WHO guidelines omit depression as dementia risk, despite Lancet findings

A new Lancet correspondence questions the World Health Organization's 2026 dementia prevention guidelines, which exclude depression as a modifiable risk factor. The Lancet Commission previously attributed 3% of dementia cases to depression and recommended treatment, but the WHO cites insufficient causal evidence. Critics argue this caution is inconsistent with guidelines for other factors like diabetes, which also lack robust evidence.