Mental Health and Depression in Dementia

Dear Colleagues,

Mental health conditions are among the most prevalent and challenging consequences of dementia, with depression being one of the most common and severe symptoms. As many as 50% of patients with dementia have clinically significant depressive symptoms, frequently associated with anxiety, agitation, apathy, and sleep difficulties. These symptoms intensify cognitive and functional declines, accelerate disease progression, and significantly reduce the quality of life for both patients and caregivers. Despite their prevalence, mental health issues in dementia remain difficult to identify, as affective symptoms often overlap with cognitive impairment and may manifest atypically in older adults. Biologically, depression in dementia results from intricate interactions among neurodegenerative processes, modified neurotransmitter pathways, vascular pathology, inflammation, and psychosocial stressors. Scientific research suggests that depression may precede the onset of dementia, acting as an early indicator or potentially modifiable risk factor. Once dementia is diagnosed, mental health issues become key indicators of care needs, institutionalization, and health-care system burden. Given the global rise in dementia, understanding and addressing mental health issues—particularly depression—has become critically important. Advancing research in this area is essential for improving diagnostic accuracy, refining personalized interventions, supporting caregivers, and developing integrated care approaches that enhance well-being throughout the dementia trajectory.

This Special Issue will examine various topics related to Mental Health and Depression in Dementia. We invite researchers, clinicians, and industry professionals to submit high-quality original research articles and review papers that offer new perspectives and evidence-based recommendations for mental health issues and depression in dementia.

Topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Different types of reviews, including systematic reviews that highlight mental health issues and depression in dementia.
• Synthesis of evidence through meta-analysis and meta-synthesis that discusses mental health issues and depression in dementia.
• Genetic, biological, and psychosocial risk factors for depression in people living with dementia.
• Cultural and socioeconomic determinants of depressive symptoms in dementia.
• Challenges in diagnosing depression in the context of cognitive decline.
• Efficacy and safety of different pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment approaches in dementia.
• The burden of mental health conditions and depression in dementia.
• The quality of life of patients and caregivers who experience mental health conditions and depression in dementia.
• The role of caregiver coping strategies in managing depression symptoms in the person with dementia.
• Strategies for community and long-term care to mitigate depression symptoms in individuals with dementia, together with cross-cultural perspectives on depression in dementia care.
• The challenges associated with the management of dementia patients who have different mental health issues, including depression.
• Quality of care and the associated challenges faced by caregivers when dealing with patients with dementia.
• Assessment, evaluation, and recommendation of existing practice and guidelines (if any) for caring for and dealing with dementia patients with different mental health conditions, including depression.
• Policies supporting access to mental health care for individuals with dementia.
• Precision medicine and personalized mental health interventions for individuals with dementia.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Mohammad Ziaul Islam Chowdhury
Guest Editor

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