Insomnia, major depressive disorders, and risk for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

ObjectivesInsomnia and major depressive disorder (MDD) independently contribute to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). This study examined their combined associations with ADRD risk to inform targeted prevention and intervention strategies.MethodThis retrospective cohort study used TriNetX electronic health records included dementia-free patients aged >= 50 years (n = 1,868,790; 2011-2023). Cox proportional hazards models, with entropy balancing adjustment, estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for ADRD risk overall and by race.ResultsThe cohort was 58% aged 50-64, 59% female, and 82% White. At baseline, 1.1% had both insomnia and MDD, 3.8% had insomnia only, 4.8% had MDD only, and 90.4% neither. ADRD incidence was 2.3% (28.8 per 10,000 person-years). Adjusted HRs showed a 91% higher risk for both conditions (HR = 1.91; 95% CI: 1.51-2.42), 11% for insomnia alone, and 70% for MDD alone. Race did not significantly modify these associations.ConclusionCo-occurring insomnia and MDD markedly increase ADRD risk, with MDD as the primary contributor. Addressing sleep disturbances and depression may help lower dementia risk vulnerable populations.