Which statement most accurately describes the best documented pathway linking depression to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Let’s break down what each option is claiming about the pathway linking depression to cardiovascular disease.

Option a: It states that depression is associated with behavioral risk factors such as alcohol use, smoking, and physical inactivity which are the sole drivers of CVD risk. While these behaviors indeed contribute to cardiovascular risk and are commonly observed with depression, calling them the sole drivers ignores biological mechanisms and other pathways. This makes the statement incomplete and inaccurate as a description of the best-documented pathway.

Option b: It says that depression is linked to lower levels of C-reactive protein and IL-6 which increases inflammation. This is inconsistent with the bulk of evidence. In most studies, depression is associated with higher, not lower, inflammatory markers such as CRP and IL-6. Therefore this option mischaracterizes the inflammation profile linked to depression.

Option c: It claims that depression stimulates inflammation due to dysregulation of the HPA axis which leads to reduced sensitivity of target tissues to receive cortisol signals. While the HPA axis is indeed implicated in depression and inflammation, the consequence is typically a state of heightened inflammatory signaling rather than reduced tissue sensitivity to cortisol being the defining mechanism described here. The wording suggests a muted inflammatory response, which contradicts the established link that depression often corresponds with increased inflammation. This makes the option inaccurate as the best-documented pathway.

Option d: It states that depression elevates stress hormones such as cortisol and catecholamines, contributing to endothelial dysfunction and higher cardiovascular risk. This aligns with the best-documented pathway: activation of the stress-response systems (HPA axis and sympathetic adrenaline/catecholamine activity) increases cortisol and catecholamines, which can promote endothelial dysfunction, a key early step in atherosclerosis, and thereby raise CVD risk. This explanation coherently connects neuroendocrine activation to vascular pathology.

In summary, option a emphasizes behavioral factors but ignores the biological pathway; option b misstates inflammatory associations; option c misattributes the inflammatory trajectory and cortisol dynamics; option d correctly maps the neuroendocrine activation to endothelial effects that mechanistically link depression to cardiovascular risk. Each option’s reasoning hinges on different aspects of the depression-CVD literature, with d capturing the most robust, well-documented pathway.

253PSYC-38A-1 FINAL EXAM 12/11 5:30 pm

Which statement most accurately describes the best documented pathway linking depression to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)?

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