Link between depression in the elderly and brain lesions

Researchers at the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) have been investigating depression.

It appears to be linked to a very significant increase in lesions in the white matter in the brain. This is the area of the brain believed to be responsible for transmitting information. Of course the appearance of such lesions – as a result of poor blood flow – is entirely normal with age but it is their extent that appears to increase the risk of depression after the age of 65. To reach this conclusion, the research team at Dijon monitored 1,700 individuals between the ages of 65 and 80. All underwent an MRI brain scan at the start of the study and again 4 years later.

When compared with elderly people in good health, the risk of depression proved to be 2.3 times higher among those with a lesion volume of over 6 cm3.

The authors believe that showing a link between lesions in the white matter of the brain and depression considerably strengthens the plausibility of the existence of vascular depression among the elderly. And in retirement homes, depression can affect as many as 45% of patients! Which shows how important it is to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in this condition.