Depression Linked to Memory Problems and Brain Aging

A study published in Neurology has found a possible link between depression in older adults and memory problems, while older people with more pronounced symptoms may have structural differences in the brain versus asymptomatic people, reports ScienceDaily . The researchers studied 1,111 stroke-free people, average age 71. All underwent brain imaging scans, a psychological test, and assessments for memory and thinking skills that were repeated about five years later. At the start, 22 percent of participants had greater symptoms of depression, which were associated with worse episodic memory. In addition, those with greater symptoms of depression exhibited smaller brain volume and 55 percent higher odds of small vascular lesions in the brain. No evidence of a relationship between greater symptoms of depression and changes in thinking skills over five years were observed.