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Earlier research has shown that depression is common in people with heart disease. An article appearing in the February 2006 issue of the Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource says that the two conditions are often linked. The occurrence of depression in the general population is about one person in 20. In those with heart disease, the […]

In research appearing in the January, 2007 issue of the journal Stroke, over 4,000 subjects who were part of the Framingham Heart Study were monitored over an eight-year period. The subjects had scores on a standard depression scale (called CES-D) averaging six. Eleven percent of the subjects scored 16 or higher—these patients were considered depressed.

In the journal, Diabetic Medicine (2005; 22(11): 1465-75) a review of research articles concerning depression in type 2 diabetics and essential fatty acids was conducted. Clinical studies and epidemiological studies, examining the association between omega-3 fatty acids and depression, and examining the use of omega-3 fatty acids by type 2 diabetics, showed an association between

Research appearing in the July 19, 2006 issue of Clinical Rheumatology, linked anxiety and depression experienced by fibromyalgia patients to vitamin D levels. The subjects of the study were 75 patients with fibromyalgia who filled out a Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score. Blood samples were taken to measure vitamin D levels.

Research appearing in the American Journal of Psychiatry (March 1993;150:3:508-510) suggests that the thyroid may be involved with some cases of depression. It was a small study that looked at 16 patients with subclinical hypothyroidism and 15 with normal thyroid function. The frequency of depression over the course of a lifetime was higher in the

Research appearing in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine (2005;67 (Supplement 1): S26-S28) helps to make the connection between the HPA (hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal) axis and severe depression. The researchers tested the HPA axis by giving the subjects dexamethasone (a synthetic glucocorticoid) and measuring plasma cortisol levels at different times on the following day. Dexamethasone works to

According to research published in the August, 2003 issue of Brain, Behavior and Immunity, obesity and depression can increase inflammation that can lead to heart disease. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a chemical that indicates the presence of inflammation, specifically inflammation that can irritate the lining of the arteries and lead to heart disease. A high

Research appearing in Psychological Science (September, 1998; 9(5):397-401) looked at the effect acupuncture treatment had on depression. It was a small study, involving 38 women between the ages of 18 and 45, suffering from depression. The women were divided into three groups. One group received specific acupuncture treatment. One group received non-specific acupuncture treatment. A

A six-month double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 23 individuals with mild multiple sclerosis (MS) was performed at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine. Physicians noted better performance on neuropsychological tests by patients who took Ginkgo biloba compared to those who took an inactive placebo. Past studies have shown that Ginkgo slows mental

Dietary intake of fish and omega-3 fatty acids has been associated with lowering the incidence of Alzeheimer’s disease. Research appearing in Achieves of Neurology (2005; 62(12):1849-53) looked at the cognitive decline associated with age and its relation to diet. Subjects were given four standardized tests. Cognitive evaluations were performed three times over six years of follow-up.