Depression, hypertension, and comorbidity: disentangling their specific effect on disability and cognitive impairment in older subjects

Mental-somatic multimorbidity in trajectories of cognitive function for middle-aged and older adults

INTRODUCTION

Multimorbidity may confer higher risk for cognitive decline than any single constituent disease. This study aims to identify distinct trajectories of cognitive impairment probability among middle-aged and older adults, and to assess the effect of changes in mental-somatic multimorbidity on these distinct trajectories.

METHODS

Data from the Health and Retirement Study (1998-2016) were employed to estimate group-based trajectory models identifying distinct trajectories of cognitive impairment probability. Four time-varying mental-somatic multimorbidity combinations (somatic, stroke, depressive, stroke and depressive) were examined for their association with observed trajectories of cognitive impairment probability with age. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to quantify the association of sociodemographic and health-related factors with trajectory group membership.

RESULTS

Respondents (N = 20,070) had a mean age of 61.0 years (SD = 8.7) at baseline. Three distinct cognitive trajectories were identified using group-based trajectory modelling: (1) Low risk with late-life increase (62.6%), (2) Low initial risk with rapid increase (25.7%), and (3) High risk (11.7%). For adults following along Low risk with late-life increase, the odds of cognitive impairment for stroke and depressive multimorbidity (OR:3.92, 95%CI:2.91,5.28) were nearly two times higher than either stroke multimorbidity (OR:2.06, 95%CI:1.75,2.43) or depressive multimorbidity (OR:2.03, 95%CI:1.71,2.41). The odds of cognitive impairment for stroke and depressive multimorbidity in Low initial risk with rapid increase or High risk (OR:4.31, 95%CI:3.50,5.31; OR:3.43, 95%CI:2.07,5.66, respectively) were moderately higher than stroke multimorbidity (OR:2.71, 95%CI:2.35, 3.13; OR: 3.23, 95%CI:2.16, 4.81, respectively). In the multinomial logistic regression model, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic respondents had higher odds of being in Low initial risk with rapid increase and High risk relative to non-Hispanic White adults.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings show that depressive and stroke multimorbidity combinations have the greatest association with rapid cognitive declines and their prevention may postpone these declines, especially in socially disadvantaged and minoritized groups.

Neurocognitive correlates of metabolic dysregulation in individuals with mood disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Individuals with mood disorders are predisposed to metabolic dysfunction, while those with metabolic dysregulation such as diabetes and obesity experience more severe depressive symptoms. Both metabolic dysfunction and mood disorders are independently associated with cognitive deficits. Therefore, given their close association, this study aimed to explore the association between metabolic dysfunction in individuals with mood disorders in relation to cognitive outcomes. A comprehensive search comprised of these three domains was carried out; a random-effects meta-analysis pooling mean cognitive outcomes was conducted (PROSPERO ID: CRD42022295765). Sixty-three studies were included in this review; 26 were synthesized in a quantitative meta-analysis. Comorbid metabolic dysregulation was associated with significantly lower global cognition among individuals with mood disorders. These trends were significant within each mood disorder subgroup, including major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and self-report depression/depressive symptoms. Type 2 diabetes was associated with the lowest cognitive performance in individuals with mood disorders, followed by peripheral insulin resistance, body mass index ⩾25 kg/m2, and metabolic syndrome. Significant reduction in scores was also observed among individual cognitive domains (in descending order) of working memory, attention, executive function, processing speed, verbal memory, and visual memory. These findings demonstrate the detrimental effects of comorbid metabolic dysfunction in individuals with mood disorders. Further research is required to understand the underlying mechanisms connecting mood disorders, metabolism, and cognition.

Association of hypertension and depression with mortality: an exploratory study with interaction and mediation models

BACKGROUND

The association of hypertension and depression with mortality has not been fully understood. We aimed to explore the possible independent or joint association of hypertension and depression with mortality. Their interaction effects on mortality and possible mediating role were also investigated.

METHODS

Associations of hypertension, depression, and their interaction with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality were evaluated using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models. The mediation analysis was conducted with a Sobel test.

RESULTS

A total of 35152 participants were included in the final analysis. Hypertension and depression were independently associated with increased risk of all-cause and CVD mortality. The co-existence of hypertension and depression resulted in a 1.7-fold [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3-2.1] increase in all-cause mortality and a 2.3-fold (95% CI: 1.4-3.7) increase in CVD mortality compared to those with neither of them. Hypertension and depression showed no significant multiplicative (P for interaction, 0.587) and additive interaction (P for relative excess risk of interaction, 0.243; P for Interaction on additive scale, 0.654) on all-cause mortality, as well as on CVD mortality. Depression did not mediate the relationship between hypertension and all-cause (Z=1.704, P=0.088) and CVD mortality (Z=1.547, P=0.122). Hypertension did not mediate the relationship between all-cause and CVD mortality as well.

CONCLUSION

Hypertension and depression were related to all-cause and CVD mortality independently and the co-existence of them increased the risk of mortality. However, there is no interaction effect of them on mortality, and hypertension or depression did not mediate the association of each other with mortality.

Disparities in overall survival by varying duration of disability in activities of daily living in older people: A population-based cohort from Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS)

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the association between duration of disability in activity of daily living (ADL) and overall survival in older individuals.

DESIGN

A prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Community-based data from Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey.

PARTICIPANTS

In total, 13,560 participants without ADL disability and 2772 participants with ADL disability at baseline were included.

MEASUREMENTS

ADL disability was assessed using Katz index scale, which included six essential ADLs: dressing, bathing, transferring, toileting, continence, and eating. Dependence of each item was scored on a scale of 1, the maximum total score was 6. At baseline, duration of ADL disability was defined as the maximum duration among the six items. The study outcome was overall survival. Accelerated failure time models were constructed to investigate the association between duration of ADL disability and overall survival. Subgroup analyses by sex, age, and multimorbidites, as well as sensitive analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

During 81,868.7 person-years follow-up, 11,092 deaths were recorded. Overall, ADL disability was associated with lower overall survival compared to non-ADL disability. With duration of ADL disability extending, the overall survival strikingly dropped in the first 12 months, reaching its lowest point with adjusted time ratio (TR) at 0.66 (95%CI: 0.61-0.72, p < 0.001), then moderately grew until the 60th month, finally stayed constant thereafter. Participants with ADL scores of 1-3 had higher survival compared to those with scores of 4-6, and both groups followed a similar trend of varied survival to the whole cohort. Moreover, subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses showed the robustness of these findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings first address a golden time window for the older individuals with ADL disability. More attention should be given to them, especially in the first 12 months since diagnosis, to reduce mortality and extend the lifespan.

Hierarchical Structure of Depression Knowledge Network and Co-word Analysis of Focus Areas

Contemporarily, depression has become a common psychiatric disorder that influences people's life quality and mental state. This study presents a systematic review analysis of depression based on a hierarchical structure approach. This research provides a rich theoretical foundation for understanding the hot spots, evolutionary trends, and future related research directions and offers further guidance for practice. This investigation contributes to knowledge by combining robust methodological software for analysis, including Citespace, Ucinet, and Pajek. This paper employed the bibliometric methodology to analyze 5,000 research articles concerning depression. This current research also employed the BibExcel software to bibliometrically measure the keywords of the selected articles and further conducted a co-word matrix analysis. Additionally, Pajek software was used to conduct a co-word network analysis to obtain a co-word network diagram of depression. Further, Ucinet software was utilized to calculate K-core values, degree centrality, and mediated centrality to better present the research hotspots, sort out the current status and reveal the research characteristics in the field of depression with valuable information and support for subsequent research. This research indicates that major depressive disorder, anxiety, and mental health had a high occurrence among adolescents and the aged. This present study provides policy recommendations for the government, non-governmental organizations and other philanthropic agencies to help furnish resources for treating and controlling depression orders.

Institutional Satisfaction and Anxiety Mediate the Relationship Between Social Support and Depression in Hypertension Patients in Elderly Caring Social Organizations: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Depression is a prevalent health condition among hypertension patients in elderly caring social organizations (SOs). Patients with hypertension and depression symptoms have worse health outcomes than those without depression. As the population ages, chronic and mental health issues such as depression of hypertension patients in elderly caring SOs have become prominent. However, the combined effects of social support, institutional satisfaction, and anxiety on depression among hypertension individuals in elderly caring SOs remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the mediating effects of institutional satisfaction and anxiety on the relationship between social support and depression among hypertension patients in elderly caring SOs in Anhui Province, China.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method. A questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic characteristics, the satisfaction of elderly caring SOs, social support, anxiety, and depression. A multiple linear regression model was utilized to investigate depression-related factors, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the relationships between social support, institutional satisfaction, anxiety, and depression among patients with hypertension in elderly caring SOs.

Results: Our results indicated that the mean scores of social support were 20.19 ± 6.98 and 1.92 ± 3.18 for anxiety, and 6.24 ± 5.03 for depression; besides, 33.3% of participants were very satisfied with elderly caring SOs, 48.5% were satisfied, and only 6.0% were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied. Comorbid chronic diseases were significantly associated with depression. Institutional satisfaction was directly negatively related to depression, whereas anxiety was directly positively correlated with depression. Social support had an indirect negative association with depression by the mediating effects of institutional satisfaction and anxiety.

Conclusions: The study highlights the importance of social support in maintaining mental health among hypertension patients residing in elderly caring SOs. To alleviate depression among hypertension patients in elderly caring SOs, strategies that target enhancing social support, institutional satisfaction, and anxiety reduction should be prioritized. More importantly, more attention should be paid to patients with comorbid chronic diseases.

Disease-related disability burden: a comparison of seven chronic conditions in middle-aged and older adults

BACKGROUND

Although previous studies have explored the effect of chronic conditions on physical disability, little is known about the levels and rates of change in physical disability after a chronic condition diagnosis in middle-aged and older adults in the Asian population. The aim of this study is to ascertain the average levels and rates of change in the development of disability after disease diagnosis, as well as to determine the influences of sociodemographic and health-related correlates in the development of disability.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study analyzing data of nationally representative participants aged 50 and over with a chronic condition or having developed one during follow-ups based on data from the 1996-2011 Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging (TLSA) (n = 5131). Seven chronic conditions were examined. Covariates included age at initial diagnosis, gender, education level, number of comorbidities, and depression status. Physical disability was measured by combining self-reported ADL, IADL, and strength and mobility activities with 17 total possible points, further analyzed with multilevel modeling.

RESULTS

The results showed that (1) physical disability was highest for stroke, followed by cancer and diabetes at the time of the initial disease diagnosis. (2) The linear rate of change was highest for stroke, followed by lung disease and heart disease, indicating that these diseases led to higher steady increases in physical disability after the disease diagnosis. (3) The quadratic rate of change was highest in diabetes, followed by cancer and hypertension, indicating that these diseases had led to higher increments of physical disability in later stage disease. After controlling for sociodemographic and comorbidity, depression status accounted for 39.9-73.6% and 37.9-100% of the variances in the physical disability intercept and change over time, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the fact that a comparison across conditions was not statistically tested, an accelerated increase in physical disabilities was found as chronic conditions progressed. While stroke and cancer lead to disability immediately, conditions such as diabetes, cancer, and hypertension give rise to higher increments of physical disability in later stage disease. Mitigating depressive symptoms may be beneficial in terms of preventing disability development in this population.

The link of depression, untreated hypertension, and diabetes with mortality in postmenopausal women: A cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To explore the association of depression, as well as untreated hypertension or diabetes with all-cause death in community-based postmenopausal women in Beijing.

METHODS

A cohort of 863 community-based postmenopausal women with no history of cardiovascular heart disease (CHD), stroke, cancer, or dementia was investigated on 20 July-28 September 2009 at baseline. Depression was diagnosed using the 30-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale with CES-D ≥ 11. Meanwhile, data on health behavior, physical comorbidity, and social support at baseline were collected. These individuals were followed up from 20 July to 30 August 2014. All-cause mortality and cause of death were surveyed.

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 4.97 years, 120 subjects died of all-cause. Twenty-four died of stroke, 19 died of myocardial infarction, 21 died of cancer. The others died of aging, infection, and accident. Depression and untreated HP were significantly associated with all-cause mortality in Cox models after full adjustment for all of the potential confounders (Depression HR: 2.16, 95%CI: 1.35-3.46; Untreated hypertension HR: 1.84, 95%CI: 1.12-3.02). However, negative correlation of untreated diabetes on all-cause mortality was observed in this population (HR: 1.36, 95%CI: 0.75-2.49). When depression was co-existing with hypertension/diabetes, the HR for mortality elevated significantly (Depression co-existing with hypertension HR = 3.87, 95% CI: 2.07-7.23; Depression co-existing with diabetes HR = 5.02, 95% CI: 1.5-16.79).

CONCLUSIONS

It is suggested we should take sufficient care of postmenopausal females with depression and control blood pressure and glucose more effectively. Abbreviations: HP: Hypertension; DM: Diabetes; TC: Cholesterol; TG: Triglyceride; BMI: Body-Mass Index; CES-D: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression; CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; HR: Hazard Ratio; CI: Confidence Interval; ADL: Activities of daily living scale.

Physical Comorbidity and Health Literacy Mediate the Relationship Between Social Support and Depression Among Patients With Hypertension

Depression is a common comorbidity among patients with hypertension. Patients with hypertension and depression have worse health outcomes compared to those without depression. The combined effects of social support, physical comorbidity, and health literacy on depression among individuals with hypertension remain unclear. A survey was conducted between December 2017 and May 2018 to investigate the relationships among social support, physical comorbidity, health literacy, and depression in a population of patients with hypertension in rural areas of Sichuan province, China. Multiple linear regression was used to examine factors that influenced depression, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the relationships among the four study variables. The mean scores of 549 patients with hypertension were 37.17 ± 6.84 for social support, 14.62 ± 6.26 for health literacy, and 3.56 ± 3.05 for depression; furthermore, 34.2% of participants had physical comorbidity. Gender and per capita annual family income were significantly associated with depression. Physical comorbidity was directly positively related to depression while health literacy was directly negatively related to depression. Social support had an indirect negative association with depression by the mediating effects of health literacy and physical comorbidity. Adequate social support and health literacy, and less physical comorbidity could potentially contribute to reducing depression. The study highlights the importance of social support in maintaining mental health among patients with hypertension. Strategies that target the enhancement of social support and health literacy should be prioritized to relieve depression among patients with hypertension. More attention should be paid to women, low-income individuals, and patients with physical comorbidities.

Neurocognition in treatment-resistant hypertension: profile and associations with cardiovascular biomarkers

BACKGROUND

Hypertension in midlife has been associated with increased risk of stroke and neurocognitive decline. Few studies, however, have examined neurocognition among individuals with treatment-resistant hypertension or potential mechanisms by which treatment-resistant hypertension may impair neurocognition.

METHODS

We examined the pattern of neurocognitive impairment and potential mechanisms in a sample of 96 overweight adults with treatment-resistant hypertension, aged 41-81 years. Neurocognitive function was assessed using a 45-min test battery consisting of executive function and memory. Vascular and metabolic mechanisms examined included cerebrovascular risk factors (CVRFs: Framingham Stroke Risk Profile), insulin sensitivity (homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance), waist-to-hip ratio, microvascular function (hyperemic response), and peak oxygen consumption from an exercise treadmill test. Simple path analyses were used to assess the association between potential vascular and metabolic mechanisms and neurocognition.

RESULTS

Neurocognitive impairments were common, with 70% of the sample exhibiting impaired performance on at least one executive function subtest and 38% on at least one measure of memory. Higher levels of aerobic fitness, greater insulin sensitivity, and better microvascular function, as well as lower CVRFs and waist-to-hip ratio were associated with better neurocognition. In path analyses, aerobic fitness, microvascular function, and CVRFs all were independently associated with neurocognitive performance. Insulin resistance associated with worse executive function but better memory performance among older participants.

CONCLUSION

Neurocognitive impairments are common in adults with treatment-resistant hypertension, particularly on tests of executive function. Better neurocognition is independently associated with aerobic fitness, microvascular function, and CVRFs.

Hypertension and Drug Adherence in the Elderly

Hypertension is highly prevalent after the age of 65 years affecting more than 60% of individuals in developed countries. Today, there is sufficient evidence from clinical trials that treating elderly subjects with hypertension with antihypertensive medications has a positive benefit/risk ratio even in very elderly patients (>80 years). In recent years, partial or total non-adherence has been recognized as major issues in the long-term management of hypertension in all age categories. However, whether non-adherence is more frequent in hypertensive patients older than 65 years or not is still a matter of debate and the common belief is that adherence is lower in older than in younger patients. Are clinical data supporting this belief? In this brief review, we discuss the topic of drug adherence in elderly in the context of the medical treatment of hypertension. Studies show that drug adherence is actually better in patients aged 65 to 80 years when compared to younger hypertensive patients (<50 years). However, in very old patients (>80 years) the prevalence of non-adherence does increase. In this patients' group, there are specific risk factors for non-adherence such as cognitive ability, depression, and health believes, in addition to classical risk factors for non-adherence. One important aspect in the elderly is the prescription of potentially inappropriate medications that will interfere with the adherence to necessary treatments. In this context, an interesting new concept was developed few years ago, i.e., the process of deprescribing. Thus, today, in addition to conventional guidelines recommendations (use of single pill combinations, individualization of treatments), the evaluation of cognitive abilities, the regular assessment of potentially inappropriate medications, and the process of deprescribing appear to be three new additional steps to improve drug adherence in the elderly and thereby ameliorate the global management of hypertension.

Comparative effectiveness of three exercise types to treat clinical depression in older adults: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Few studies have directly compared the effects of different exercise therapies on clinical depression in older adults. Thus, we conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis of current evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to compare the effectiveness of three major exercise types (aerobic, resistance, and mind-body exercise) in clinically depressed older adults.

METHODS

We followed PRISMA-NMA guidelines and searched databases for eligible RCTs (inception - September 12^th, 2019). RCTs were eligible if they included clinically depressed adults aged >65 years, implemented one or more exercise therapy arms using aerobic, resistance, or mind-body exercise, and assessed depressive symptoms at baseline and follow-up using a validated clinical questionnaire.

RESULTS

A network meta-analysis was performed on 15 eligible RCTs comprising 596 participants (321 treatment and 275 controls), including aerobic (n = 6), resistance (n = 5), and mind-body (n = 4) exercise trials. Compared with controls, mind-body exercise showed the largest improvement on depressive symptoms (g = -0.87 to -1.38), followed by aerobic exercise (g = -0.51 to -1.02), and resistance exercise (g = -0.41 to -0.92). Notably, there were no statistically significant differences between exercise types: aerobic versus resistance (g = -0.10, PrI = -2.23, 2.03), mind-body versus aerobic (g = -0.36, PrI = -2.69, 1.97), or mind-body versus resistance (g = -0.46, PrI = -2.75, 1.83).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings should guide optimal exercise prescription for allied health professionals and stakeholders in clinical geriatrics. Notably, clinically depressed older adults may be encouraged to self-select their preferred exercise type in order to achieve therapeutic benefit on symptoms of depression. In coalition with high levels of compliance, these data provide encouraging evidence for the antidepressant effect of either aerobic, resistance, or mind-body exercise as effective treatment adjucts for older adults presenting with clinical depression.

Hypertension and the Risk of Dementia

Hypertension, particularly midlife high blood pressure, has been related to a higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia, including Alzheimer disease. However, these associations are complex and not fully elucidated. Cerebral small vessel disease emerges as one of the most important causes. Several observational studies have shown the potential beneficial role of antihypertensive treatment in preventing cognitive decline. However, randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have shown controversial results without proving nor disproving the association. On the other hand, in very elderly or frail people some studies have observed a relationship between low blood pressure and worse cognitive function. The optimal systolic and diastolic blood pressure values for protecting cognitive function, especially in elderly people, are not known.

Physical Performance Trajectories and Mortality Among Older Mexican Americans

Background

We sought to identify distinct trajectory classes of physical performance in Mexican Americans aged 75 years and older and to examine whether these trajectories predict mortality.

Methods

We used four waves of Hispanic Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (H-EPESE) data for adults 75 years and older from 2004-2005 to 2013. Latent growth curve analysis was used to identify distinct trajectory classes. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between baseline characteristics and the newly constructed trajectories. Cox proportional hazards regression models examined the hazard of mortality as a function of Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) trajectories.

Results

The study follow-up period was approximately 9.5 years. One thousand four hundred and eleven adults were successfully classified into three (low-declining, high-declining, and high-stable) physical performance trajectory classes. Depressive symptoms (relative risk ratio = 1.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.17-3.22), diabetes (relative risk ratio = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.63-3.65), number of other comorbid health conditions (relative risk ratio = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.16-1.68), and obesity (relative risk ratio = 2.83, 95% CI = 1.67-4.80), increased the relative risk of classification into the low, relative to high-stable trajectory class. Male gender and foreign-born status significantly reduced risk of classification in the low-declining and high-declining trajectory classes. We observed a statistically significant association between low-declining (hazard ratio = 3.01, 95% CI = 2.34-3. 87) and high-declining (hazard ratio = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.32-2.03) trajectories and increased risk of mortality.

Conclusions

Differences in mortality across physical performance trajectory classes suggest that these physical performance classes represent differences in underlying disease progression, and thus differences in mortality risk among older Mexican Americans, which warrants additional research to better understand differential physical performance trajectories and their effects on morbidity and mortality in heterogeneous aging populations.

Social Determinants and Disparities in Active Aging Among Older Taiwanese

This study assesses equity in active aging across social determinants among older Taiwanese. The data were collected from face-to-face interviews with adults aged 55 years or more in Taiwan in 2017 (n = 738). A total of 30 individual-level Taiwan active aging indicators were chosen, and the relationship between social determinants and active aging indicators were analyzed by logistic regression models. Women were more likely to participate in volunteering and other social groups and in lifelong learning activities, whereas men were more likely to be employed, to engage in physical activity, to feel safe from violence, and to use preventive care. Higher education was related to higher employment, social participation, independent living, lifelong learning, and a lower likelihood of poverty and severe cognitive impairment. Those living in rural areas were more likely to be employed, perform physical activity, feel physically safe, have better mental well-being, and have higher social respect and social integration ratings, whereas living in urban areas was related to greater access to medical care, owning assets, less severe cognitive impairment, greater likelihood of using information and communications technology, higher level of education, and higher access to convenient transportation. The significant disparities that exist in active aging may suggest inequality.

Combining modifiable risk factors and risk of dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review the literature relating to the impact of multiple co-occurring modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia.

DESIGN

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature relating to the impact of co-occurring key risk factors for incident cognitive decline and dementia. All abstracts and full text were screened independently by two reviewers and each article assessed for bias using a standard checklist. A fixed effects meta-analysis was undertaken.

DATA SOURCES

Databases Medline, Embase and PsycINFO were searched from 1999 to 2017.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

For inclusion articles were required to report longitudinal data from participants free of cognitive decline at baseline, with formal assessment of cognitive function or dementia during follow-up, and an aim to examine the impact of additive or clustered comorbid risk factor burden in with two or more core modifiable risk factors.

RESULTS

Seventy-nine full-text articles were examined. Twenty-two articles (18 studies) were included reporting data on >40 000 participants. Included studies consistently reported an increased risk associated with greater numbers of intraindividual risk factors or unhealthy behaviours and the opposite for healthy or protective behaviours. A meta-analysis of studies with dementia outcomes resulted in a pooled relative risk for dementia of 1.20 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.39) for one risk factor, 1.65 (95% CI 1.40 to 1.94) for two and 2.21 (95% CI 1.78 to 2.73) for three or more, relative to no risk factors. Limitations include dependence on published results and variations in study outcome, cognitive assessment, length of follow-up and definition of risk factor exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

The strength of the reported associations, the consistency across studies and the suggestion of a dose response supports a need to keep modifiable risk factor exposure to a minimum and to avoid exposure to additional modifiable risks. Further research is needed to establish whether particular combinations of risk factors confer greater risk than others.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

42016052914.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Depression among Patients with Diabetes at Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Context

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) have a poorer quality of life when compared with patients without DM. In fact, one in every five diabetic patients suffers from comorbid depression, which can lead to poor management, poor compliance with treatment, and low quality of life. Therefore, we assessed the prevalence of depression and identified its associated factors among diabetic patients at Jazan Province, KSA.

Methods and Materials

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 500 diabetic patients attending a diabetic center in addition to four primary healthcare centers. We used a simple Arabic translation of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI II) tool to evaluate the depression level among the subjects. We also evaluated the frequencies of certain sociodemographic characteristics and clinical information. Moreover, we performed univariate and multivariate analyses to identify the potential risk factors using adjusted odds ratios (AORs).

Results

The prevalence of depression among DM patients was 20.6%. The majority of patients showed no depression (N = 285, 59.4%), one-fifth had mild depression (N = 96, 20.0%), some (N = 55, 11.4%) had moderate depression, and some had severe depression (N = 44, 9.2%). Depression was significantly more prevalent among uneducated patients (N = 27, 31.8%) (X² = 17.627, P = 0.001) and patients with low monthly income (< 2500 SR/month) (N = 33, 22.8%) (X² = 9.920, P = 0.019). Hypertension (AOR = 2.531, 95% CI [1.454, 4.406]) and ischemic heart diseases (AOR = 3.892, 95% CI [1.995, 7.593]) were considered as risk factors for depression among diabetic patients.

Conclusions

Almost one in every five patients with DM is affected by depression coexisting with cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, screening for psychological problems, proper treatment, and educating patients with diabetes about DM self-management should be routine components of DM care.

Diabetes and anxiety adversely affect cognition in multiple sclerosis

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether comorbid diabetes and hypertension are associated with cognition in multiple sclerosis (MS) after accounting for psychiatric comorbidities.

METHODS

Participants completed a structured psychiatric interview, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), a comorbidity questionnaire, and cognitive testing including the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II), Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised (BVMT-R), and verbal fluency. Test scores were converted to age-, sex- and education-adjusted z-scores. We evaluated associations between diabetes and hypertension and the four cognitive z-scores using a multivariate linear model, adjusting for comorbid depression and anxiety disorders, psychotropic medications, disease-modifying therapies, smoking status and body mass index.

RESULTS

Of 111 participants, most were women (82.9%) with relapsing remitting MS (83.5%), of mean (SD) age 49.6 (12.7) years. Comorbidity was common; 22.7% participants had hypertension, 10.8% had diabetes, 9.9% had current major depression, and 9.9% had current anxiety disorders. Mean (SD) z-scores were: SDMT -0.66 (1.15), CVLT-II -0.43 (1.32), BVMT-R -0.49 (1.07) and fluency -0.59 (0.86). Diabetes (p = 0.02) and anxiety disorder (p = 0.02) were associated with cognitive function overall. Diabetes was associated with lower BVMT-R (β = -1.18, p = 0.0015) and fluency (β = -0.63, p = 0.037) z-scores. Anxiety was associated with lower SDMT (β = -1.07, p = 0.0074) z-scores. Elevated anxiety symptoms (HADS-A ≥ 11) were associated with lower z-scores on the SDMT and CVLT-II.

CONCLUSION

Comorbidities, including diabetes and anxiety, are associated with cognitive dysfunction in MS. Their presence may contribute to the heterogeneous pattern of impairments seen across individuals and they may represent targets for improved management of cognitive symptoms.

Mild Cognitive Impairment Reversion and Progression: Rates and Predictors in Community-Living Older Persons in the Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Studies Cohort

Background

Studies report varying rates and predictors of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) progression and reversion.

Methods

We determined MCI reversion and progression among 473 community-living adults aged ≥55 years in the Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study with an average of 6 years of follow-up and estimated association with baseline variables.

Results

A total of 208 MCI participants reverted to normal cognition (44.0%) and 19 progressed to dementia (4.0%). In a model adjusted for age, gender, education, ethnicity, cardiovascular risk factors/diseases, APOE ε4 status, depressive symptoms, leisure-time activities (LTA), and baseline Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), we found that LTA score (OR = 1.07, 95% CI 1.02-1.13), MMSE score (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.11-1.31), and subjective memory complaint (OR = 1.83, 95% CI 1.16-2.90) significantly predicted MCI reversion. Controlling for all variables, age (OR = 1.09, 95% CI 1.02-1.17), lower education (OR = 3.26, 95% CI 1.01-10.49), and the metabolic syndrome (OR = 3.13, 95% CI 1.12-8.77) significantly predicted MCI progression. Controlling for age, sex, ethnicity, and education, diabetes significantly predicted MCI progression (OR = 3.19, 95% CI 1.23-8.26), but the presence of other cardiometabolic factors reduced this association to an OR of 2.18 (95% CI 0.72-6.60).

Conclusion

In this relatively younger population, there were higher rates of MCI reversion and lower rates of MCI progression which were predicted by the positive effects of LTA and a higher MMSE score as well as by the deleterious effect of the metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

Physical Predictors of Cognitive Function in Individuals With Hypertension: Evidence from the CHARLS Basline Survey

The purpose of the study was to examine the independent associations of each individual physical performance measure (i.e., grip strength, walking speed, repeated chair stands, and balance test) with subdomains of cognitive function and to determine predictors for each subdomain of cognitive function. A secondary data analysis was performed using a nationally representative middle-aged and older sample of hypertensive population. The findings showed that after adding all four physical performance measures, stronger grip strength was significantly associated with better visuospatial abilities, episodic memory, orientation/attention, and overall cognitive function. In addition, faster walking speed and faster repeated chair stands were strongly associated with better episodic memory and overall cognitive function, respectively. Because grip strength was significantly associated with several subdomains of cognitive functioning, it seems conceivable that increasing physical activity would improve both grip strength and cognitive function in patients with hypertension.

Predictors of basic self-care and intermediate self-care functional disabilities among older adults in Ghana

The number of older adults in Ghana is growing rapidly. Associated with this growth, is the rise in age-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and musculoskeletal conditions. However, there is limited knowledge in the Ghanaian context on the effect of chronic diseases on functional disabilities among older adults. In this study, we examine the association between chronic diseases, socioeconomic status, and functional disabilities. Data from 4107 Ghanaian older adults (persons aged 50 years and above) who participated in the World Health Organization's Global Ageing and Adult Health survey (SAGE-Wave 1) were used to fit random effect multivariate logistic and complementary log-log regression. Stroke was significantly associated with difficulty in performing both basic self-care functions and intermediate self-care functions. Hypertension and arthritis, on the other hand, were associated with basic self-care functional disability only. Socioeconomically vulnerable groups such as females, those with less education and low-incomes were more likely to have functional disabilities associated with basic self-care and intermediate self-care activities. In order to reduce functional disabilities among older persons in Ghana, efforts should be aimed at reducing chronic conditions as well as improving socioeconomic status.

Effects of Functional Disability and Depressive Symptoms on Mortality in Older Mexican-American Adults with Diabetes Mellitus

OBJECTIVES

To examine the effect of co-occurring depressive symptoms and functional disability on mortality in older Mexican-American adults with diabetes mellitus.

DESIGN

Longitudinal cohort study.

SETTING

Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly (HEPESE) survey conducted in the southwestern United States (Texas, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, California).

PARTICIPANTS

Community-dwelling Mexican Americans with self-reported diabetes mellitus participating in the HEPESE survey (N = 624).

MEASUREMENTS

Functional disability was assessed using a modified version of the Katz activity of daily living scale. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Mortality was determined by examining death certificates and reports from relatives. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to examine the hazard of mortality as a function of co-occurring depressive symptoms and functional disability.

RESULTS

Over a 9.2-year follow-up, 391 participants died. Co-occurring high depressive symptoms and functional disability increased the risk of mortality (hazard ratio (HR) = 3.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.11-4.34). Risk was greater in men (HR = 8.11, 95% CI = 4.34-16.31) than women (HR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.42-3.43).

CONCLUSION

Co-occurring depressive symptoms and functional disability in older Mexican-American adults with diabetes mellitus increases mortality risk, especially in men. These findings have important implications for research, practice, and public health interventions.

Association between comorbid conditions and BADL/IADL disability in hypertension patients over age 45: Based on the China health and retirement longitudinal study (CHARLS)

Hypertension usually coexists with other chronic conditions and can cause disability in relation to activities of daily living. We examined the association between the number and categories of comorbid conditions and disability affecting activities of daily living in hypertension patients.The data were collected from the 2013 follow-up survey of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), which contains information about chronic conditions and disability. Additionally, socio-demographic characteristics of 3754 hypertension patients aged 45 and older were included in this study. Comorbid conditions included dyslipidemia, stroke, and 12 other chronic conditions. Disability in relation to activities of daily living was assessed using the basic activities of daily living (BADL) and the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) instruments. Differences in BADL/IADL disability among patients with different comorbid conditions were compared using the chi-square test, and the influence of chronic conditions and socio-demographic characteristics on BADL/IADL disability was analyzed using logistic models.Without considering the influence of specific chronic conditions on BADL/IADL, hypertension patients with additional comorbid conditions were more likely to suffer from BADL/IADL disability. When considering the effect of specific chronic conditions, the number of comorbid conditions did not significantly influence BADL/IADL disability. Dyslipidemia, chronic lung disease, stroke, memory-related diseases, and arthritis/rheumatism were associated with BADL disability. Chronic lung diseases, heart diseases, stroke, stomach/digestive system diseases, emotional/nervous/psychiatric problems, memory-related diseases, arthritis/rheumatism, and asthma were associated with IADL disability. Additionally, female, people with lower education level, people living in village, and people living in middle and western China were more likely suffer from BADL/IADL disability.Comorbid conditions were associated with disability in activities of daily living in hypertension patients aged 45 and older. The specific comorbid conditions had a stronger effect on disability in activities of daily living than the number of comorbid conditions. In addition, we should pay attention to socioeconomic factors related to disability.

Normatization of the symbol digit modalities test-oral version in a Latin American country

The aim of this study was to standardize the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT)-Oral version in a healthy population living in Argentina and to analyze the influence that age, gender, and education have on the SDMT. Secondarily, it is intended to analyze the performance of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) on this test. Two hundred ninety-seven healthy participants were evaluated; they had an average age of 39.28 years and 13.87 years of schooling; 77.8% were women. The sample was segmented according to age in three groups: younger than 35 years old, 36 to 50 years old, and 51 to 70 years old. The sample was also segmented according to years of schooling in three groups: 11 years or less, 12 to 16 years, and more than 16 years. All participants were evaluated with the oral version of the SDMT. A clinical sample of 111 patients with MS was also assessed. The mean on the SDMT for the total sample was 51.34 (SD=12.76). The differences were significant between all groups, p<.05, according to age. The participants with a higher level of education performed better than did those with moderate education and those with less schooling, p<.05. There was a significant difference between patients with MS and healthy controls, p<.01. The SDMT is influenced by age as well as by schooling, although not by gender. The norms displayed here will be useful to accurately evaluate the yield of the patients in the neuropsychological clinic when comparing them with their group of reference. It was also demonstrated that the SDMT can discriminate between patients with MS and healthy people.

Association between pre-pregnancy depression/anxiety symptoms and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

BACKGROUND

Depression and anxiety symptoms have been linked with hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, but these associations have not been fully elucidated. Our objective was to consider hypertension in pregnancy and its subtypes (chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia) and evaluate whether the proximity of psychological symptoms to pregnancy informs any associations observed.

METHODS

Pregnancy Outcomes and Community Health Study participants who provided interview data at enrollment (16-27 weeks' gestation) and whose hypertensive disorder status was abstracted from medical records were eligible for inclusion (n=1371). Maternal history of depression/anxiety symptoms at four time points in the life course were ascertained via self-report at enrollment (i.e., lifetime history, 1 year prior to pregnancy, since last menstrual period, and past week). Weighted logistic regression models were used to examine depression/anxiety symptom measures in relation to hypertensive disorders (overall) and subtype.

RESULTS

Following adjustment for maternal sociodemographic factors, smoking, and prepregnancy body mass index, prepregnancy depression or anxiety symptoms (i.e., lifetime history and 1 year prior to pregnancy) were associated with hypertensive disorders during pregnancy. Subtype analyses revealed that these associations were driven primarily by chronic hypertension (adjusted odds ratios=2.7-3.5). Preeclampsia accompanied by preterm delivery was also linked to women's lifetime history of depression symptoms (odds ratio=2.3, 95% confidence interval 1.0-5.2).

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that the link between maternal chronic hypertension and depression/anxiety symptoms precedes pregnancy. In addition, prepregnancy history of depression/anxiety symptoms may be considered part of a risk profile for preterm preeclampsia.

The effects of depressive symptoms on quality of life among institutionalized older adults in Taiwan

PURPOSE

To explore the effect of physical health status and depressive symptoms on quality of life (QOL) and to examine whether depressive symptoms mediate the effect of physical health status on the physical and mental components of QOL among institutionalized older adults.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study was used to assess 306 residents from 73 long-term care facilities in Taipei, Taiwan.

FINDINGS

We found that depressive symptoms mediated the relationship between the number of chronic diseases and activities of daily living and physical components of QOL (z = -2.41, p = .016; z = 3.33, p < .001) as well as between the number of chronic diseases and mental components of QOL (z = -2.45, p = .014).

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Our findings indicate that alleviating depressive symptoms can improve the QOL of older adults in long-term care facilities.

The comorbidity of hypertension and psychological distress: a study of nine countries in the former Soviet Union

BACKGROUND

Mental health problems in those with physical ailments are often overlooked, especially in the former Soviet Union (fSU) where this comorbidity has received little attention. Our study examines the comorbidity of psychological distress and hypertension in the fSU.

METHODS

Nationally representative household survey data from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine in 2001 and 2010 were analysed to compare the levels of psychological distress in people with and without self-reported hypertension. Multivariate regression analysed determinants of psychological distress in hypertensive respondents, and prevalence rate ratios were calculated to compare the change in distress between the two groups.

RESULTS

There were significantly higher levels of psychological distress among hypertensive respondents (9.9%) than in the general population (4.9%), and a significant association between the two conditions [odds ratio (OR) = 2.27 (1.91; 2.70)]. Characteristics associated with distress among hypertensive respondents included residing in Armenia or Kyrgyzstan, being female, over age 50, with a poor economic situation, lower education, poor emotional support and limited access to medical drugs. Levels of distress declined between 2001 and 2010, but at a lesser rate in hypertensive respondents [rate ratio (RR) = 0.85 (0.75; 0.95)] than non-hypertensive respondents [RR = 0.65 (0.56; 0.75)].

CONCLUSIONS

There is a significant association between psychological distress and hypertension in the region.

Geriatric syndromes and incident disability in older women: results from the women's health initiative observational study

OBJECTIVES

To determine how the number of geriatric syndromes is associated with incident disability in community-based populations of older adults.

DESIGN

Longitudinal analysis from the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study (WHI-OS).

SETTING

Community.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty-nine thousand five hundred forty-four women aged 65 and older enrolled in the WHI-OS and free of disability in activities of daily living (ADLs) at baseline.

MEASUREMENTS

Geriatric syndromes (high depressive symptoms, dizziness, falls, hearing or visual impairment, osteoporosis, polypharmacy, syncope, sleep disturbance, and urinary incontinence) were self-reported at baseline and 3-year follow-up. Disability was defined as dependence in any ADL and was assessed at baseline and follow-up. Chronic diseases were measured according to a modified Charlson Index.

RESULTS

Geriatric syndromes were common in this population of women; 76.3% had at least one syndrome at baseline. Greater number of geriatric syndromes at baseline was significantly associated with greater risk of incident ADL disability at follow-up (P ≤ .001). Adjusted risk ratios were 1.21 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.78-1.87) for a single syndrome and 6.64 (95% CI = 4.15-10.62) for five or more syndromes compared with no syndromes. These results were only slightly attenuated after adjustment for number of chronic diseases or pain.

CONCLUSION

Geriatric syndromes are significantly associated with onset of disability in older women; this association is not simply a result of chronic disease or pain. A better understanding of how these conditions contribute to disablement is needed. Geriatric syndrome assessment should be considered along with chronic disease management in the prevention of disability in older women.

Executive skills in older adults with GAD: relations with clinical variables and CBT outcome

Although cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is an effective intervention for treating generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in older adults, researchers are now considering augmenting the therapy to enhance outcome. We are also long overdue in identifying moderators of CBT response (e.g., cognitive abilities) in late life anxiety. The goals of the current investigation were to examine performance on verbal versus nonverbal tests of executive skills (ES) and to test the relation between ES and clinical indices in older GAD patients. Hierarchical and logistic regression models identified baseline ES predictors of premature termination, homework compliance and quality, and indices of cognitive restructuring, an essential component of CBT. Although the analyses of response on symptom measures did not reveal any significant baseline predictors, an alternative ES grouping scheme showed that those whose ES improved during CBT also responded best in terms of worry reduction. These findings can be applied to the optimization of treatment for older anxiety patients, who are an underserved demographic group.

Depression treatment selectively modifies arterial stiffness in older participants

BACKGROUND

Depression is emerging as an independent cardiovascular disease risk factor. We investigated whether treating depression in older participants impacted on arterial stiffness, a known cardiovascular disease risk factor and a clinical marker of arterial aging.

METHODS

Seventy-five participants with pulse wave velocity (PWV), the gold standard measure for arterial stiffness, at baseline and at 12-month follow-up were included. Depressed patients were randomized to escitalopram (10mg/d) or to duloxetine (60mg/d). In patients without depression, no antidepressant therapy was started. The psychologist and the doctor measuring PWV were both unaware of antidepressant treatment.

RESULTS

At study entry, no difference in PWV were observable in the three groups of participants. A significant time × drug interaction term (p < .05) was observed for the impact of antidepressant therapy on PWV by analysis of covariance analysis. After 12 months of therapy, duloxetine treatment resulted in a significant (+21%) and escitalopram treatment in a not significant (6%) PWV increase. These changes in PWV were accompanied by a similar increase in blood pressure and LDL cholesterol in the two treated groups. However, duloxetine resulted in a significant 10% greater heart rate after 12 months that was not observable in participants treated with escitalopram nor in not-depressed older participants. Multiple regression models revealed that a drug-specific effect on PWV persisted after controlling for cardiovascular risk factor levels.

CONCLUSION

Duloxetine but not escitalopram significantly increased PWV in older depressed participants after 12 months of treatment. The effect was not fully explained by concomitant changes in traditional cardiovascular risk factors known to significantly impact arterial stiffness.

Vascular burden and cognitive functioning in depressed older adults

BACKGROUND

Vascular burden is known to contribute to geriatric depression and cognitive impairment. The objective of our study was to evaluate the relationship between vascular burden and pattern of cognitive impairment in older adults with depression.

METHODS

Ninety-four community-dwelling older adults (mean age = 70.8 years; SD = 7.63) diagnosed with major depression were recruited to participate in the tai chi complementary use study aimed to improve antidepressant response to an antidepressant medication. All participants received comprehensive evaluations of depression, apathy, and vascular risk factors, and completed a battery of cognitive measures of memory, cognitive control, verbal fluency, and attention.

RESULTS

The severity of vascular burden was significantly correlated with depression severity and impaired performance on measures of cognitive control (i.e., inhibition/mental flexibility), and attention, but not memory or verbal fluency. Neither the severity of comorbid apathy nor medical illness burden was related to cognitive impairment.

CONCLUSIONS

Vascular burden in older depressed adults contributes to cognitive impairment, particularly in domains of attention and cognitive control. Our findings suggest that aggressive treatment of vascular risk factors may reduce risk for further cognitive decline in depressed older adults.

Physical ill health, disability, dependence and depression: results from the 2007 national survey of psychiatric morbidity among adults in England

BACKGROUND

The relationship between physical ill health, disability, and depression is not straightforward. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have clearly shown that medical illness and physical disability are strongly associated with depression.

OBJECTIVE

To test the hypothesis that disability is associated with an increased prevalence of depression irrespective of physical health problems and that this is proportionate to the severity of disability (measured in terms of the number of difficulties in daily activities and the degree of dependence on others).

METHODS

Using a random probability sample design, 7460 respondents were interviewed for the third national survey of psychiatric morbidity of adults in the private household population in England. Fieldwork was carried out throughout 2007. The prevalence of depression was established by the administration of the revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R), while disability was measured by reported difficulties in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL).

RESULTS

Disability was associated with depression even after adjustment for physical ill health. The number of ADL/IADL difficulties was directly related to the likelihood of respondents having depression. Dependence on others was not associated with depression once severity of disability had been accounted for.

CONCLUSION

All ADL/IADL limitations are significantly associated with depression and there seems to be a cumulative effect irrespective of whether the limitation is in personal care or in instrumental activities such as mobility problems.

The contribution of depression to mortality among elderly with self-reported hypertension: analysis using a national representative longitudinal survey

OBJECTIVE

Previous research has suggested that hypertension and depression are two of the important causes of mortality among the elderly. This study aims to test the contribution of depression to mortality among elderly with self-reported hypertension.

METHODS

This research used data from the Survey of Health and Living Status of the Middle Age and Elderly (SHLS) conducted by the Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health in Taiwan. The 1989, 1996, 1999, 2003, and 2007 waves were used. In total, 3736 respondents aged 60 or above were analyzed. Participants were grouped by status of hypertension and depression. The contribution of depression to mortality among elderly with self-reported hypertension was estimated using Cox proportional hazard model. Analyses were separated into younger elderly individuals (<70 years) and older elderly individuals (≥ 70 years).

RESULTS

In the full model, the hazard ratios for mortality for the groups of not hypertensive/depressed, hypertensive/not depressed, and hypertensive/depressed were 1.12 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.98-1.28], 1.32 (95% CI 1.19-1.46), and 1.54 (95% CI 1.29-1.83), respectively, compared with the reference group of not hypertensive/not depressed. The pattern remained the similar after separating the participants into the two age groups. However, much higher hazard ratios were observed for the older cohort.

CONCLUSION

Depression contributes significantly to the hypertension-mortality relationship for the elderly. For the elderly, hypertension should be tackled along with depression in order to reduce the mortality associated with hypertension.

The relationship of current depressive symptoms and past depression with cognitive impairment and instrumental activities of daily living in an elderly population: the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study

Depressive symptoms are common in the elderly and they have been associated with cognitive and functional impairment. However, relatively less is known about the relationship of a lifetime history of depression to cognitive impairment and functional status. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess whether current depressive symptoms and past depression are associated with cognitive or functional impairment in a community-based sample representative of east Sydney, Australia. We also examined whether there was an interaction between current and past depression in their effects on cognitive performance. Eight hundred non-demented aged participants received a neuropsychological assessment, a past psychiatric history interview and the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. The Bayer-Activities of Daily Living scale was completed by an informant to determine functional ability. Clinically relevant depressive symptoms were present in 6.1% of the sample and 16.6% reported a history of depression. Participants with current depression had significantly higher levels of psychological distress and anxiety, and lower life satisfaction and performed worse on memory and executive function compared to participants without current depression. After controlling for anxiety the effect on executive function was no longer significant while the effect on memory remained significant. A history of depression was associated with worse executive function, higher levels of psychological distress and anxiety, and lower life satisfaction. After controlling for psychological distress the effect of past depression on executive function was no longer significant. There were no significant interactions between current and past depression in their effects on cognitive performance. There were no differences between participants with or without current depression and with or without past depression on functional abilities. These results support the view that current and past depressive episodes are associated with poorer cognitive performance but not with functional abilities.