Subcortical ischemic depression

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Subcortical ischemic depression, also known as vascular depression is a medical condition most commonly seen in elderly depressed patients. Late onset depression is increasingly seen as a distinct variety of depression, and is commonly detected with an MRI. In this condition, lesions are visible on the brain’s white matter, and are believed to represent ischemic damage to the brain. There is a correlation between these lesions and late onset depression. These lesions are also associated with cognitive impairment, especially executive dysfunction.