The vascular depression hypothesis was formulated in 1997 and postulated that cerebrovascular
disease can predispose, precipitate, or perpetuate a depressive syndrome in older
adults. The term “vascular depression” encompassed entities with diverse pathogenetic
mechanisms. The original article argued that “direct testing of the vascular depression
hypothesis is not possible since the mechanisms of depression are unknown” (
Alexopoulos et al 1997
). The hypothesis was viewed, however, as the intellectual platform for studies of
the clinical presentation, outcomes, pathogenesis, and treatment of a subgroup of
geriatric individuals with depression.To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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© 2006 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
