Rabat – A study from the UC San Francisco (UCSF) indicates a strong correlation between depression in early adulthood and risk of cognitive decline, the mental ability to process, acquire, and understand new knowledge, later in life.
The study, which was published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease on September 28, consolidates early findings linking depression with dementia and highlights the potential for cognitive decline as early as 10-years later.
UCSF researchers used enhanced statistical methods to predict depression symptoms for 15,000 participants separated into three categories: older, midlife, and young adulthood. In a sample of 6,000 older participants, chances of cognitive decline was 73% higher for participants who had severe depression in their early adulthood.
The researchers also discovered that participants who exhibited depression symptoms in their later years were 43% more likely to suffer from dementia.
The research also examines the effect of stress on the formation of new memories in the brain. The findings suggest that an excess in the production of the stress hormone r can potentially damage a person’s ability to create new memories, increasing the likelihood of dementia.
Willa Brenowitz, co-author of the study and head of the UCSF department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, explains that hyperactivity in the brain’s stress centre leads to the production of the stress hormone “glucocorticoids,” resulting in a damage to the part of the brain responsible for forming, organizing, and storing new memories.
The study screened participants for depression using sophisticated questionnaires. Research findings point out that the more severe the depression symptoms are, the lower the cognition is, and the faster the cognitive decline.
The most significant discovery of the study indicates that older adults who have experienced considerable depression in early adulthood experience a sharp decline in cognition over 10 years.
According to Morocco’s former minister of health, Ans Doukkali, 26% of Moroccans suffer from depression. The mental disorder is different from mood swings and negative emotional responses to everyday challenges.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is the fourth leading cause of suicide among the 15-19 age group worldwide.
Following a 2017 report that showed 50% of Moroccans suffer from mental health issues, the Moroccan health minister pledged to reform mental healthcare in Morocco.
The North African country deals with an acute lack of mental health infrastructure. The country has a ratio of 0.84 psychiatrists per 100,000 people, with most psychiatrists concentrated in Rabat and Casablanca.
Morocco is working to improve regional access to mental health care. In association with the WHO, Morocco inaugurated three psychiatric hospitals in its northern, center, and southern regions. As part of the country increasing the number of qualified personnel, the number of psychiatrists in Morocco has doubled over the past 14 years.
With the reforms implemented, the availability of mental health services is expected to flourish in the country. However, the stigma associated with mental health remains a challenge that is yet to be addressed in Morocco.
