Cited by 1,265Dementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchTreatment of Major DepressionAlzheimer's disease research and treatments

Depression and risk of developing dementia

Open access
Byers, Amy L., Yaffe, Kristine·2011·Nature Reviews Neurology

Abstract

Depression is highly common throughout the life course and dementia is common in late life. Depression has been linked with dementia, and growing evidence implies that the timing of depression may be important in defining the nature of this association. In particular, earlier-life depression (or depressive symptoms) has consistently been associated with a more than twofold increase in dementia risk. By contrast, studies of late-life depression and dementia risk have been conflicting; most support an association, yet the nature of this association (for example, if depression is a prodrome or consequence of, or risk factor for dementia) remains unclear. The likely biological mechanisms linking depression to dementia include vascular disease, alterations in glucocorticoid steroid levels and hippocampal atrophy, increased deposition of amyloid-β plaques, inflammatory changes, and deficits of nerve growth factors. Treatment strategies for depression could interfere with these pathways and alter the risk of dementia. Given the projected increase in dementia incidence in the coming decades, understanding whether treatment for depression alone, or combined with other regimens, improves cognition is of critical importance. In this Review, we summarize and analyze current evidence linking late-life and earlier-life depression and dementia, and discuss the primary underlying mechanisms and implications for treatment.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nrneurol.2011.60

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  • The questionnaire was developed based on previous studies and expert opinions from geriatrists, gerontologists, and older adult care specialists, aiming to assess public knowledge about dementia.

    “The questionnaire was developed based on previous studies and expert opinions from geriatrists, gerontologists, and older adult care specialists, aiming to assess public knowledge about dementia. 15-19”

    From Dementia Knowledge in Older and Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study (2024) · cites this paper as [19]

    The Introduction and late-life depression section discuss the relationship between depression and dementia, not the development of a public-knowledge questionnaire. Searches for questionnaire development and expert input found no passage describing the claimed process. (LLM, conf=0.74)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Late-life depression is associated with a twofold risk of developing dementia.

    “Importantly, LLD is associated with a twofold risk of developing dementia [10].”

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Authors
Byers, A. L., & Yaffe, K.
Affiliations
San Francisco VA Medical Center (US)
Corresponding author
Byers, Amy L.
Venue
Nature Reviews Neurology
Published
2011-05-03
Volume
7
Issue
6
Pages
323-331
ISSN
  • 1759-4758 (ISSN-L)
  • 1759-4766
OpenAlex
W2076143792
Cited by
1,265
References
132
Citations by year
2026: 87 · 2025: 120 · 2024: 157 · 2023: 108 · 2022: 119 · 2021: 134 · 2020: 113 · 2019: 75 · 2018: 59 · 2017: 52 · 2016: 59 · 2015: 59 · 2014: 47 · 2013: 36 · 2012: 38
FWCI
5.10
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Reviews Neurology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute on Aging (K24AG031155)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH086498, K01MH079093)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
Keywords
depression, dementia risk, geriatric depression, vascular disease, glucocorticoids, hippocampal atrophy, amyloid plaques, neuroinflammation, nerve growth factor, depression treatment, dementia prevention, cognitive decline, aging
MeSH terms
Adult, Aged, Dementia, Depression, Hippocampus, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Inflammation, Middle Aged, Nerve Growth Factors, Risk, Risk Factors, Vascular Diseases, Plaque, Amyloid

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