What factors increase by 40% risk of depression in ageing European adults?

Scientists from Edinburgh (UK) and Geneva (Switzerland) universities have found out which factors increase the risk of depression by almost 40% in ageing European adults, the Preventive Medicine reported.

The study analyzed data on more than 10 thousand residents of 13 European countries, whose ages ranged from 50 to 95 years.

Starting from 2004 and ending with 2015, all subjects had to report every two years about the environmental conditions in which they live, as well as to be tested for symptoms of depression.

It turned out that the risk of depression in the elderly is increased by 36% under the condition of city noise, poor air quality, as well as the lack of social infrastructure and green areas.

Thus, chronic stress develops because of polluted air, which negatively affects the brain.

Childhood socioeconomic conditions modify the neighbourhood effects on depression.

“Our findings showed independent effects of neighbourhood conditions: living in an area with good access to services reduced by 22% the odds of developing depression during the follow-up, whereas being exposed to neighbourhood nuisances increased the odds by 36%,” the source noted.

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