Younger People With Depression 'Also More Prone to Dementia'

A study of more than 18,000 Britons published in the British Journal of Psychiatry found those suffering depression in their 20s, 30s, and 40s were more likely to suffer memory loss by their 50s, reports The London Economic . Based on these findings, the investigators have urged the U.K. government to invest in the mental health of young adults to protect their future brain health. "We found the more episodes of depression people experience in their adulthood, the higher risk of cognitive impairment they have later in life," said the University of Sussex's Darya Gaysina. "This finding highlights the importance of effective management of depression to prevent the development of recurrent mental health problems with long-term negative outcomes." The researchers observed that a buildup of symptoms experienced by participants supplied a strong indicator of reduced memory function by the time they were 50. Two or three depressive episodes over the course of the study period forecast a steady decline in cognitive ability, while only one had little impact. Episodes of depression and anxiety had little effect on verbal fluency, information processing speed, and accuracy scores.