Does Depression Cause Memory Impairment Or Cognitive Problems In Seniors?

— -- Question: Does depression cause memory impairment or cognitive problems in seniors?

Answer: A big challenge we see in seniors is that when they get depressed, it worsens their memory. And we find that when we treat the depression, very often memory improves.

But it turns out if somebody is older and they have both mood symptoms and cognitive symptoms, that increases their risk for developing something like Alzheimer's disease eventually. So it's possible that depression in late life may be the harbinger of a more degenerative brain disease.

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