Depression is a widespread mental illness affecting over 300 million individuals worldwide and is the main contributor to disability. Macrovascular disease is a condition that affects the body's large (macro) blood vessels, such as the aorta and the coronary arteries in the heart, the arteries in the brain and limbs. With higher prevalence in older people, macrovascular diseases (such as coronary, cerebrovascular, and peripheral vascular disease) have significantly increased the burden of the world's health costs. Depression is well-known to be closely related to certain types of macrovascular diseases. For example, the reciprocal causation between depression and coronary disease has been established, suggesting that these two diseases can increase the risk of one another. For cerebrovascular diseases, depressed individuals have a 45% higher risk of stroke and a 25% higher risk of dying than non-depressed people.
However, the mechanisms of interaction between depression and macrovascular disease are less investigated. Multiple pathophysiological mechanisms may account for how depression affects the development of macrovascular illnesses, such as the activation of the inflammatory process, platelet dysfunction, and hyperactivity of noradrenergic and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical system. Moreover, the exact mechanisms of the associations between depression and macrovascular diseases and the potential factors that can mediate and moderate the associations are far from fully understood.
In this Research Topic, we hope to create a forum for new insights into understanding the potential reciprocal association between depression and macrovascular diseases and the underlying mechanisms. We welcome submissions of original research articles, Review articles, Opinions and Perspectives in the subtopics of the following, but not limited to:
• Novel association between depression and macrovascular diseases;
• Clinical factors that may mediate or moderate the abovementioned associations;
• Experimental evidence that helps to understand the pathophysiological mechanisms of the interaction between depression and macrovascular diseases
Depression is a widespread mental illness affecting over 300 million individuals worldwide and is the main contributor to disability. Macrovascular disease is a condition that affects the body's large (macro) blood vessels, such as the aorta and the coronary arteries in the heart, the arteries in the brain and limbs. With higher prevalence in older people, macrovascular diseases (such as coronary, cerebrovascular, and peripheral vascular disease) have significantly increased the burden of the world's health costs. Depression is well-known to be closely related to certain types of macrovascular diseases. For example, the reciprocal causation between depression and coronary disease has been established, suggesting that these two diseases can increase the risk of one another. For cerebrovascular diseases, depressed individuals have a 45% higher risk of stroke and a 25% higher risk of dying than non-depressed people.
However, the mechanisms of interaction between depression and macrovascular disease are less investigated. Multiple pathophysiological mechanisms may account for how depression affects the development of macrovascular illnesses, such as the activation of the inflammatory process, platelet dysfunction, and hyperactivity of noradrenergic and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical system. Moreover, the exact mechanisms of the associations between depression and macrovascular diseases and the potential factors that can mediate and moderate the associations are far from fully understood.
In this Research Topic, we hope to create a forum for new insights into understanding the potential reciprocal association between depression and macrovascular diseases and the underlying mechanisms. We welcome submissions of original research articles, Review articles, Opinions and Perspectives in the subtopics of the following, but not limited to:
• Novel association between depression and macrovascular diseases;
• Clinical factors that may mediate or moderate the abovementioned associations;
• Experimental evidence that helps to understand the pathophysiological mechanisms of the interaction between depression and macrovascular diseases