Common mid-life health issue linked to increased dementia risk

A mental health issue affecting around one in six Brits has been linked to dementia risk

A common mental health problem in mid to later life could be an "early warning sign" of dementia, new research has found.

A new study has revealed that people who suffer with depression in mid-life are more likely to develop dementia.

The major study of 2.5 million people found that feelings of unhappiness and hopelessness in your 40s and 50s were associated with up to a 56 per cent increased risk of dementia.

They also found a significant link between late life depression, where symptoms develop at around 65 years of age or older, and dementia.

Jacob Brain, from the Institute of Mental Health and School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham said: "Our study shows that depression is linked to an increased risk of dementia in both midlife and late life.

"This highlights the importance of recognising and treating depression across the life course, not just for mental health, but also as part of a broader strategy to protect brain health.

"Public health efforts need to place greater emphasis on preventative brain health, including scaling up access to effective mental health care."

Affecting more than 57 million people globally, dementia currently has no cure. The researchers stress that identifying and treating its risk factors is an important public health priority.

It is not fully understood how depression and dementia might be linked, but experts say it could be due to chronic inflammation, vascular changes, and neurotransmitter imbalances, among others. Genetic and behavioural changes may also increase the risks.

Brain added: "Our findings raise the possibility that depression late in life may not just be a risk factor, but it could also be an early warning sign of dementia beginning to develop.

"By clarifying this timing, our work helps guide future research, treatment, and prevention strategies."

Around one in six (16 per cent) adults in Great Britain experienced moderate to severe depressive symptoms, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

By analysing studies looking at the link between depression and dementia, the researchers looked at how timing of dementia might influence dementia risk.

Brain said: "We specifically focused on the timing of when depression was measured, whether it was measured in midlife or in later life, and calculated how much it increased the risk of developing dementia.

"This essentially allowed us to provide a more accurate and up-to-date picture of how depression at different life stages is linked to dementia risk."

The study was published in the journal eClinicalMedicine.