Apathy and Depression Among People Aging With Traumatic Brain Injury: Relationships to Cognitive Performance and Psychosocial Functioning.

J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci

Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, Elkins Park, Pa.; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia.

Published: October 2024

AI Article Synopsis

  • A study focused on older adults with chronic moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) aimed to understand the impact of apathy and depression on cognitive performance and psychosocial functioning.* -
  • Researchers found that severity of apathy was linked to cognitive performance, particularly executive functioning, while depression did not show a significant correlation with cognition after adjustments.* -
  • The presence of both apathy and depression negatively affected health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and societal participation, highlighting the need for tailored interventions for this population.*

Article Abstract

Objective: Apathy and depression are both common after moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and may be especially important to distinguish in older adults with TBI. The authors examined apathy and depression in relation to cognitive performance domains and their potentially unique contribution to psychosocial functioning in this patient population.

Methods: A total of 106 participants (mean±SD age=64±8 years) with chronic moderate to severe TBI (≥1 year) completed questionnaires assessing severity of apathy (Frontal Systems Behavior Scale-apathy subscale) and depression (Geriatric Depression Scale-15) symptoms, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and societal participation. Participants also completed neuropsychological tests of episodic memory, processing speed, and executive functioning.

Results: Apathy symptom severity was significantly associated with all cognitive performances in correlations adjusted for the familywise error rate; a relationship with executive functioning remained after controlling for demographic and injury variables. Depression symptom severity was not significantly associated with cognition after statistical correction. Both symptomatologies uniquely contributed to HRQoL. Only depression symptoms contributed to societal participation. On the basis of clinical cutoffs, half the sample had neither depression nor apathy, approximately 25% met criteria for only apathy, and 25% had both apathy and depression. The combined presence of clinical depression and apathy was associated with worse HRQoL and societal participation.

Conclusions: This is the first study to examine apathy and depression in relation to cognition and psychosocial functioning in an older sample with a history of TBI. Findings suggest that the two syndromes can be dissociated in clinically meaningful ways, which may help to refine psychiatric and behavioral interventions in this vulnerable population.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.neuropsych.20230082DOI Listing

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