Research indicates that long-term depression from young adulthood negatively impacts cognitive function by middle age, with greater effects seen in black adults, possibly explaining some disparities in dementia risk. Credit: SciTechDaily.com Research indicates that long-term depression from young adulthood negatively impacts cognitive function by middle age, with greater effects seen in black adults, possibly explaining some disparities in dementia risk.
According to a study published in the June 12, 2024, issue of Neurology , the journal of the American Academy of Neurology, prolonged depressive symptoms beginning in young adulthood are associated with poorer thinking and memory skills by middle age. Additionally, the study noted that black adults are more likely to experience these depressive symptoms compared to white adults. Racial Disparities in Depression and Dementia Risk “The processes that lead to dementia begin long before signs of the disease become apparent, and previous research has shown that black adults have a higher risk of dementia than white adults,” said study author Leslie Grasset, PhD, of University of Bordeaux in France.
“Our study found that prolonged exposure to elevated depressive symptoms in young adulthood has a negative effect on thinking and memory in middle age, especially for black adults.” The study involved 3,117 people with an average age of 30 at the start of the study. Of participants, 47% were black and 53% were white.
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