Mind & Mood Archive

When depression strikes, doctors usually probe what's going on in the mind and brain first. But it's also important to check what's going on in the body, since certain medical problems are linked to mood disturbances. In fact, medical illnesses — and medication side effects — may be behind nearly 10% to 15% of all cases of depression.

It's not uncommon for a physical illness to trigger depression. Up to half of heart attack survivors and those with cancer report feeling blue, and many are diagnosed with depression. Many people who have diabetes, Parkinson's, or other chronic conditions become depressed.

Asking for help from friends and family and then engaging with your new community will get you through the transition.

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Downsizing from a large home to a smaller one is a fact of life for many older adults. The reason may be finances, health issues, or a desire to simplify your lifestyle. But making the transition can bring a host of emotions: sadness, grief, stress, or anxiety.

Understanding the triggers for these feelings and using strategies to navigate them may not change how you feel, but it may help the downsizing process go more smoothly so you can focus on your next chapter.

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Are you taking a medication that has depression or suicidal thinking as a potential side effect? One or both risks have been linked to use of more than 200 prescription and over-the-counter pills, including medicines that treat high blood pressure, heartburn, pain, and headaches. The more of these drugs you use, the higher the likelihood that you'll experience depression, suggests a study published June 12, 2018, in The Journal of the American Medical Association. Working with five surveys conducted over a nine-year period, researchers evaluated health information from 26,192 adults. About 37% of them reported taking such medications. Of individuals taking three or more of the medications with depression as a possible side effect, about 15% reported depression, compared with about 5% in people not using those medications. Even for people already taking an antidepressant, the addition of one or more of the identified medicines was linked to higher rates of depression. This study was based on surveys, so it didn't prove that the medications caused the reported depression. Nonetheless, if you think you're depressed (and have symptoms such as apathy, hopelessness, changes in sleep or eating habits, and persistent fatigue), ask your doctor if any of the medicines you are taking may be responsible.

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Subjective cognitive decline often appears before memory loss and other symptoms.

Recent research suggests that the brain changes leading to Alzheimer's disease begin many years before the onset of symptoms.

Most often the disease is not diagnosed until it exists in full force, so finding earlier changes in thinking or behavior may help scientists better understand this process.

Asking for help from friends and family and then engaging with your new community will get you through the transition.

 Image: © IPGGutenbergUKLtd/Getty Images

Downsizing from a large home to a smaller one is a fact of life for many older adults. The reason may be finances, health issues, or a desire to simplify your lifestyle. But making the transition can bring a host of emotions: sadness, grief, stress, or anxiety.

Understanding the triggers for these feelings and using strategies to navigate them may not change how you feel, but it may help the downsizing process go more smoothly so you can focus on your next chapter.

Research we're watching

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A new study published online June 21 by the journal Neuron links two common viruses to Alzheimer's disease. Based on data from three brain banks, researchers found that the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease had up to twice the levels of two viruses — herpesviruses 6A and 7 — compared with the brains of people who did not have dementia. The virus genes also appeared to have interacted with the human DNA in cells in the brain in ways that might have affected Alzheimer's disease risk.

Infection with these herpesviruses is very common. Up to 90% of people may be exposed to these viruses in childhood. They cause, among other things, a mild infection known as roseola, which produces a rash and a fever.

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An observational study published online May 30, 2018, by JAMA Psychiatry found that engaging in intellectually stimulating activities, even later in life, may lower the odds of dementia. Researchers followed over 15,000 Chinese men and women in their 70s for seven years with annual assessments of health and lifestyle habits, including a variety of leisure activities. The odds of being diagnosed with dementia during the study period were 29% lower in people who challenged their brains daily with such activities as playing board games, reading, and even betting on horse racing. In contrast, less mentally demanding recreational activities (like watching TV or shopping) or social activities (like going to tea with friends) did not appear to be associated with a lower risk of dementia. Other studies have found similar evidence, but this one made a special effort to adjust for factors like better overall health that might otherwise account for the association between brain exercise and dementia.

In the journals

Anticholinergic medications used to treat bladder conditions, Parkinson's disease, and depression are associated with an increased risk of dementia, according to a large study published online April 25, 2018, by The BMJ. Anticholinergic drugs help to contract and relax muscles. They work by blocking acetylcholine, a substance that also transmits messages in the nervous system. In the study, researchers compared the medical records of 40,770 people older than 65 who were diagnosed with dementia and 283,933 seniors without.

They found that people diagnosed with dementia were up to 30% more likely to have been prescribed anticholinergic medications for Parkinson's, bladder problems, or depression. Frequently prescribed anticholinergic drugs include procyclidine (Kemadrin) for Parkinson's; tolterodine, oxybutynin, and solifenacin (Vesicare) for urological conditions like overactive bladder or incontinence; and amitriptyline, dosulepin, and paroxetine for depression. However, there was no association between dementia and anticholinergic drugs used to treat other common conditions like hay fever, travel sickness, and stomach cramps.

In the journals

Aerobic exercise has been linked with reducing symptoms of depression, but resistance training, such as weight lifting and bodyweight exercises like push-ups, can have the same effect.

A meta-analysis published in the June 2018 JAMA Psychiatry examined the effects of resistance training on depression symptoms in 33 clinical trials involving 1,877 people. The researchers found that people who did this type of exercise reported a significant reduction in such symptoms as low mood, loss of interest in activities, and feelings of worthlessness, compared with those who did not exercise.