People Over 65 Years with Depression, Type-2 Diabetes At Higher Risk for Dementia

Dementia refers to gradual decline in an individual’s mental ability. Researchers at University of Washington School of Medicine have revealed that individuals diagnosed with either depression or diabetes, or both, are at increased risk of dementia compared with people who have neither condition. The study indicated that while type-2 diabetes is associated with a 20% greater risk of dementia and depression alone was associated with an 83% greater risk, having both depression and type-2 diabetes was associated with a 117% greater risk. The risk for dementia appeared to be greater among those younger than 65-years.

Researchers examined the risk of dementia among individuals with depression, type-2 diabetes or both. They compared risk with individuals with neither condition in a group of more than 2.4 million Danish citizens, who were 50-years and older and free from dementia from 2007 through 2013. The average age at initial diagnosis of type-2 diabetes was 63.1 years and the average age at initial diagnosis of depression was 58.5 years.

The authors found that during the study period, 2.4% of individuals (59,663 people) developed dementia and the average age at diagnosis was nearly 81 years. Of those individuals who developed dementia, 15,729 people (26.4%) had depression alone and 6,466 (10.8%) had type-2 diabetes alone, while 4,022 (6.7&) had both conditions.

The study appears online in the JAMA Psychiatry.

Source-Medindia