Vascular factors in geriatric psychiatry: time to take a serious look.
OBJECTIVE
Vascular factors have increasingly been described in association with cognitive decline and depression. This review focuses on the literature, which has explored the possible link between these risk factors and cognitive decline and depression.


RESULTS
There is considerable, and increasing, evidence that vascular risk factors make patients more at risk of cognitive decline and depression. The mechanism by which this occurs, or whether these factors are truly causal, is unclear. There is still insufficient evidence that the treatment of vascular risk decreases the subsequent risk of cognitive decline and depression.


CONCLUSIONS
In view of this mounting evidence and the cardiovascular benefits associated with the treatment of vascular risk factors, there is an argument that older patients presenting with the problems of cognitive decline and depression should have vascular risk assessed and treated.
Western Australian Centre for Health and Ageing, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. leonflic@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
Leon
L
Flicker
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008754:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase (NADP) / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors
D008754:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase (NADP)