Depression May Up Risk of Dementia in Men
(NY, Reuters Health, 3/24/05)

Dr. Gloria Dal Forno, of University Campus BioMedico and Associazione Fatebenefratelli per la Ricerca, Rome, and team, tested 1357 adults for depressive symptoms every 2 years over a period of 14 years. The investigators found that men who exhibited symptoms of depression had a significantly greater risk of developing dementia, notably Alzheimer's disease (AD), over time; whereas, depressed women were no more likely to develop AD than their peers. The researchers conclude that gender differences in the association between depression and AD may be due to the anatomical and functional dissimilarities between the male and female brain, as well as their respective exposures to different sex hormones throughout life.

(Annals of Neurology March, 2005)