Abstract
It has been suggested in the literature that atherosclerosis is a common causal pathway of cognitive impairment and late-onset depression, which may explain their co-occurrence in old age. In both the 'Leiden 85-plus Study' and the literature, strong evidence is found for a causal relationship between atherosclerosis and cognitive impairment, but there is less evidence for a causal relationship between atherosclerosis and late-onset depression. In the 'Leiden 85-plus Study', cognitive impairment was a risk factor for the development of late-onset depression, but depression in old age did not predict cognitive decline. This means that the prevention of atherosclerosis might prevent cognitive impairment and hence late-onset depression in old age.
Translated title of the contribution | The relationship between atherosclerosis, cognitive impairment, and depression in old age |
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Original language | Dutch |
Pages (from-to) | 2307-2311 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde |
Volume | 150 |
Issue number | 42 |
Publication status | Published - 21 Oct 2006 |