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An Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Protocol for Instigating Depressive Symptoms, Behavioral Changes and Negative Health Outcomes in Rodents

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Increased mortality in depressive disorders: a review.

Pim Cuijpers¹, Robert A Schoevers

¹Department of Clinical Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat, The Netherlands. P.Cuijpers@psy.vu.nl

Current Psychiatry Reports

|November 13, 2004

Summary

Depression is linked to higher mortality rates through various factors like suicide, unhealthy behaviors, and biological changes. Research is ongoing to clarify these links and develop interventions for at-risk individuals.

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Area of Science:

Psychiatry and Public Health
Investigating the complex interplay between mental health and mortality risks.

Background:

Depressive disorders are associated with increased all-cause mortality.
Several potential mechanisms link depression to higher mortality rates, but evidence varies.
The causal direction between depression and these mechanisms remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

To review and summarize evidence for proposed mechanisms linking depression and excess mortality.
To explore the bidirectional causal relationships between depression and mortality risk factors.
To propose potential interventions to mitigate the elevated mortality risk in individuals with depression.

Main Methods:

Systematic review of existing literature on depression and excess mortality.
Analysis of proposed mediating factors including suicide, health behaviors, and biological dysregulations.
Evaluation of evidence strength and causal direction for each mechanism.

Main Results:

Evidence supporting various mechanisms (suicide, smoking, alcohol use, biological factors) varies significantly.
The causal relationship between depression and factors like smoking or biological dysregulation is often bidirectional or influenced by third factors.
Noncompliance with medical treatment is another proposed, though variably evidenced, factor.

Conclusions:

Multiple factors contribute to the excess mortality observed in individuals with depressive disorders.
Further research is needed to elucidate causal pathways and inform targeted interventions.
Interventions should address biological, behavioral, and psychological factors to reduce mortality risk.