How mental health can influence cardiovascular health
Different subtypes of depression are association with specific cardiometabolic diseases, according to new data presented at ECNP Congress, the annual meeting of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP).
Researchers focused on data from nearly 6,000 adults in the Netherlands who were all free of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes at the start of the study. Each participant completed a detailed questionnaire about any depressive symptoms they may be feeling. Symptoms were separated into two primary groups—“melancholic” symptoms included waking up early in the morning and a reduced appetite, and “energy-related” symptoms included fatigue, sleeping too much and an increased appetite.
After seven years, roughly 8% of patients had developed a cardiometabolic condition. Overall, participants who reported melancholic symptoms were 1.5 times more likely to develop CVD. On the other hand, participants who reported energy-related symptoms were 2.7 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. One key detail made these results especially interestin: Participants with melancholic symptoms did not face an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, and patients with energy-related symptoms did not face an increased risk of CVD.
“Further metabolic analysis revealed that patients with the atypical/energy-related symptoms showed disruptions in inflammatory and metabolic processes linked to cardiometabolic health,” lead researcher Yuri Milaneschi, PhD, a researcher with Amsterdam UMC, explained in a statement. “This biological signature was not seen in those with ‘melancholic’ symptoms, suggesting biochemical differences in the way that different types of depression link to cardiovascular health.”
“We already knew that not all depressions are the same, but this means that we may need to consider how the type of depression someone has impacts different areas of their physical health,” added Chiara Fabbri, MD, PhD, a clinical lecturer with the University of Bologna.
Michael has more than 19 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.