Like a certain portion of the American public, I\u2019ve been feeling a little low lately while struggling to find some equilibrium amid what seems like a daily dose of political and cultural chaos. There\u2019s no escaping the zeitgeist, however, so I was oddly pleased the other day to learn that the real source of my sagging spirits may have less to do with current events than with my advanced age.<\/p>\n
And though it\u2019s a bit depressing to discover that the simple act of aging may cause depression, recent research has uncovered some novel antidotes.<\/p>\n
An estimated 20 percent of older U.S. adults develop what\u2019s called late-life depression (LLD), according to a 2023 study published in the journal Translational Psychiatry<\/em><\/a>. It is, explains lead study author Sarah Szymkowicz, PhD<\/a>, \u201ca malignant illness that increases disability, contributes to poorer medical outcomes, and is associated with increased suicide risk and mortality.\u201d<\/p>\n Szymkowicz, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Vanderbilt University, and her team found that the risk factors for LLD align closely with conditions common to the aging body: inflammation, vascular disease, and neurodegeneration.<\/p>\n Chronic inflammation<\/a>, for instance, alters the cellular structure in parts of the brain that influence depressive behavior, she explains, citing research linking such neural activity in the brains of depressed individuals who have attempted suicide. Similarly, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and other common age-related vascular afflictions can damage the neural pathways that regulate mood. And as dementia sufferers and their loved ones can attest, cognitive dysfunction eventually affects social behavior, often resulting in depression.<\/p>\n \u201cVulnerability to developing depressive episodes results from accumulated factors, many of which have an initial onset earlier in life,\u201d Szymkowicz writes<\/a>. \u201cOther vulnerability factors are unique to later life and may contribute to a new diagnosis of depression<\/a> or a relapse of symptoms in previously remitted individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n Szymkowicz cites research suggesting that cognitive training \u2014\u00a0like standard treatment approaches, such as psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy \u2014 may repair the neural connections that lead to depressive behavior. In many cases, she notes<\/a>, a mix of therapies may prove to be most efficient. \u201cAugmenting cognitive training with neuromodulation approaches or other nonpharmacological treatments may provide additional benefit but need study in LLD.\u201d<\/p>\n Some of that research is already underway. A meta-analysis of 27 clinical studies published last month in JAMA Network Open<\/em><\/a> found that an exercise regimen significantly reduced levels of depression among older cancer patients. \u201cThese findings suggest that healthcare professionals and policymakers should focus more on implementing exercise interventions to improve mental health<\/a> outcomes in this vulnerable population,\u201d the authors note<\/a>.<\/p>\n The workouts described in the various studies range from conventional strength training and aerobics to mind-body exercises such as Qi Gong, yoga, and tai chi. Researchers suspect that the physical activity releases neurotransmitters that stimulate areas of the brain that improve mood control. It also tends to boost sleep quality, which has been shown to ease depression and anxiety.<\/p>\n And a study published last week in Nature Mental Health<\/em><\/a> touts the antidepressive benefits of engaging with others in various artistic endeavors. A team of researchers from Queen Mary University of London reviewed 39 studies involving more than 4,000 participants from 21 countries and found that joining a group to paint, play music, dance, write, or simply wander through a museum eased depression and anxiety \u2014 especially among older adults in nursing homes and assisted-care facilities. The results were comparable to other, more conventional treatment approaches, such as antidepressants, talk therapy, and even exercise.<\/p>\n Citing the \u201csocial identity approach to health,\u201d Janelle Jones, PhD<\/a>, and her team suggest that connecting with peers through these activities offers tangible and intangible resources that ease anxiety and promote mental health. \u201cArts interventions are accessible, cost-effective, and enjoyable,\u201d Jones explains<\/a>. \u201cThey offer a way to address mental health challenges that doesn\u2019t rely solely on medication or traditional therapy. This is particularly important for older adults, who may face barriers to accessing conventional treatments.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019ll take all this as good news for me and My Lovely Wife. She meets regularly with a group of fellow artists to share their work and chat about the artistic process. And I\u2019d like to think the collaborative nature of magazine work \u2014\u00a0including the weekly polishing of this column \u2014 may qualify as a modestly artistic effort.<\/p>\n So, I guess there\u2019s a chance that my currently sagging spirits may have less to do with the mundane malfunctioning of my aging brain than with the uncontrollable chaos of current events. And that is<\/em> depressing.<\/p>\n The post PUMPING IRONY: Growing Old Can Be Depressing<\/a> appeared first on Experience Life<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Like a certain portion of the American public, I\u2019ve been feeling a little low lately while struggling to find some equilibrium amid what seems like a daily dose of political and cultural chaos. There\u2019s no escaping the zeitgeist, however, so I was oddly pleased the other day to learn that the real source of my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1042,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1041","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-life"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-10-25 14:46:25","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1041","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1041"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1041\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1042"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1041"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1041"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1041"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}