chronic depression/frontal lobe/dementia

Nurses General Nursing

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I am busy doing my studies on Alzheimer's and other dementia. I have been told about a year, year-and-a-half ago that it has recently been shown that chronic depression can permanently affect the frontal lobe.

Now that we are studying this in school I remembered being told this and it brought about my curiosity.

Now, I understand that dementias can bring on depression, but can chronic depression, which permanently affects the frontal lobe (I assume if left untreated) predispose a person to Alzheimer's or other form of dementia later in life?

I had asked our nursing instructor in class, but she wasn't sure, and I am still curious if anyone knows, or if they know any good websites for this subject. I have also researched my texts and have not found an answer

Thanks

Specializes in Adult M/S.

In our Anatomy class last fall we were required to do a paper and I chose one on depression and altered brain function due to ischemia. Here's some of the references, the best one being #5. Basically their study supported the hypothesis that vascular disease in the elderly predisposes, precipitates, and perpetuates depression. It also suggests that depression in the elderly may be viewed as a potentially treatable consequence of cerebrovascular disease.

1 Koenig, HG., George, LK., Peterson, BL. and Pieper CF., Depression in medically ill hospitalized older adults: prevalence, characteristics, and course of symptoms according to six diagnostic schemes

Am J Psychiatry 1997: 154: 1376-1383

2 Conwell, Y. Suicide in Elderly Patients, in Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression in Late Life, Edited by Schneider, LS., Reynolds, CF., Lebowitz, BD.; Washington D.C., American Psychiatric Press, 1996

3 Rabbins, PV., Pearlson, GD., Aylward, E., Kumar, AJ., and Dowell, K. Cortical magnetic resonance imaging changes in elderly inpatients with major depression Am J Psychiatry 1991: 148:617-620

4 Nebes, RD., Reynolds, CF. 3rd, Boada, F., Meltzer, CC., Fukui, MB., Saxton, J., Halligan, EM., and DeKosky, ST. Longitudinal increase in the volume of white matter hyperintensities in late-onset depression. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2002 Jun;17(6):526-30

5 Thomas, AJ., O'Brian, JT., Davis, S., Ballard, C., Barber, R., Kalaria, RN., and Perry, RH., Ischemic Basis for Deep White Matter Hyperintensities in Major Depression: A Neuropathological Study Arch Gen Psychiatry 2002;59:785-792

6 Kalayam, B., Alexopoulos, GS. Prefrontal dysfunction and treatment response in geriatric depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1999;56:713-718

What that means is take your lipitor, watch your f atty food intake, keep your weight down, exercise--and take your aspirin a day and your lipitor.

And, as you age, hope you don't have to choose between medicine and food, that's depressing.

And, hope some hot-shot friends of the prez haven't looted

your retirement account.

And, hope your IRA isn't 50 % of what is was when you retired

at 62 & now you are 68.

Any other concerns that contribute to elderly depression?

For those interested, I have had a response to my inquiry from http://www.mentalhealthandillness.com. The conclusion from the MIRAGE study was that depressive s/s prior to to the onset of AD are associated with the development of AD.

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