A new study suggest that older adults with depression experience more rapid cognitive decline than those without depression. Hence, it seems to age your brain faster.

And by rapid cognitive decline, the authors mean diminishing executive function, memory loss, and information processing.

U.S. News:

The researchers suggested three theories for the link between depression and cognitive decline, which they said were not mutually exclusive and, in fact, likely to overlap: that depression could be a cause of cognitive decline, that depression could in fact be an early symptom of the same underlying conditions that cause the decline, and third, that the causes of depression and automatic decline are separate conditions that share risk factors and underlying causes.

Consequently, the study’s authors suggest closer monitoring of those with affective disorders as they ascend unto the later hills of life.

Earlier this month, I pointed out a study that suggested that untreated depression can lead to significant brain inflammation — particularly if that depression is untreated for more than 10 years.

Brain inflammation is linked to, among other things, raising your risk for Alzheimer’s.

That highlights the importance of getting a handle on this stuff soon.

Now here’s the fascinating thing– we heard a lot last week about certain antidepressants, tied to a higher risk of developing dementia.

But we also know, from this study and others, that untreated depression can also raise your likelihood of getting dementia.

So what’s a middle-aged man or woman to do?

Talk to your doctor.

Cool photo indirectly related to aging: Pexels.

There’s been a lot of bad press around antidepressants this week (A new study links some to an increased risk of dementia, as well as weight gain. However, we’ve known about those potential side effects for awhile).

But for many, antidepressants are absolutely necessary for getting through the day.

So I’m re-upping this massive study from February 2018, which took 6 years, and included all published and unpublished data on the issue.

The Guardian, writing on it.

Professor Carmine Pariante, spokesperson for the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said the analysis “finally puts to bed the controversy on antidepressants, clearly showing that these drugs do work in lifting mood and helping most people with depression. Importantly, the paper analyses unpublished data held by pharmaceutical companies, and shows that the funding of studies by these companies does not influence the result, thus confirming that the clinical usefulness of these drugs is not affected by pharma-sponsored spin.”

 

Dr James Warner, reader in psychiatry at Imperial College London, said: “This rigorous study confirms that antidepressants have an important place in the treatment of depression. Depression causes misery to countless thousands every year and this study adds to the existing evidence that effective treatments are available.”

 

…. the doctors, noting that just one in six people receive proper treatment in the rich world – and one in 27 in the developing world.

If cancer or heart patients suffered this level of under-treatment, there would be a public outcry, they say.

Above, the study (hat tip: The Guardian] includes a helpful table of results among antidepressants. As always, talk to your doctor.

A brand new study (honestly, feels like we get one of these on sleep stuff every five minutes) links disrupted sleep patterns to a higher risk for depression and bipolar.

The study authors, writing in The Conversation:

“We found that disturbances to circadian rhythms – specifically, increased activity during rest hours and/or inactivity during the day – were associated with a greater risk of mood disorders (such as depression and bipolar disorder), worse subjective feelings of well-being and slower reaction times. These changes couldn’t be explained by age, sex, smoking status, alcohol consumption, average activity levels, education, body mass index and childhood trauma.

Overall, our findings provide strong support for the idea that a disturbed circadian rhythm is associated with poor mental health and well-being.”

Here are 12 tips to improve your sleep (not included, for some reason: don’t have kids).

Painting: The Sleepy Gypsy by Rousseau