Amyloid-associated depression: a prodromal depression of Alzheimer disease?| Authors: | Xiaoyan Sun, David C Steffens, Rhoda Au, Marshal Folstein, Paul Summergrad, Jacqueline Yee, Irwin Rosenberg, D Mkaya Mwamburi, Wei Qiao Qiu | | Language: | Eng. | | Date: | 06-05-2008 | | Journal: | Archives of general psychiatry
(1538-3636)
| | Release: | Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2008 May;65(5):542-50 | |
|
|
Abstract:
|
CONTEXT:
A high ratio of plasma amyloid-beta peptide 40 (Abeta(40)) to Abeta(42), determined by both high Abeta(40) and low Abeta(42) levels, increases the risk of Alzheimer disease. In a previous study, we reported that depression is also associated with low plasma Abeta(42) levels in the elderly population.
OBJECTIVE:
To characterize plasma Abeta(40):Abeta(42) ratio and cognitive function in elderly individuals with and without depression.
DESIGN:
Cross-sectional study.
SETTING:
Homecare agencies.
PARTICIPANTS:
A total of 995 homebound elderly individuals of whom 348 were defined as depressed by a Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression score of 16 or greater.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
Cognitive domains of memory, language, executive, and visuospatial functions according to levels of plasma Abeta(40) and Abeta(42) peptides.
RESULTS:
Subjects with depression had lower plasma Abeta(42) levels (median, 14.1 vs 19.2 pg/mL; P = .006) and a higher plasma Abeta(40):Abeta(42) ratio (median, 8.9 vs 6.4; P < .001) than did those without depression in the absence of cardiovascular disease and antidepressant use. The interaction between depression and plasma Abeta(40):Abeta(42) ratio was associated with lower memory score (beta = -1.9, SE = 0.7, P = .006) after adjusting for potentially confounders. Relative to those without depression, "amyloid-associated depression," defined by presence of depression and a high plasma Abeta(40):Abeta(42) ratio, was associated with greater impairment in memory, visuospatial ability, and executive function; in contrast, nonamyloid depression was not associated with memory impairment but with other cognitive disabilities.
CONCLUSION:
Amyloid-associated depression may define a subtype of depression representing a prodromal manifestation of Alzheimer disease.
| | Copyright: | Archives of general psychiatry
Department of Psychiatry, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Campus Box 1007, 750 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111, USA. | | Full text: |  EBSCO - HTML (needs subscription) | | Terms: | Aged, Alzheimer Disease, Amyloid beta-Protein, Cognition Disorders, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depressive Disorder, Major, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Female, Humans, Male, Memory Disorders, Neuropsychological Tests, Peptide Fragments, Prevalence, Severity of Illness Index | | |
|
|
|
|  Add to my archive |
Articles from other specialties: Thoracic Surgery, Clinical Pharmacology, Pediatric Surgery, Haematology, Urology, Occupational Medicine, Cardiovascular Surgery, Gastrointestinal Surgery, Radiology, General Medicine, Allergy, Neurology |
