The Effects of Nutrition on Depression in Older Adults Living in Nursing Homes: A Dilemma or a Vicious Circle?

Background This study intends to evaluate the effects of nutritional status on depression and other geriatric syndromes in older adults living in nursing homes. Methods In this cross-sectional study, the GDS-30 and Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) were used to assess depression and malnutrition, respectively. Cognitive functions were assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine the independent associations among the MNA score, GDS score and MMSE score. Data collection was performed prospectively through random, face-to-face interviews in nursing homes. Results A total of 126 patients who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The average age of the participants in the study group was 77.05±5.68 (median=76.0) years. According to the Kruskal‒Wallis test, a statistically significant difference was found between the median GDS score and the median age in the MNA score categories (p<0.05). The risk of malnutrition was approximately 10 times greater in patients with dementia (OR = 10.22). Conclusions The results indicate a strong association between depression and malnutrition in the elderly population. The relationship between malnutrition, depression and cognitive impairment in elderly individuals with chronic neurological diseases living in nursing homes coincides with the data obtained regarding the disruption of the gut-brain-axis (GBA) through neuroimmunoendocrine pathways and the inability to maintain homeostatic balance in the central nervous system (CNS).