White matter hyperintensities, cortisol levels, brain atrophy and continuing cognitive deficits in late-life depression

Abstract

White matter hyperintensities, rather than cortisol levels or brain atrophy, are associated with continuing cognitive impairments in older adults with depression. The findings suggest that cerebrovascular disease rather than glucocorticoid-mediated brain damage are responsible for the persistence of cognitive deficits associated with depression in older age.