Irwin MR, Carrillo C, Sadeghi N, et al. - Researchers examined if treatment of insomnia with cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) compared with an active comparator condition, sleep education therapy (SET), prevents development of major depressive disorder in community-dwelling older adults.

• In this assessor-blinded, parallel-group, single-site randomized clinical trial, 291 adults 60 years or older with insomnia disorder were randomized.

• There appeared a decreased likelihood of incident and recurrent depression during 36 months of follow-up, in correlation with receiving 2 months of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) vs an active comparator control, sleep education therapy.

• A decreased likelihood of depression was recorded among adults undergoing CBT-I who showed sustained insomnia remission vs adults receiving sleep education therapy showing no insomnia remission.

• Overall depression may be prevented in older adults by providing them treatment for insomnia.