Early adulthood depression increases dementia risk, study finds
Fox News
Early adulthood depression was associated with cognitive impairment and faster cognitive decline, according to a new study building on dementia research.
Findings published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease on Tuesday involved statistical projections among 15,000 participants ages 20-89 across three age groups: young adulthood, midlife and older adults, per a UCSF release posted Tuesday. Researchers found a 73% increased odds of cognitive impairment among some 6,000 older participants estimated to have higher depressive symptoms in early adulthood, and a 43% increased likelihood for those with depression in late-life.
"Our findings highlight the importance of life course exposures and suggest that early adulthood may be a critical time for modifying risk factors such as depression, for dementia," the study reads.