Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 11, 2026
09:17
Using Retinal Imaging to Study Dementia
Published on: November 6, 2017
Vascular function in older adults with depressive disorder.
Raghupathy Paranthaman1, Adam S Greenstein, Alistair S Burns
1Greater Manchester West Mental Health National Health Service Trust, Royal Bolton Hospital, Farnworth, Bolton, United Kingdom. rparanthaman@gmail.com
Biological Psychiatry
|July 9, 2010
Summary
Elderly depression is linked to poorer vascular health, including reduced endothelial function and increased atherosclerosis. This suggests potential therapeutic targets for treating depression by improving blood vessel health.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Cerebrovascular disease is a significant factor in depressive disorder, particularly in older adults.
- Understanding vascular function in depression is crucial for etiological insights and developing novel treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess endothelial function, arterial stiffness, and atherosclerosis in elderly individuals with and without depressive disorder.
Main Methods:
- Compared 25 elderly depressed subjects with 21 controls using pulse wave velocity, pulse wave analysis, carotid intima media thickness, and MRI.
- Assessed small artery dilatation response to acetylcholine in a subset of participants.
Main Results:
- Depressed subjects exhibited significantly higher carotid intima media thickness (p < .01).
- A significant reduction in small artery dilatation response to acetylcholine was observed (p = .01).
- Depressed individuals showed more dilated Virchow-Robin spaces in the basal ganglia (p = .01) and greater white matter lesion volume.
Conclusions:
- Late-life depression is associated with impaired endothelial function and advanced atherosclerosis.
- Findings suggest a link between depression, white matter hyperintensities, and basal ganglia microangiopathy.
- Vasoprotective drugs warrant investigation as potential depression-modifying agents by targeting vascular health.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia
Depressive disorders are a group of mental health conditions characterized by pervasive feelings of sadness, diminished pleasure in life, and a significant impact on daily functioning. These conditions are most prevalent in individuals during their 30s and affect women at twice the rate of men. Contrary to popular belief, younger individuals are generally more susceptible to these disorders than older adults. Two key types of depressive disorders include Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and...
01:27Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age
Age-related pharmacokinetic changes are extensively documented, but understanding age-related pharmacodynamic alterations is relatively limited. This knowledge gap can be partly attributed to the complexity of developing appropriate measures of drug responses compared to bioanalytical methods for determining drug concentrations.Most information regarding age-related differences in human pharmacodynamics originates from cross-sectional studies. However, these studies assume that observed mean...
01:27Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Depressive disorders result from a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors, each contributing uniquely to the development and persistence of the condition. Understanding these factors provides critical insight into the multifaceted nature of depression.
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
01:18Depression: Overview
Depression is a prevalent mental illness marked by persistent sadness and lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities. It can take several forms, including major depression, persistent depressive disorder, and bipolar I and II disorders. Symptoms range from emotional changes like chronic worry to physical changes like sleep disturbances and suicidal thoughts. From a neurobiological perspective, depression is believed to be triggered by abnormalities in the brain's prefrontal cortex,...
01:15Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
Elderly individuals encompass a diverse population with varying degrees of age-related physiological changes. Defining the elderly presents challenges, as the geriatric population is often arbitrarily categorized as individuals older than 65. However, many individuals in this group lead active and healthy lives, with an increasing number surpassing 85 years and falling into the older elderly category. Physiological changes associated with aging impact performance capacity and homeostatic...
01:00Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Distribution
Drug distribution in the human body is influenced by several factors, including plasma protein concentration, body composition, blood flow, tissue-protein concentration, and tissue fluid pH. Among these, changes in plasma protein concentration and body composition due to aging significantly affect how drugs are distributed within the body. Specifically, aging is associated with a decrease in albumin levels by about 10% and an increase in α1-acid glycoprotein levels. These alterations are not...