Narrator: This is Science Today. Older women with osteoporosis-related bone fractures of the spine are about five times more likely to suffer another fracture within a year. While the reasons are still unclear, a University of California, San Francisco study has linked depression to fractures. Dr. Mary Whooley, a professor of medicine, found women over sixty- five with depression were more likely to experience fractures than women who were not depressed.

Whooley: These were both spontaneous fractures and fractures that resulted from falls and even some fractures that were not even noticed by the patient, such as fractures of the spine.

Narrator:Depression was also found to hinder recovery from fractures.

Whooley: So, not only does depression increase the risk of fractures once you get the fracture, you're less likely to recover when you have depression. Doctors should be aware that depression is a very serious illness that causes these disabilities. And if treatment for depression is in fact available and if they can use that treatment, they might benefit patients and avoid some of these disabilities.

Narrator: For Science Today, I'm Larissa Branin.