In a recent study published in Aging , researchers evaluated the impact of depressive symptoms, use of antidepressants, and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) on mortality in postmenopausal individuals. Study: Relationships of depression and antidepressant use with epigenetic age acceleration and all-cause mortality among postmenopausal women . Image Credit: Photoroyalty/Shutterstock.
com Depression is the most prevalent mental illness in geriatric populations, contributing to the global burden of diseases. It is a risk factor for chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. Antidepressants are widely prescribed medicines among older adults.
Around 25% of those prescribed antidepressants take them for more than a decade; however, there is limited evidence on the long-term impact of antidepressant use. While antidepressants have potential health benefits, they are associated with various side effects. Postmenopausal individuals represent a high-risk group for depressive symptoms and antidepressant use.
Their vulnerability to age-related conditions may increase with depressive symptoms or antidepressant use. In the present study, researchers examined the relationship between elevated depressive symptoms (EDSs), antidepressant use, and EAA or all-cause mortality among postmenopausal individuals. They used data from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), a long-term study that recruited a multiethnic sample during 1993-9.
