Vascular Contributions to Depression: Implications for Health Disparities and Lifestyle Interventions

Vascular health is closely tied to brain health. Communities at risk for poor vascular health are also at risk for negative mood and cognitive outcomes as chronic vascular disease interrupts key networks in the brain. For example, Black older adults are at heightened risk of vascular disease, which increases the risk of vascular depression, a subtype of depression that is associated with greater cognitive dysfunction and functional disability. This presentation will present recent data about health disparities in vascular depression and discuss lifestyle interventions that may help to treat vascular depression and improve brain health in communities at risk.