While research has shown that poor cardiovascular health can damage blood flow to the brain increasing the risk for dementia, a new study led by Kristine Yaffe Lab's and the UCSF Center for Population Brain Health's Willa Brenowitz, PhD, indicates that poor mental health may also take its toll on cognition.

The research adds to a body of evidence that links depression with dementia, but while most studies have pointed to its association in later life, the UCSF study shows that depression in early adulthood may lead to lower cognition 10 years later and to cognitive decline in old age.

Read the UCSF press release here.