We all know that depression is not good for our mental and physical health. It can increase your risk of dementia in the future.

Depression-Dementia Connection: According to a new study, depression can significantly increase the risk of dementia in mid-age as well as people aged 50 years and above. Globally, more than 57 million people suffer from dementia. There is currently no cure for it, so identifying and treating risk factors such as depression is an important public health priority.

Depression and Dementia Risk

Study findings suggest that the potential relationship between depression and dementia is complex and may involve chronic inflammation, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation, vascular changes, changes in neurotrophic factors, and neurotransmitter imbalances. Shared genetic and behavior-related motivations may also increase risk.

What does the study say?

The study, published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, focuses on the importance of identifying and treating depression throughout the lifespan as part of a comprehensive strategy to protect mental health as well as brain health.

Public health effort needed

"Public health effort needs to focus more on preventing brain health, including increasing access to effective mental health care," said Jacob Brain, from the Institute of Mental Health and School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham in the UK.

Risk in the coming years

Previous studies have shown that people suffering from depression are more likely to develop dementia later in life. However, there has been much debate about when depression is most critical, whether it is depression that begins in the middle age group, in the 40s or 50s, or depression that appears later in life - in the 60s or older.

Don't take depression lightly

This new research brings together all the existing evidence and adds new analyses to examine this time period in more detail. Brain said, "Our findings raise the possibility that depression in late life may not just be a risk factor but may also be an early warning sign of developing dementia. By clarifying this time period, our work helps guide future research, treatment and prevention strategies."

The study is based on a meta-analysis of more than 20 studies involving more than 3.4 million participants, specifically focusing on the timing when depression was measured, whether it was measured in midlife or later life, and calculating how much it increased the risk of developing dementia. This helps researchers understand how depression is associated with dementia risk at different stages of life, to provide a more accurate and up-to-date picture.