Change in stress and social support as predictors of cognitive decline in older adults with and without depression.

Objective: The relationship between stress, social support, and cognition in geriatric depression is complex. In this study, we sought to examine whether an increase in stressful life events or a decrease in social support would lead to subsequent cognitive decline among older adults with and without depression.

Methods: The sample consisted of 112 depressed and 101 non-depressed older adults who enrolled in the Neurocognitive Outcomes of Depression in the Elderly (NCODE) study.