Does depression in midlife raise dementia chances? Recent research shows a clear link. People in their middle years who experience certain depression symptoms face a higher risk of dementia decades later.
A large study from University College London followed over 5,800 people starting in their mid-40s. Back in 1997 to 1999, when participants were aged 45 to 69 with an average age of 55, researchers checked for 30 common depression symptoms using a questionnaire. None had dementia at that point. They then tracked health records for 25 years up to 2023. About 10 percent of the group developed dementia over that time.
Those reporting five or more depression symptoms in midlife had a 27 percent higher risk of dementia compared to others. But the risk did not come from depression as a whole. It was driven by just six specific symptoms. Here they are:
Losing confidence in yourself.
Not feeling able to face up to problems.
Difficulty concentrating.
Not feeling warmth and affection for others.
Feeling nervous and strung up all the time.
Not being satisfied with the way you carry out tasks.
Two of these stood out even more. Loss of self-confidence and trouble coping with problems each raised dementia risk by about 50 percent. Each of the six symptoms linked to a 29 to 51 percent higher risk, even after adjusting for factors like age, sex, and ethnicity. In people under 60 at the start, these six symptoms explained the full connection between midlife depression and later dementia.
Lead researcher Philipp Frank, a senior research fellow at University College London, explained that depression is not one uniform thing. These symptoms give a sharper view of who might be at risk years ahead. They may signal less social contact or fewer activities that keep the brain sharp, which could harm thinking skills over time.
Treating these six symptoms in midlife might lower dementia odds, but experts call for more studies in diverse groups to confirm this.
Sources
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/6-depression-symptoms-in-midlife-linked-to-almost-50-higher-dementia-risk
https://baptisthealth.net/baptist-health-news/depression-at-midlife-can-raise-risk-of-dementia-later
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20251215/Six-midlife-depressive-symptoms-linked-to-dementia-decades-later.aspx
https://www.alzinfo.org/articles/diagnosis/6-symptoms-of-depression-that-may-raise-your-alzheimers-risk/
https://www.powershealth.org/about-us/newsroom/health-library/2025/12/22/specific-symptoms-of-middle-age-depression-tied-to-later-dementia-risk
https://www.psychiatrist.com/news/six-midlife-depression-signs-tied-to-later-dementia-risk/
https://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/news/dementia-risk-may-be-predicted-by-6-midlife-depressive-symptoms/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41412145/?fc=20201017185723&ff=20251227194305&v=2.18.0.post22+67771e2
