Effects of depression on cognitive function in patients with diabetes in different age groups.

Aims: To investigate the effects of depression on cognitive function in patients of different ages with diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods: 6,549 patients with DM who were assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) in 2016 were selected from the 2016 Kailuan Group staff physical examinations. Generalized linear regression models were used to analyze the effects of SDS index score on MMSE score in DM patients in different age groups. We also analyzed the effects of SDS index score on MMSE score in DM patients with different risk factors.

Results: Generalized linear regression analysis showed that higher SDS index score was associated with lower MMSE score (β = -0.06; 0.01). In addition, there was an interaction effect between SDS index score and age groups on cognitive function. Meanwhile, SDS index score also has an interaction effect with level of education.

Conclusions: The negative association between the degree of depression and cognitive function level increases with age in DM patients.