Constantly increasing depression is often an early harbinger of dementia

Increased symptoms of depression may indicate impending dementia
In previous studies, there have been several indications of an association between depression and the risk of later dementia. Dutch researchers have now shown in a recent study that the course of depression has a significant impact on whether the risk of dementia of those affected increases. A deterioration in the disease can be a harbinger of impending dementia, the researchers report. Their study results have been published in the journal "The Lancet Psychiatry".

The link between depression and the risk of dementia has been widely studied, according to the researchers in previous studies, although the disease has not been taken into account. The research team around Dr. In his current research, M. Arfan Ikram from the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam has investigated the extent to which the risk of dementia differs in different courses of depression. According to their findings, the higher risk of dementia is mainly due to a significant increase in depressive symptoms.

If the symptoms of depression increase significantly, this can be a harbinger of dementia. (Image: Monkey Business / fotolia.com)

Data from 3,325 people evaluated
For their study, the researchers used the data from the so-called Rotterdam study, which has been running since 1990 and regularly collects the medical data of thousands of adults over the age of 55 years. The researchers looked at data from 3,325 individuals who showed no signs of dementia, but showed at least one symptom of depression. The data were from 1993 to 2004. The scientists divided the subjects into five groups with varying degrees of depressive symptoms: persistently low symptoms of depression; initially severe symptoms that decreased over time; low initial symptoms, which subsequently remitted (subside and return); low initial symptoms, which then increased steadily; high initial symptoms that persisted high. According to the researchers, 434 subjects developed dementia during the evaluated 26,330 person-years.

Course of depression crucial for the risk of dementia
The more detailed evaluation of the individual groups made it clear that only a course with an increase in the depressive symptoms could lead to a higher risk of dementia, the Dutch researchers report. The risk of dementia differed markedly in the different courses of depression. These processes can not be assessed by a single assessment of depressive symptoms, the researchers emphasize. However, an increase in complaints during the follow-up should be seen as a relatively reliable harbinger of imminent dementia. Further investigations are now needed to decipher the relationship between the course of depression and the risk of dementia. (Fp)