Study Links Depression to Alzheimer's Disease

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Research shows that the popular Alzheimer's drug Donepezil may delay the progression to Alzheimer's disease in depressed people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). MCI is described as that period between normal aging and Alzheimer's.

For three years, researchers followed 756 people aged 55 to 91 with MCI. Of those, 208 were diagnosed with depression. Researchers used a test to measure severity of depressive symptoms. For every one point increase on the test, the participant's risk of developing Alzheimer's rose 3 percent. "Our longer term findings add to the body of evidence that suggests depression is a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease," study author Po H. Lu, of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA was quoted as saying.

Study participants were given vitamin E, Donepezil or a placebo. Though Donepezil had little effect on those who were not depressed, among those diagnosed with depression, the percentage receiving vitamin E or placebo who developed Alzheimer's was double that of those receiving Donezepil.

Donepezil is not FDA approved for use in patients with MCI, but is indicated only for patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

"If we can delay the progression of this disease for even two years," said Lu, "it could significantly improve the quality of life for many people dealing with memory loss."

Source: Neurology, June 16, 2009

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