Vascular disease risk factors as determinants of incident depressive symptoms: a prospective community-based study

Abstract

Our results do not support the hypothesis of a specific association between vascular disease or its risk factors and incident depressive symptoms.

Vascular disease and apathy in old age. The Leiden 85‐plus Study

“…However, most longitudinal community-based studies have not found a specific relationship between vascular risk factors or vascular disease and minor or major depression in the elderly (Lyness et al, 1997;Cervilla et al, 2004;Vinkers et al, 2005;Versluis et al, 2006), or this relation was confounded by functional disability (Lyness et al, 2000). Because of these inconsistent results (Kales et al, 2005), we hypothesized that vascular disease in old age might lead to apathy instead of depression assuming that vascular disease predisposes, precipitates, or perpetuates apathy in old age.…”

Ankle brachial pressure index as a marker of apathy in a community-dwelling population

“…However, the specific relationship between vascular risk factors or vascular disease and depression has not been found in most longitudinal community-based studies among the elderly (Lyness et al, 1997;Cervilla et al, 2004;Vinkers et al, 2005;Versluis et al, 2006), or in studies where it has been found, the relationship was confounded by functional disability (Lyness et al, 2000).…”

Progression of cerebral white matter lesions is not associated with development of depressive symptoms in elderly subjects at risk of cardiovascular disease. The PROSPER Study

“…Cross-sectionally, depression in old age has indeed been related to vascular disease (Alexopoulus et al, 1997;Krishnan, 2002;Camus et al, 2004;Tiemeier et al, 2004). Nevertheless, the few longitudinal community-based studies on this subject do not support a specific relationship between vascular disease or vascular risk factors and incident depression (Lyness et al, 2000;Cervilla et al, 2004). However, these studies did not look directly into the association of cerebral white matter hyperintensities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and depressive symptoms.…”