A review of the relationship between depression and diabetes in adults - Is there a link?

OBJECTIVE - To review the support for two hypotheses concerning the interre lationship between depression and diabetes and to identify areas in which m ore research is needed. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - A review was conducted using primarily electr onic databases. Articles relating to diabetes and depressive symptomatology depressive disorder, and dysthymic disorder were selected. The study focus es mainly on adults with diabetes. RESULTS - The initial onset of major depressive disorder (MDD) seems to he independent of the onset of type 2 diabetes, bur results remain equivocal f or type 1 diabetes. However. in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, diabetes-r elated psychological and physiological processes may be involved in the hig her recurrence and longer duration of MDD and depressive symptomatology. CONCLUSIONS - The hypotheses that the initial occurrence of clinically sign ificant depression, MDD, results from either biochemical changes directly d ue to type 2 diabetes or its treatment or from the psychosocial demands imp osed by the illness or its treatment do not seem to be supported. MDD in di abetic individuals represents a multidetermined phenomenon resulting from i nteractions between biologic and psychosocial factors. This interaction may increase the probability of developing type 2 diabetes in otherwise health y individuals.