August 11, 2014

Elderly with depression, mild cognitive impairment more vulnerable to accelerated brain aging

Older people who have depression and mild cognitive impairment are more likely to show biomarker and brain imaging changes linked to accelerated brain aging and dementia, according to a study in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. The study examined blood samples and PET and MRI data from 36 patients with MCI and 44 with normal cognitive function, all of whom had been treated for depression. Understanding how the brain works in patients with MCI and depression could help doctors find ways to stall progression to dementia. {read more here}