Dr. Adams
08-28-2008, 01:20 PM
"New research suggests depressive symptoms significantly increase stroke risk in elderly men. However, the same does not hold true for elderly women.
Although there was no association between presence of depressive symptoms and risk of stroke in women, men with depressive symptoms were at increased risk of subsequent stroke and ischemic stroke compared with men without depressive symptoms.
Men who met DSM-IV criteria for depressive disorder were at increased risk for stroke. However, it was not statistically significant (and) interestingly, men with depressive symptoms who did not meet DSM-IV criteria for depressive disorder had a strongly increased risk for stroke compared with men without depressive symptoms.
While the mechanism driving this association is not clear, the authors speculate it could be that hypoxic brain damage caused by irreversibly damaged arteries causes depressive symptoms, whereas genetic factors have a stronger influence than vascular damage in the etiology of depressive disorder."
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2008;79:997-1001
Although there was no association between presence of depressive symptoms and risk of stroke in women, men with depressive symptoms were at increased risk of subsequent stroke and ischemic stroke compared with men without depressive symptoms.
Men who met DSM-IV criteria for depressive disorder were at increased risk for stroke. However, it was not statistically significant (and) interestingly, men with depressive symptoms who did not meet DSM-IV criteria for depressive disorder had a strongly increased risk for stroke compared with men without depressive symptoms.
While the mechanism driving this association is not clear, the authors speculate it could be that hypoxic brain damage caused by irreversibly damaged arteries causes depressive symptoms, whereas genetic factors have a stronger influence than vascular damage in the etiology of depressive disorder."
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2008;79:997-1001