Study Finds a Strong Link Between Depression and Stroke

Study Finds a Strong Link Between Depression and Stroke

 

Depression has, for a long time, been linked to cancer, heart disease and type-2 diabetes. New research has found that people with more symptoms of depression have a higher risk of suffering a stroke.

 

Researchers at the School of Public Health at the University Of Alabama (UA) at Birmingham have published a new meta-analysis in the journal Neurology: Clinical Practice showing a link between depression and stroke risk. The study suggested a need to include the nontraditional risk factors in the conversation about stroke prevention. The study’s co-author, Prof. Virginia Howard, explained in a press release:

 

“There are a number of well-known risk factors for stroke, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease, but we are beginning to understand that there are nontraditional risk factors as well, and having depressive symptoms looms high on that list.”

 

Traditional Risk Factors

 

The study that involved over 9,500 Black people and at least 14,500 White individuals from across the United States used a four-item depression scale to determine how often the participants felt sad, depressed or had crying spells. One of the study’s objectives was to determine whether depressive symptoms might help explain the increased risk that Black Americans have for stroke, especially in the South. All the participants were aged over 45 years and had no history of stroke. An average follow-up of nine years revealed that there were at least 1,260 strokes among the participants.

 

When the researchers compared the results to participants with no depressive symptoms, they found that those with scores of one to three had a 39% increased stroke risk. Those with more than four scores had a 54% higher risk after the researchers accounted for demographic factors. The study also found that race didn’t affect stroke risk. The study’s co-author Cassandra Ford, of the UA College of Nursing, said the traditional risk factors couldn’t explain differences in stroke between the races. She stated:

 

“The results have been mixed among the few studies that enrolled Black participants and examined race and depressive symptoms in relation to stroke. Depression often goes undetected and undiagnosed in Black patients, who are frequently less likely to receive effective care and management […] these findings suggest that further research needs to be conducted to explore nontraditional risk factors for stroke.”

 

Post-Stroke Depression

 

Strokes happen when your brain loses its blood supply, especially when a blood clot that blocks that passage of blood through an artery. Most people who’ve suffered a stroke almost always report feeling symptoms of depression, with depression being the leading psychiatric complication of stroke.

 

At least one-third of those who’ve had a stroke develop depression. However, most cases of depression after stroke aren’t diagnosed. Doctors may overlook checking for depression signs. People who have had a stroke can either hide the symptoms or not be aware of them. A caregiver can give great insight and help identify depression early.

 

Depression can affect a person’s quality of life besides making it more difficult to recover from a stroke. Depression can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, which increases the risk of experiencing another stroke. Mortality rates are ten times higher in people who experience depression after a stroke. Post-stroke depression can be managed with treatment, with research suggesting that mental function is improved in people treated for depression.

 

Risk Factors for Depression

 

Some of the risk factors for depression after a stroke include having had a previous mental illness, and you’re female, you’ve had a previous condition that affected how you think, such as a traumatic brain injury, or you’ve had previous functional difficulties, such as those that may be caused by Parkinson’s disease or other neuromuscular disorders. Stroke is a leading cause of a high degree of physical disability and neurological problems that also raise your risk. For instance, you’re more likely to be depressed if you develop aphasia after a stroke. Aphasia reduces your ability to talk and understand words.

 

Proper monitoring and seeing a doctor at the first signs of depression can help reduce the severity of the condition and improve post-stroke recovery chances. The risk of chronic depression increases if the condition goes undiagnosed and untreated. Consult your doctor right away if you suspect you’re experiencing depression after a stroke.