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Depression more likely for AMD patients who give up activities

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ATLANTA — Depression is more likely to affect age-related macular degeneration patients who give up three or more of their activities, a surgeon said here.

William S. Tasman

Out of 206 patients studied, 23 patients, or 14.4%, declined cognitively, William S. Tasman, MD, FACS, said during Retina Subspecialty Day preceding the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting.

"What we noticed was those who gave up three activities were almost four times more likely to become demented than those who gave up none and subjects who dropped five activities were almost 10 times more likely to decline than those who dropped only one," he said.

"So the conclusions from this is that the number of activities dropped was a predictor of cognitive decline, particularly under the age of 80," Dr. Tasman continued. "And then prevention becomes important."

He suggested involving family and friends, encouraging acitvities at senior centers and, most importantly, preventing people from becoming isolated.