Depression in mid, late life linked to higher dementia risk: study

A new international study has confirmed a strong link between depression in midlife or later years and an increased risk of developing dementia, according to the University of Adelaide in Australia, reported Xinhua.

Researchers conducted a comprehensive review of 26 studies and highlighted a consistent association between late-life depression and a higher likelihood of all-cause dementia, according to a press release from the University of Adelaide on Friday.

The findings show that depression is associated with a heightened risk of dementia whether it occurs in midlife or later, emphasizing the need to address and treat depression at all stages of life to support both mental and cognitive health, said the study's lead author Jacob Brain, a joint PhD scholar from the University of Adelaide and the University of Nottingham in Britain.

Dementia affects over 57 million people globally. While prior studies have noted the connection with depression, this new research clarifies that both timing and severity may play a role, the release said.

The underlying relationship is complex, potentially involving chronic inflammation, vascular changes, neurobiological decline, and shared genetic or lifestyle factors, according to the study published in eClinicalMedicine, part of The Lancet Discovery Science.

"Our findings raise the possibility that depression late in life may not just be a risk factor, but it could also be an early warning sign of dementia beginning to develop," Brain said, adding this opens new pathways for early intervention and dementia prevention.