based study, 153 brains were selected where donors had no dementia measured in life. Alzheimer and vascular pathology measures, Lewy bodies and neuronal loss were compared between those with (n = 36) and without (n = 117) depression ascertained using a fully structured diagnostic interview during life. Brain areas examined included frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital cortical areas as well as the entorhinal cortex, hippocampus and brain-stem monoaminergic nuclei.ResultsDepression was significantly associated with the presence of subcortical Lewy bodies. No association was found between depression and cerebrovascular or Alzheimer pathology in cortical or subcortical areas, although depression was associated with neuronal loss in the hippocampus as well as in some of the subcortical structures investigated (nucleus basalis, substantia nigra, raphe nucleus).ConclusionsLate-life depression was associated with subcortical and hippocampal neuronal loss but not with cerebrovascular or Alzheimer pathology.

Download Full-text

Vascular risk factors and incident late-life depression in a Korean population

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.bp.105.015032 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 189 (1) ◽

pp. 26-30 ◽

Cited By ~ 61

Author(s):

Jae-Min Kim ◽

Robert Stewart ◽

Sung-Wan Kim ◽

Su-Jin Yang ◽

Il-Seon Shin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Density Lipoprotein ◽

Late Life ◽

Diagnostic Interview ◽

Affective States ◽

Late Life Depression ◽

Lower Baseline ◽

Vascular Status

BackgroundCausal relationships between vascular factors and late-life depression are controversial.AimsTo investigate prospective associations between risk factors for vascular disease and incidence of late-life depression.MethodOf 661 community participants aged 65 years or over, without depression at baseline, 521 (79%) were re-evaluated 2 years later. At baseline and follow-up, a diagnostic interview for depression was carried out and information on vascular status, disability and cognitive function was gathered.ResultsPre-existing heart disease, incident stroke and lower baseline high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level were significantly associated with incidence of late-life depression, independently of disability and cognitive function.ConclusionsThese results provide some support for a vascular aetiology of late-life depression. However, important risk factors for cerebrovascular disease such as hypertension and diabetes were not implicated, and the associations with lipid levels might still be explained by affective states earlier in life.

Download Full-text

Changes in pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and late-life depression: A two year population based longitudinal study

Psychoneuroendocrinology ◽

10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.02.006 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 90 ◽

pp. 85-91 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Jae-Min Kim ◽

Robert Stewart ◽

Ju-Wan Kim ◽

Hee-Ju Kang ◽

Kyung-Yeol Bae ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

Inflammatory Cytokine ◽

Late Life ◽

Population Based ◽

Late Life Depression ◽

Cytokine Levels

Download Full-text

Age at Onset and Vascular Pathology in Late-Life Depression

American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry ◽

10.1097/jgp.0b013e318227f85c ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 20 (6) ◽

pp. 524-532 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Raghupathy Paranthaman ◽

Alistair S. Burns ◽

J. Kennedy Cruickshank ◽

Alan Jackson ◽

Marietta L.J. Scott ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Age At Onset ◽

Late Life ◽

Vascular Pathology ◽

Late Life Depression

Download Full-text

Changes in severity of depressive symptoms and mortality: the Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291712000645 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 42 (12) ◽

pp. 2619-2629 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

E. Scafato ◽

L. Galluzzo ◽

S. Ghirini ◽

C. Gandin ◽

A. Rossi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Geriatric Depression Scale ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Late Life ◽

Population Based ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Late Life Depression ◽

Longitudinal Changes ◽

The Impact

BackgroundDepression is recognized as being associated with increased mortality. However, there has been little previous research on the impact of longitudinal changes in late-life depressive symptoms on mortality, and of their remission in particular.MethodAs part of a prospective, population-based study on a random sample of 5632 subjects aged 65–84 years, with a 10-year follow-up of vital status, depressive symptoms were assessed by the 30-item Italian version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The number of participants in the GDS measurements was 3214 at baseline and 2070 at the second survey, 3 years later. Longitudinal changes in depressive symptoms (stable, remitted, worsened) were examined in participants in both evaluations (n=1941). Mortality hazard ratios (MHRs) according to severity of symptoms and their changes over time were obtained by means of Cox proportional hazards regression models, adjusting for age and other potentially confounding factors.ResultsSeverity is significantly associated with excess mortality in both genders. Compared to the stability of depressive symptoms, a worsened condition shows a higher 7-year mortality risk [MHR 1.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15–1.84], whereas remission reduces by about 40% the risk of mortality in both genders (women MHR 0.55, 95% CI 0.32–0.95; men MHR 0.59, 95% CI 0.37–0.93). Neither sociodemographic nor medical confounders significantly modified these associations.ConclusionsConsistent with previous reports, the severity and persistence of depression are associated with higher mortality risks. Our findings extend the magnitude of the association demonstrating that remission of symptoms is related to a significant reduction in mortality, highlighting the need to enhance case-finding and successful treatment of late-life depression.

Download Full-text