Project Summary

Kristine Yaffe, M.D. (Independent Investigator 2004) of University of California, San Francisco, will investigate whether depression leads to mild cognitive impairment (MCI), as this would provide further evidence that depression may accelerate the cognitive aging process. She will study an elderly population to determine if depressive symptoms increased risk of developing MCI and dementia and if underlying brain vascular disease and inflammation markers may explain some of the connection between depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment. Previous data on this subject has been conflicting and Dr. Yaffe hopes that a better understanding of the mechanisms linking depression and cognitive impairment will lead to maintained independence in elders with depression by offering more aggressive care, as well as an increased understanding of the outcomes of depression.

Program Area: MOOD DISORDERS\Unipolar Depression

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