Depression and anxiety speeds up brain ageing
A study has found that depression and anxiety may accelerate the rate at which the brain ages. It is known that people with depression or anxiety have an increased risk of dementia in later life.
The study, published in Psychological Medicine, provides comprehensive evidence for the effect of depression on decline in overall cognitive function.
Researchers at the University of Sussex in the U.K. conducted a robust systematic review of 34 longitudinal studies, involving 71,000 participants with the focus on the link between depression or anxiety and decline in cognitive function over time.
The team of researchers found that people with depression experienced a greater decline in cognitive state in older adulthood than those without depression.
Lead authors of the paper, Dr Darya Gaysina and Amber John from the EDGE (Environment, Development, Genetics and Epigenetics in Psychology and Psychiatry) Lab at the University of Sussex, are calling for greater awareness of the importance of supporting mental health to protect brain health in later life.
Dr Gaysina, a Lecturer in Psychology and EDGE Lab Lead, comments: ‘This study is of great importance – our populations are ageing at a rapid rate and the number of people living with decreasing cognitive abilities and dementia is expected to grow substantially over the next thirty years.’
Our findings should give the government even more reason to take mental health issues seriously and to ensure that health provisions are properly resourced. We need to protect the mental wellbeing of our older adults and to provide robust support services to those experiencing depression and anxiety in order to safeguard brain function in later life,’ Dr Gaysina further added.
Researcher Amber John, who carried out this research for her PhD at the University of Sussex said ‘Depression is a common mental health problem – each year, at least 1 in 5 people in the UK experience symptoms. But people living with depression shouldn’t despair – it’s not inevitable that you will see a greater decline in cognitive abilities and taking preventative measures such as exercising, practicing mindfulness and undertaking recommended therapeutic treatments, such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, have all been shown to be helpful in supporting wellbeing, which in turn may help to protect cognitive health in older age.’
