People suffering from depression have a greater risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. Research shows that the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) citalopram diminishes abnormal brain amyloid protein associated with the disease.
In The American Journal of Psychiatry, researchers reported on the effect of SSRI treatment on spinal fluid biomarkers and progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which increases risk of cognitive decline that can lead to Alzheimer’s.
Among volunteers with MCI and a history of depression, SSRI treatment for four or more years was associated with a delay in cognitive decline to Alzheimer’s by about three years, compared with subjects who received briefer SSRI treatment, treatment with other antidepressants, or no treatment at all.