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Impact of SSRI Therapy on Risk of Conversion From Mild Cognitive Impairment to Alzheimer's Dementia in Individuals With Previous Depression
Bartels C, Wagner M, Wolfsgruber S, Ehrenreich H, Schneider A, Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.. The American journal of psychiatry, 2017-11-28
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Plain-language summary
Objective Depression is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. Research has shown that the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) citalopram decreases amyloid-β generation and plaque load. The authors evaluated the impact of SSRI treatment on CSF biomarkers and progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer's dementia. Method Data sets from 755 currently nondepressed participants from the longitudinal Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and analyses of variance and covariance with ApoE4 status and age as covariates. Results In MCI patients with a history of depression, long-term SSRI treatment (>4 years) was significantly associated with a delayed progression to Alzheimer's dementia by approximately 3 years, compared with short-term SSRI treatment, treatment with other antidepressants, or no treatment and compared with MCI patients without a history of depression. No differences in CSF biomarker levels were observed between treatment groups. Conclusions Long-term SSRI treatment may delay progression from MCI to Alzheimer's dementia.
What this study adds
Evidence grade: Moderate
This is a follow-up (cohort) study. In people with mild cognitive impairment and a history of depression, long-term SSRI treatment was associated with a delay in progression to Alzheimer's dementia of about 3 years. No differences in CSF biomarker levels were seen between treatment groups, and the authors say long-term SSRI treatment may delay progression, which is not the same as curing or preventing the disease.
Taken from this record’s own fields, not from reading the paper. The grade is assigned from the abstract’s wording; what that means.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Bartels, C., Wagner, M., Wolfsgruber, S., Ehrenreich, H., Schneider, A., & Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. (2018). Impact of SSRI Therapy on Risk of Conversion From Mild Cognitive Impairment to Alzheimer's Dementia in Individuals With Previous Depression. The American journal of psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17040404
Vancouver
Bartels C, Wagner M, Wolfsgruber S, Ehrenreich H, Schneider A, Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Impact of SSRI Therapy on Risk of Conversion From Mild Cognitive Impairment to Alzheimer's Dementia in Individuals With Previous Depression. The American journal of psychiatry. 2018. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17040404. PMID: 29179578.
BibTeX
@article{bartels2018-29179578,
author = {Bartels, C. and Wagner, M. and Wolfsgruber, S. and Ehrenreich, H. and Schneider, A. and {Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative}},
title = {{Impact of SSRI Therapy on Risk of Conversion From Mild Cognitive Impairment to Alzheimer's Dementia in Individuals With Previous Depression}},
journal = {The American journal of psychiatry},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17040404},
pmid = {29179578},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17040404}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Objective Depression is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.
- Research has shown that the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) citalopram decreases amyloid-β generation and plaque load.
- Results In MCI patients with a history of depression, long-term SSRI treatment (>4 years) was significantly associated with a delayed progression to Alzheimer's dementia by approximately 3 years, compared with short-term SSRI treatment, treatment with other antidepressants, or no treatment and compared with MCI patients without a history of depression.
Why it matters
In people with mild cognitive impairment and a history of depression, long-term SSRI treatment was associated with a delay in progression to Alzheimer's dementia of about 3 years. No differences in CSF biomarker levels were seen between treatment groups, and the authors say long-term SSRI treatment may delay progression, which is not the same as curing or preventing the disease.
Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 59/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 57 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 59 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The American journal of psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | American Journal of Psychiatry: journal h-index 549 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2018 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 202 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 20.2 citations a year over 10 year(s) since 2018 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 9.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 11 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 63 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Bonn: institution h-index 1,072 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 29179578) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 57 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 57 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 59 out of 100. |
| Total | 59 / 100 | — |
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