Study: Depression Increases Risk of Arthritis, Arthrosis

Researchers from Switzerland have found that individuals with depression are at a higher risk for physical diseases, especially for arthrosis and arthritis. Their results, based on data from 14, 300 people living in Switzerland, have been published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Public Health. Roughly one-third of the participants suffering from depression also suffer from at least one physical disease. This association was evident especially with arthrosis and arthritis that are degenerative and inflammatory diseases of the joints.

A research group led by Professor Gunther Meinlschmidt from the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Basel and the Faculty of Medicine at the Ruhr-University Bochum analyzed the records of 14, 348 subjects from the Swiss Health Survey.

According to the April 1, 2015 news release, the researchers are speculating that depressive symptoms result in a lack of interest in physical activity, which may then lead to joint diseases. They note that it could be the opposite, however, i.e., that people with joint disease are limited in their daily activities, which negatively impacts their mental health and ultimately results in depressive symptoms. The authors note that joint diseases are often caused by inflammatory processes, which have also been indicated in certain types of depressive disorders. Therefore, they say, inflammatory processes may represent the link between depressive symptoms and physical diseases.

“A better understanding of the association between depressive symptoms and physical diseases in Switzerland is the basis for a better health care provision for people suffering from mental disorders as well as physical diseases, ” said Professor Meinlschmidt.

Professor Meinlschmidt told OTW, “What surprised us most was the fact that while we assessed numerous physical diseases, the clearest picture emerged for the association of depression with arthrosis and arthritis. We hope that our work helps increasing the awareness for putative depressive disorders in people suffering from joint diseases and vice versa.”