Premium
Depressive symptoms predict incident dementia during short‐ but not long‐term follow‐up period
Author(s) -
Mirza Saira Saeed,
Bruijn Renée F.A.G.,
Direk Nese,
Hofman Albert,
Koudstaal Peter J.,
Ikram M. Arfan,
Tiemeier Henning
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2013.10.006
Subject(s) - prodrome , dementia , medicine , risk factor , cohort , depression (economics) , depressive symptoms , proportional hazards model , cohort study , population , rotterdam study , psychiatry , gerontology , cognition , disease , psychosis , environmental health , economics , macroeconomics
Background Whether depression is a long‐term risk factor for dementia or represents a dementia prodrome is unclear. Therefore, we examined the relationship between depressive symptoms and dementia during short and long follow‐up in a population‐based cohort. Methods In the Rotterdam Study, 4393 nondemented individuals were followed for incident dementia for 13.7 years by continuous monitoring. Cox proportional hazards models for different time intervals were used to estimate the risk of incident dementia. Results Five‐hundred eighty‐two participants developed dementia during 13.7 years. Persons with depressive symptoms had an 8% increased risk of dementia compared with those without depressive symptoms during the overall follow‐up. The risk was highest in the short and intermediate follow‐up, particularly in men. We did not find an association in the follow‐up period beyond 10 years. Conclusion Our results suggest that late‐life depressive symptoms are part of a dementia prodrome rather than an independent risk factor of dementia.