Researchers find that people with mental health problems and depression are at the highest risk of stroke
- People with severe depressive symptoms have ‘given up life improvements’
- Researchers believe screening for mood disorder genes can prevent strokes
Depression and other mental health problems may put patients at increased risk of stroke, two studies have found.
In the first case, people who reported the worst depressive symptoms — admitting that they had “given up on life improvements” — were found to be at the highest risk of stroke.
The study, published in the journal Neurology, found that survivors in the year before a stroke were 46 percent more likely to be in a bad mood compared to a control group of people who had not had a stroke. The study also suggested that depressed people found it more difficult to recover after a stroke.
A second study examined data from people with genes known to be linked to depression, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder, and found that those with the highest genetic risk were more likely to have a stroke.
The Lund University scientists behind the analysis said their data showed that these mental health problems caused strokes, not the other way around. They suggested that if people were screened for mood disorder genes, they could then be advised on how to better manage other factors known to increase stroke risk.
People who suffer from depression and mental illness are at a higher risk of stroke
Depression is one of the most common mental health problems affecting one in six adults in the UK
In the UK, around 100,000 people have a stroke each year – one every five minutes – and there are 1.3 million stroke survivors.
The problem occurs when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, killing brain cells. The damage can lead to long-term disability and can affect how people think and feel. The most common cause is a blockage from a blood clot in arteries that supply the brain. This happens as a result of cardiovascular disease, when blood vessels become narrowed or blocked over time by fatty deposits known as plaques – a process known as atherosclerosis.
While this can happen due to age, other risk factors include smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
Depression is one of the most common mental health problems, affecting one in six adults in the UK.
It is also known that people with mood disorders are more likely to have cardiovascular disease, but that connection is not fully understood.
However, Santa Monica-based neurologist Dr Sandra Narayanan suggested, “Depressive symptoms may be associated with increased stress, which may independently lead to inflammation, [the] risk of cardiovascular disease and morbidity.’