Aging Increases With Severe Depression Issues

New study indicates that people struggling from major depressive disorder may age considerably faster, in comparison with people who do not experience from depression. This is with respect to a research released in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

With respect to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, major depressive disorder (MDD) impacts about 14.8 million people in the US every year, and the problem is more frequent in women.

Earlier research have related with depression and MDD with enhanced threat of age-related diseases, which includes diabetes, cancer, obesity and heart disease, and the scientists say that “accelerated biological aging” is thought to be one of the reasons of these enhanced threats.

Young lady looking in mirror

Scientists say individuals suffering from MDD may experience increased aging of 4 to 6 years, in evaluation with those without depression.

To examine these additional, researchers from the VU University Medical Center in the Netherlands examined 1,095 people suffering from MDD, alongside 802 people who had restored from MDD and 510 healthy individuals who had no record of the disorder.

The individuals had a mean age of 41.6 years, and 66.8% were female. The scientists analyzed the telomere length of each person. A telomere is an area of recurring DNA that sits at the end of a chromosome, defending it from deterioration.

These telomeres shorten as an individual ages, but other aspects may also impact their length. Through examining the length of these telomeres, cellular aging can be projected.

‘Convincing proof’

The results of the research exposed that individuals who suffer from MDD, or who have experienced the disorder at some point in their lives, have shorter telomere length, in comparison with people who do not have or have never experienced severe depression.

The investigators say their study signifies that those who presently suffer from severe depression illustrate cellular aging speeding by 4 to 6 years, in comparison with healthy people.

A higher severity of depression and a longer length of depressive signs were both connected to reduce telomere length. The researchers say their outcomes were important, even after accounting for lifestyle and health aspects.

Commenting on their results, the scientists say:

“This large-scale research provides effective proof that depression is related with several years of biological aging, particularly among those with the most severe and chronic signs.”