Late‐Life Depression is Associated with Arterial Stiffness: A Population‐Based Study

Abstract

This study shows an association between arterial stiffness and depression in the elderly. The findings are compatible with the vascular depression hypothesis. These data suggest that arterial stiffness may partly cause the proposed relationship between vascular factors and depression.

Severity of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms is Associated with Increased Arterial Stiffness in Depressive Disorder Patients Undergoing Psychiatric Treatment

“…Previous studies have shown that presence of depression increases the risk of CVD and the existing of CVD also increases the risk of depression 28,29 . In a study, higher values of PWV and AIx were of border significance in elder depressive patients 30 , and statistically significant association between PWV with depressive disorder has been reported 13 which is in line with our findings. In addition, in a recently published welldesigned study, the authors have compared 449 cases with lifetime diagnoses of depressive and/ or anxiety disorder and 169 healthy controls for PWV and AIx 5 .…”

“…Decreased cardiovascular fitness in males who enlisted for military service has been a predictive factor for future depression, thus the association between depression and CVD seems bidirectional 10 . Although the relationship between depression and CVD is unclear in terms of which one triggers another one, previous studies have shown that there is a close relationship between endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis, and depression [11][12][13] . Inflammation is another important entity in pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease and depression.…”

Associations between arterial stiffness, depressive symptoms and cerebral small vessel disease: cross-sectional findings from the AGES-Reykjavik Study

“…6,12,17 In addition, previous studies have shown an association between depression and WMHV 19,38 and lacunar infarcts. 38,39 Furthermore, a population-based study 4 has shown that higher CFPWV and local carotid stiffness were associated with depression. The present study shows that the association between arterial stiffness and depressive symptoms is in part explained by cerebral small vessel lesions and thereby provides additional evidence consistent with the role of arterial stiffness in modulating the emergence of late-life depressive symptoms.…”

Depression, Vascular Conditions and Chronicity

“…Studies investigating the association between depression and arteriosclerosis have used a variety of indexes for vascular function (Lavoie et al 2010;Oulis et al 2010;Paranthaman et al 2010;Rajagopalan et al 2001;Rybakowski et al 2006;Sherwood et al 2005;Tiemeier et al 2003). Irrespective of these different outcome measures, all studies unanimously have shown depressed individuals to have impaired endothelial function or increased arterial stiffness.…”