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ASPREE-D: Aspirin for the prevention of depression in the elderly

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2016

Michael Berk*
Affiliation:
Deakin University, School of Medicine, IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, Barwon Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
R. L. Woods
Affiliation:
School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
M. R. Nelson
Affiliation:
Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia
R. C. Shah
Affiliation:
Department of Family Medicine and the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
C. M. Reid
Affiliation:
School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
E. Storey
Affiliation:
Central Clinical School, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
S. M. Fitzgerald
Affiliation:
School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
J. E. Lockery
Affiliation:
School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
R. Wolfe
Affiliation:
School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
M. Mohebbi
Affiliation:
Deakin University, School of Medicine, IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, Barwon Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
A. M. Murray
Affiliation:
Berman Center for Outcomes & Clinical Research, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
B. Kirpach
Affiliation:
Berman Center for Outcomes & Clinical Research, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
R. Grimm
Affiliation:
Berman Center for Outcomes & Clinical Research, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
J. J. McNeil
Affiliation:
School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Michael Berk, IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, School of Medicine, Deakin University, 75 Pigdon's Road, Waurn Ponds, Geelong, Victoria 3216, Australia. Phone: +61 3 42153330. Email: mikebe@barwonhealth.org.au.

Abstract

Background:

Not only is depression associated with increased inflammation but inflammation is a risk factor for the genesis of depression. Many of the environmental risk factors for depression are transduced through inflammatory signaling. Anti-inflammatory agents show promise for the management of depression in preclinical, epidemiological, and early clinical studies. This opens the door to the potential for anti-inflammatory agents to treat and prevent depression. There are no evidence-based pharmacotherapies for depression prevention.

Method:

ASPREE-D, aspirin in the prevention of depression in the elderly, is a sub study of ASPREE, which explores the potential of aspirin to prevent a range of inflammation related disorders in the elderly. With a sample size of 19,114, and a duration of 5 years, this placebo controlled study will be one of the largest randomized controlled trials in psychiatry and will provide definitive evidence on the ability of aspirin to prevent depression.

Results:

This paper presents the rationale for the study and presents a summary of the study design.

Conclusions:

ASPREE-D may not only define novel therapy but will provide mechanistic proof of concept of the role of inflammation in depression.

Type
Protocol-only paper
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2016 

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