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Relationship Between Depression and Neurodegeneration: Risk Factor, Prodrome, Consequence, or Something Else? A Scoping Review
Dario Papa, Alessandro Ingenito, Alessandro von Gal, Maria Francesca De Pandis, Laura Piccardi. Biomedicines, 2025-04-23
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Most studies suggest depression may contribute to neurodegeneration, but clinical, neuroimaging, and longitudinal evidence also support its role as a prodrome or consequence, indicating a bidirectional relationship. Despite extensive research, the connection remains unclear, highlighting the need for further investigation into underlying mechanisms and interdependencies, focusing on longitudinal studies by examining causality.
Key findings
- Most studies suggest depression may contribute to neurodegeneration, but clinical, neuroimaging, and longitudinal evidence also support its role as a prodrome or consequence, indicating a bidirectional relationship.
- Despite extensive research, the connection remains unclear, highlighting the need for further investigation into underlying mechanisms and interdependencies, focusing on longitudinal studies by examining causality.
Why it matters
This scoping review found that most studies suggest depression may contribute to neurodegeneration, but clinical, neuroimaging, and longitudinal evidence also support its role as a prodrome or consequence, indicating a bidirectional relationship. The authors say the connection remains unclear and call for further longitudinal research examining causality.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 50/100
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 randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Biomedicines) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Biomedicines: journal h-index 133 (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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 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) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 13 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 4.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 8.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 13 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Laura Piccardi: h-index 43 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Sapienza University of Rome: institution h-index 1,145 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40426852) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 50 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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.
APA 7th
Papa, D., Ingenito, A., von Gal, A., De Pandis, M. F., & Piccardi, L. (2025). Relationship Between Depression and Neurodegeneration: Risk Factor, Prodrome, Consequence, or Something Else? A Scoping Review. Biomedicines. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13051023
Vancouver
Papa D, Ingenito A, von Gal A, De Pandis MF, Piccardi L. Relationship Between Depression and Neurodegeneration: Risk Factor, Prodrome, Consequence, or Something Else? A Scoping Review. Biomedicines. 2025. doi:10.3390/biomedicines13051023. PMID: 40426852.
BibTeX
@article{papa2025-40426852,
author = {Papa, Dario and Ingenito, Alessandro and von Gal, Alessandro and De Pandis, Maria Francesca and Piccardi, Laura},
title = {{Relationship Between Depression and Neurodegeneration: Risk Factor, Prodrome, Consequence, or Something Else? A Scoping Review}},
journal = {Biomedicines},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3390/biomedicines13051023},
pmid = {40426852},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13051023}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 18.