Depression Is a Stronger Risk Factor for Alzheimer’s Disease Among Women Relative to Men in a Longitudinal Sample of over 26,000 Older Adults

Depression and sex influence Alzheimer’s disease. Cox proportional-hazards models examined effects of sex, age, and depression on impairment risk. In 26,362 adults, depression increased impairment risk by 74% in men (HR=1.74, p<.001) and 106% in women (HR=2.06, p<.001). For women, the effect of depression on impairment was significantly larger (p<.01).