Depression as a risk factor or prodromal feature for dementia? Findings in a population-based sample of Swedish twins.

• This study tested whether history of depression is associated with an increased likelihood of dementia, and whether a first depressive episode earlier in life is associated with increased dementia risk, or whether only depressive episodes close in time to dementia onset are related to dementia. Depression information came from national hospital discharge registries, medical history, and medical records. Dementia was diagnosed clinically. In case-control results, individuals with recent registry-identified depression were 3.9 times more likely than those with no registry-identified depression history to have dementia, whereas registry-identified depression earlier in life was not associated with dementia risk. Each 1-year increase in time between depression onset and dementia onset or equivalent age decreased the likelihood of dementia by 8.4%. In co-twin control analyses, twins with prior depression were 3.0 times more likely to have dementia than their nondepressed twin partners, with a similar age of depression gradient. These findings suggest that after partially controlling for genetic influences, late-life depression for many individuals may be a prodrome rather than a risk factor for dementia.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Age of Onset

Aged

Case-Control Studies

Dementia

diagnosis

epidemiology

genetics

Depressive Disorder

Major

diagnosis

epidemiology

genetics

Diseases in Twins

diagnosis

epidemiology

genetics

Female

Genetic Predisposition to Disease

Health Status

Humans

Logistic Models

Male

Prognosis

Questionnaires

Registries

statistics & numerical data

Risk Factors

Sweden

epidemiology

Twins

Dizygotic

genetics

Twins

Monozygotic

genetics

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)