"Depressive middle-aged women have more than twice the risk of developing young dementia"
Aug 20, 2024
A study found that there is a link between depression and early-onset dementia in middle-aged women.
A research team led by Professor Yoo Jeong-eun of the Department of Family Medicine at the Gangnam Center of Seoul National University Hospital, Professor Yoon Dae-hyun of the Department of Mental Health Medicine, and Professor Jin Eun-hyo of the Department of Gastroenterology revealed that there is a link between depression and the risk of early-onset dementia in middle-aged women. According to the study, middle-aged women with depression had a 2.5 to 2.7 times higher risk of early-onset dementia than those who did not.
Based on 2009 national health examination data, the research team at Seoul National University Hospital Gangnam Center followed up with 946,931 premenopausal women and 674,420 postmenopausal women aged 40 to 60 for about 9 years. As a result of the study, it was found that women with depression had a higher risk of early onset dementia than women without depression, and the risk increased especially for women with later menopausal age or earlier menopause.
Early onset dementia generally refers to dementia diagnosed before the age of 65, and its incidence has been increasing recently. The present study revealed that depression in middle-aged women is an important risk factor for such early-onset dementia, suggesting that hormonal-related physiological changes in women may affect early-onset dementia.
Yoo Jeong-eun, a professor of family medicine at Seoul National University Hospital's Gangnam Center, stressed that efforts should be made to prevent early-onset dementia through mental health management and screening if women with depression, especially when the exposure period of female hormones is short due to early menopause.
The study re-examined the impact of mental health care in middle-aged women on the prevention of early-onset dementia. The researchers plan to further clarify the link between depression and dementia through further research in the future and develop prevention and treatment strategies based on this. The findings were published in the recent issue of the journal 'Alzheimer's Research & Therapy'.
A research team led by Professor Yoo Jeong-eun of the Department of Family Medicine at the Gangnam Center of Seoul National University Hospital, Professor Yoon Dae-hyun of the Department of Mental Health Medicine, and Professor Jin Eun-hyo of the Department of Gastroenterology revealed that there is a link between depression and the risk of early-onset dementia in middle-aged women. According to the study, middle-aged women with depression had a 2.5 to 2.7 times higher risk of early-onset dementia than those who did not.
Based on 2009 national health examination data, the research team at Seoul National University Hospital Gangnam Center followed up with 946,931 premenopausal women and 674,420 postmenopausal women aged 40 to 60 for about 9 years. As a result of the study, it was found that women with depression had a higher risk of early onset dementia than women without depression, and the risk increased especially for women with later menopausal age or earlier menopause.
Early onset dementia generally refers to dementia diagnosed before the age of 65, and its incidence has been increasing recently. The present study revealed that depression in middle-aged women is an important risk factor for such early-onset dementia, suggesting that hormonal-related physiological changes in women may affect early-onset dementia.
Yoo Jeong-eun, a professor of family medicine at Seoul National University Hospital's Gangnam Center, stressed that efforts should be made to prevent early-onset dementia through mental health management and screening if women with depression, especially when the exposure period of female hormones is short due to early menopause.
The study re-examined the impact of mental health care in middle-aged women on the prevention of early-onset dementia. The researchers plan to further clarify the link between depression and dementia through further research in the future and develop prevention and treatment strategies based on this. The findings were published in the recent issue of the journal 'Alzheimer's Research & Therapy'.
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