Troponin and S100β are associated with depression in healthy older adults

OBJECTIVES: Depression has a significant impact on the functioning of older adults and often precedes cognitive decline or dementia. The current study examines the association between biomarkers related to neurocognitive outcome and depression in this population. METHOD: Thirty-five older adults without significant neurological or psychiatric history underwent fasting blood draw and psychological testing. Self-reported measures of current and history of depression and assays for brain-derived neurotrophic factor, S100-beta, amyloid beta, and troponin were analyzed. RESULTS: Troponin levels were found to be inversely related to current depression (r = -0.35, p = 0.03), while individuals who reported having a past history of depression had significantly higher levels of S100 beta than those who did not report this (t (33) = -2.08, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The current study shows some support for the association of neurocognitive biomarkers to depression, though the mechanisms for these relationships are unclear and warrant further investigation.