Background: Dementia is associated with older adults; however, it can also affect younger individuals, known as young-onset dementia (YOD), when diagnosed before the age of 65 years. We aimed to conduct a retrospective cohort study involving middle-aged women to investigate the association between premorbid depression and YOD development.
Methods: We included 1.6 million women aged 40-60 years who underwent health checkups under the Korean National Health Insurance Service and investigated the association between depression and YOD.
Results: Women with depression had a significantly higher risk of developing YOD than women without depression. Among premenopausal women, those with depression had a 2.67-fold increased risk, whereas postmenopausal women with depression had a 2.50-fold increased risk. Late age at menarche (> 16 years) and young age at menopause (< 40 years) was associated with an increased risk of YOD.
Conclusions: Depression in middle-aged women is a significant risk factor for the development of YOD. Understanding the role of reproductive factors can aid in the development of targeted therapeutic interventions to prevent or delay YOD.
Keywords: Dementia; Depression; Menarche; Menopause; Young-onset dementia.
© 2024. The Author(s).