Background: The prevalence of depressive symptoms and cognitive decline increases with age. We investigated their temporal dynamics in individuals aged 85 and older across a 5-year follow-up period.

Methods: Participants were selected from the Leiden 85-plus study and were eligible if at least three follow-up measurements were available (325 of 599 participants). Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and at yearly assessments during a follow-up period of up to 5 years, using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). Cognitive decline was measured through various tests, including the Mini Mental State Exam, Stroop test, Letter Digit Coding test and immediate and delayed recall. A novel method, dynamic time warping analysis, was employed to model their temporal dynamics within individuals, in undirected and directed time-lag analyses, to ascertain whether depressive symptoms precede cognitive decline in group-level aggregated results or vice versa.

Results: The 325 participants were all 85 years of age at baseline; 68% were female, and 45% received intermediate to higher education. Depressive symptoms and cognitive functioning significantly covaried in time, and directed analyses showed that depressive symptoms preceded most of the constituents of cognitive impairment in the oldest old. Of the GDS-15 symptoms, those with the strongest outstrength, indicating changes in these symptoms preceded subsequent changes in other symptoms, were worthlessness, hopelessness, low happiness, dropping activities/interests, and low satisfaction with life (all P's < 0.01).

Conclusion: Depressive symptoms preceded cognitive impairment in a population based sample of the oldest old.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11217552PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afae130DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

depressive symptoms
24
cognitive decline
16
temporal dynamics
12
symptoms cognitive
12
symptoms
9
dynamic time
8
leiden 85-plus
8
85-plus study
8
dynamics individuals
8
symptoms preceded
8

Similar Publications

Background: Increasing life expectancy has led to a rise in nursing home admissions, a context in which older adults often experience chronic physical and mental health conditions, chronic pain, and reduced well-being. Nonpharmacological approaches are especially important for managing older adults' chronic pain, mental health conditions (such as anxiety and depression), and overall well-being, including sensory stimulation (SS) and therapist support (TS). However, the combined effects of SS and TS have not been investigated.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Importance: Mindfulness meditation may improve well-being among employees; however, effects of digital meditation programs are poorly understood.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of digital meditation vs a waiting list condition on general and work-specific stress and whether greater engagement in the intervention moderates these effects.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This randomized clinical trial included a volunteer sample of adults (aged ≥18 years) employed at a large academic medical center who reported mild to moderate stress, had regular access to a web-connected device, and were fluent in English.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Efficacy of probiotic adjuvant therapy in women with major depressive disorder: insights from a case series study.

Pharmacol Rep

January 2025

Laboratory of Translational Physiology and Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, Vila Velha University (UVV), R Mercurio s/n, Vila Velha, ES, 29102623, Brazil.

Background: The therapeutic targeting of the intestinal microbiota has gained increasing attention as a promising avenue for addressing mood disorders. This study aimed to assess the potential effect of supplementing standard pharmacological treatment with the probiotic kefir in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).

Methods: Thirty-eight female participants diagnosed with moderate MDD by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) were selected to receive the probiotic kefir in conjunction with antidepressant therapy for 12 weeks.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The current paper aimed to estimate the network structure of general psychopathology (internalizing and externalizing symptoms/disorders) among 239 gifted children in Jordan. This cross-sectional study with a convenience sampling method was conducted between September 2023 and October 2024 among gifted children aged 7-12. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was employed to assess six symptom clusters: conduct problems, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and oppositional defiant problems as externalizing symptoms, and affective problems, anxiety issues, and somatic complaints as internalizing symptoms.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Comorbid insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (COMISA) present significant clinical challenges, given their overlapping symptoms and detrimental effects on health. Only a few studies have explored sex differences in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and COMISA. This retrospective study investigated sex differences in psychiatric symptoms and polysomnographic findings between patients with COMISA and those with OSA alone.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!