One in three Alzheimer’s disease family caregivers has persistent symptoms of depression

More than 60% of family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) experienced at least mild depressive symptoms already at the time the individual with AD was diagnosed. In one third of them, depressive symptoms worsened during a five-year follow-up. The study carried out at the University of Eastern Finland included 226 family caregivers of individuals with AD. Depressive symptoms […]

A better diet helps beat depression in young men

Young men with a poor diet saw a significant improvement in their symptoms of depression when they switched to a healthy Mediterranean diet, a new study shows. Depression is a common mental health condition that affects approximately 1 million Australians each year. It is a significant risk factor for suicide, the leading cause of death in young adults. The 12-week […]

Marine omega-3 supplementation fails to prevent depression

The use of marine omega-3 supplements by adults does not appear to prevent the onset of depression, researchers reported on Dec. 21, 2021 in JAMA/Journal of the American Medical Association. “Among adults aged 50 years or older without clinically relevant depressive symptoms at baseline, treatment with omega-3 supplements compared with placebo yielded mixed results, with a small but statistically significant […]

High BMI causes depression – and both physical and social factors play a role

With one in four adults estimated to be obese in the UK, and growing numbers of children affected, obesity is a global health challenge. While the dangers of being obese on physical health is well known, researchers are now discovering that being overweight can also have a significant impact on mental health. The new study, published in Human Molecular Genetics, sought […]

Depressive symptoms linked to rapid kidney function decline

In a study of adults with normal kidney function, those who had frequent depressive symptoms were more likely to later experience a rapid decline in kidney function. The study will appear in an upcoming issue of CJASN. Depression is a common condition in middle-aged and older adults, and it can contribute to a variety of mental and physical problems. Previous research […]

Exercise likely to be best treatment for depression in coronary heart disease

A study by RCSI indicates that exercise is probably the most effective short-term treatment for depression in people with coronary heart disease, when compared to antidepressants and psychotherapy or more complex care. The study, led by researchers at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, is published in the June edition of Psychosomatic Medicine. This is the first systematic review to […]