Recurrent depression has persistent effects on cognition but this does not appear to be mediated by neuroinflammation

Lindsey I Sinclair; Harriet A Ball; Bauermeister Sarah; Gallacher John; Blanca M Bolea

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.03.043

Recurrent depression has persistent effects on cognition but this does not appear to be mediated by neuroinflammation

Lindsey I Sinclair^*
, Harriet A Ball
, Bauermeister Sarah
, Gallacher John
, Blanca M Bolea

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

177 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Background
Later-life depression appears to be different to depression in younger adults. The underlying pathology may also differ. Depression is linked to dementia but whether it is a risk factor or an early sign of a developing dementia remains unclear. Neuroinflammation is increasingly recognised in both depression and Alzheimer's Disease.

Aims
To investigate the link between depression, inflammation and dementia. We hypothesised that recurrent depression has adverse effects on performance in cognitive tests in middle to older age and that this effect is modified by anti-inflammatory medication.

Methods
We identified UK based cohort studies which included individuals aged >50, had medical information, results from detailed cognitive testing and had used reliable measures to assess depression. Individuals with recurrent depression had ≥ 2 episodes of depression. Controls had no history of depression. The presence/absence of inflammatory illness was assessed using a standardised list of inflammatory conditions. Individuals with dementia, chronic neurological and psychotic conditions were excluded.

Logistic and linear regression were used to examine the effect of depression on cognitive test performance and the mediating effect of chronic inflammation.

Results
Unexpectedly in both studies there was evidence that those with recurrent depression performed better in some cognitive tasks (e.g Mill Hill vocabulary) but worse in others (e.g. reaction time). In UK Biobank there was no evidence that anti-inflammatories moderated this effect.

Limitations
Cross-sectional assessment of cognition.

Conclusions
Although previous recurrent depression has small effects on cognitive test performance this does not appear to be mediated by chronic inflammatory disease.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	232-239
Number of pages	8
Journal	Journal of Affective Disorders
Volume	306
Early online date	23 Mar 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.03.043
Publication status	Published - 1 Jun 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was funded by a Dementia Platforms UK early career researcher grant to LS. LS is funded by the Alzheimer's Society (grant 518 ). SB and JG are part of Dementias Platform UK funded by UK Research and Innovation Medical Research Council [ MR/L023784/1 and MR/L023784/2 ]. HB is currently funded by the NIHR as an academic clinical lecturer. LS, BB-A, SB, HB and JG have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022

Research Groups and Themes

Cerebrovascular and Dementia Research Group

Keywords

Depression
Alzheimer's Disease
Cognition
Inflammation
Depressive disorders

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10.1016/j.jad.2022.03.043

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This is the accepted author manuscript (AAM). The final published version (version of record) is available online via Elsevier at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.03.043. Please refer to any applicable terms of use of the publisher.
Accepted author manuscript, 247 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

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@article{b72a0e2ad82447c0a0cd25357e05f48e,

title = "Recurrent depression has persistent effects on cognition but this does not appear to be mediated by neuroinflammation",

abstract = "Background Later-life depression appears to be different to depression in younger adults. The underlying pathology may also differ. Depression is linked to dementia but whether it is a risk factor or an early sign of a developing dementia remains unclear. Neuroinflammation is increasingly recognised in both depression and Alzheimer's Disease. Aims To investigate the link between depression, inflammation and dementia. We hypothesised that recurrent depression has adverse effects on performance in cognitive tests in middle to older age and that this effect is modified by anti-inflammatory medication. Methods We identified UK based cohort studies which included individuals aged >50, had medical information, results from detailed cognitive testing and had used reliable measures to assess depression. Individuals with recurrent depression had ≥ 2 episodes of depression. Controls had no history of depression. The presence/absence of inflammatory illness was assessed using a standardised list of inflammatory conditions. Individuals with dementia, chronic neurological and psychotic conditions were excluded. Logistic and linear regression were used to examine the effect of depression on cognitive test performance and the mediating effect of chronic inflammation. Results Unexpectedly in both studies there was evidence that those with recurrent depression performed better in some cognitive tasks (e.g Mill Hill vocabulary) but worse in others (e.g. reaction time). In UK Biobank there was no evidence that anti-inflammatories moderated this effect. Limitations Cross-sectional assessment of cognition. Conclusions Although previous recurrent depression has small effects on cognitive test performance this does not appear to be mediated by chronic inflammatory disease.",

keywords = "Depression, Alzheimer's Disease, Cognition, Inflammation, Depressive disorders",

author = "Sinclair, \{Lindsey I\} and Ball, \{Harriet A\} and Bauermeister Sarah and Gallacher John and Bolea, \{Blanca M\}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was funded by a Dementia Platforms UK early career researcher grant to LS. LS is funded by the Alzheimer's Society (grant 518 ). SB and JG are part of Dementias Platform UK funded by UK Research and Innovation Medical Research Council [ MR/L023784/1 and MR/L023784/2 ]. HB is currently funded by the NIHR as an academic clinical lecturer. LS, BB-A, SB, HB and JG have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022",

year = "2022",

month = jun,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.jad.2022.03.043",

language = "English",

volume = "306",

pages = "232--239",

journal = "Journal of Affective Disorders",

issn = "0165-0327",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Recurrent depression has persistent effects on cognition but this does not appear to be mediated by neuroinflammation

AU - Sinclair, Lindsey I

AU - Ball, Harriet A

AU - Sarah, Bauermeister

AU - John, Gallacher

AU - Bolea, Blanca M

N1 - Funding Information: This work was funded by a Dementia Platforms UK early career researcher grant to LS. LS is funded by the Alzheimer's Society (grant 518 ). SB and JG are part of Dementias Platform UK funded by UK Research and Innovation Medical Research Council [ MR/L023784/1 and MR/L023784/2 ]. HB is currently funded by the NIHR as an academic clinical lecturer. LS, BB-A, SB, HB and JG have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Publisher Copyright: © 2022

PY - 2022/6/1

Y1 - 2022/6/1

N2 - Background Later-life depression appears to be different to depression in younger adults. The underlying pathology may also differ. Depression is linked to dementia but whether it is a risk factor or an early sign of a developing dementia remains unclear. Neuroinflammation is increasingly recognised in both depression and Alzheimer's Disease. Aims To investigate the link between depression, inflammation and dementia. We hypothesised that recurrent depression has adverse effects on performance in cognitive tests in middle to older age and that this effect is modified by anti-inflammatory medication. Methods We identified UK based cohort studies which included individuals aged >50, had medical information, results from detailed cognitive testing and had used reliable measures to assess depression. Individuals with recurrent depression had ≥ 2 episodes of depression. Controls had no history of depression. The presence/absence of inflammatory illness was assessed using a standardised list of inflammatory conditions. Individuals with dementia, chronic neurological and psychotic conditions were excluded. Logistic and linear regression were used to examine the effect of depression on cognitive test performance and the mediating effect of chronic inflammation. Results Unexpectedly in both studies there was evidence that those with recurrent depression performed better in some cognitive tasks (e.g Mill Hill vocabulary) but worse in others (e.g. reaction time). In UK Biobank there was no evidence that anti-inflammatories moderated this effect. Limitations Cross-sectional assessment of cognition. Conclusions Although previous recurrent depression has small effects on cognitive test performance this does not appear to be mediated by chronic inflammatory disease.

AB - Background Later-life depression appears to be different to depression in younger adults. The underlying pathology may also differ. Depression is linked to dementia but whether it is a risk factor or an early sign of a developing dementia remains unclear. Neuroinflammation is increasingly recognised in both depression and Alzheimer's Disease. Aims To investigate the link between depression, inflammation and dementia. We hypothesised that recurrent depression has adverse effects on performance in cognitive tests in middle to older age and that this effect is modified by anti-inflammatory medication. Methods We identified UK based cohort studies which included individuals aged >50, had medical information, results from detailed cognitive testing and had used reliable measures to assess depression. Individuals with recurrent depression had ≥ 2 episodes of depression. Controls had no history of depression. The presence/absence of inflammatory illness was assessed using a standardised list of inflammatory conditions. Individuals with dementia, chronic neurological and psychotic conditions were excluded. Logistic and linear regression were used to examine the effect of depression on cognitive test performance and the mediating effect of chronic inflammation. Results Unexpectedly in both studies there was evidence that those with recurrent depression performed better in some cognitive tasks (e.g Mill Hill vocabulary) but worse in others (e.g. reaction time). In UK Biobank there was no evidence that anti-inflammatories moderated this effect. Limitations Cross-sectional assessment of cognition. Conclusions Although previous recurrent depression has small effects on cognitive test performance this does not appear to be mediated by chronic inflammatory disease.

KW - Depression

KW - Alzheimer's Disease

KW - Cognition

KW - Inflammation

KW - Depressive disorders

U2 - 10.1016/j.jad.2022.03.043

DO - 10.1016/j.jad.2022.03.043

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

C2 - 35337923

SN - 0165-0327

VL - 306

SP - 232

EP - 239

JO - Journal of Affective Disorders

JF - Journal of Affective Disorders

ER -

Recurrent depression has persistent effects on cognition but this does not appear to be mediated by neuroinflammation

Abstract

Bibliographical note

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Keywords

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