Depression Linked to Increased Risk of Stroke in Women, Harvard School of Public Health Study

Depressed women may be at greater risk for stroke, new research suggests. "We know that stroke can increase risk of depression, but depression itself may increase risk of future stroke," said study author An Pan, a research scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. "Depression is associated with hormonal changes in the body and affects chemicals in the brain, and we know that depression could be a marker for vascular disease," he said. "Depression is also associated with obesity, diabetes and hypertension, and people with depression are more likely to smoke and be physically inactive and not take their medication regularly."