What About Depression Later In Life?
For older adults who experience depression for the first time later in life, other factors, such as changes in the brain or body, may be at play. For example, older adults may suffer from restricted blood flow, a condition called ischemia. Over time, blood vessels become less flexible. They may harden and prevent blood from flowing normally to the bodys organs, including the brain. If this occurs, an older adult with no family or personal history of depression may develop what some doctors call vascular depression. Those with vascular depression also may be at risk for a coexisting cardiovascular illness, such as heart disease or a stroke.