Depressive Symptoms and Longitudinal Changes in Cognition: Women's Health Initiative Study of Cognitive Aging

Overview

Journal J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol

Publisher Sage Publications

Specialties Geriatrics
Neurology
Psychiatry

Date 2014 Mar 4

PMID 24584465

Citations 17

Authors

Joseph S Goveas

Mark A Espeland

Patricia E Hogan

Hilary A Tindle

Regina A Shih

Jane M Kotchen

Jennifer G Robinson

Deborah E Barnes

Susan M Resnick

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Elevated depressive symptoms (DS) are associated with incident mild cognitive impairment and probable dementia in postmenopausal women. We examined the association of elevated DS with domain-specific cognitive changes and the moderating role of cardiovascular risk factor severity and cardiovascular disease (CVD). A total of 2221 elderly women who participated in the Women's Health Initiative Study of Cognitive Aging were separated into those with (N = 204) and without (N = 2017) elevated DS. The DS and multidomain cognitive outcomes were measured annually for an average follow-up of 5.04 years. Women with elevated DS showed baseline multidomain cognitive deficits but longitudinal declines in global cognition only. Persistent DS was related to greater global cognition, verbal knowledge and fluency, and memory declines. Significant DS-CVD interactions were observed cross-sectionally (but not longitudinally) for figural memory and fine motor speed. Future studies should investigate the role of nonvascular mechanisms linking DS and cognitive decline.

Citing Articles

Persistent depressive symptom trajectory is associated with cognitive impairment: a population-based longitudinal study of aging in Taiwan.

Lin H, Lao W, Tseng T, Yeh C BMC Geriatr. 2025; 25(1):60.

PMID: 39871182 PMC: 11771045. DOI: 10.1186/s12877-025-05706-1.

Baseline Depressive Symptoms as a Predictor of Incident Dementia in a Prospectively Followed Cohort of Elders with Essential Tremor.

Berry D, Ghanem A, McGurn M, Huey E, Cosentino S, Louis E Neurodegener Dis. 2024; 24(2):80-90.

PMID: 38981446 PMC: 11460651. DOI: 10.1159/000540027.

Place-based strengths and vulnerabilities for mental wellness among rural minority older adults: an intervention development study protocol.

Jaramillo E BMJ Open. 2024; 14(6):e088348.

PMID: 38844399 PMC: 11163646. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-088348.

Association between cognitive functioning and lifetime suicidal ideation among Chinese older adults: the mediating effect of depression.

Qin A, Xu L, Hu F, Qin W, Zhang X, Pei Z Eur Geriatr Med. 2024; 15(1):225-234.

PMID: 38165610 DOI: 10.1007/s41999-023-00912-9.

Increase in Number of Depression Symptoms Over Time is Related to Worse Cognitive Outcomes in Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes.

Ravona-Springer R, Heymann A, Lin H, Liu X, Berman Y, Schwartz J Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2020; 29(1):1-11.

PMID: 33127316 PMC: 7771631. DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2020.09.022.

References

Chapman D, Perry G . Depression as a major component of public health for older adults. Prev Chronic Dis. 2007; 5(1):A22. PMC: 2248771. View

Sheline Y, Pieper C, Barch D, Welsh-Bohmer K, Welsh-Boehmer K, McKinstry R . Support for the vascular depression hypothesis in late-life depression: results of a 2-site, prospective, antidepressant treatment trial. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010; 67(3):277-85. PMC: 2838210. DOI: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2009.204. View

Sneed J, Culang M, Keilp J, Rutherford B, Devanand D, Roose S . Antidepressant medication and executive dysfunction: a deleterious interaction in late-life depression. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2010; 18(2):128-35. PMC: 2818813. DOI: 10.1097/JGP.0b013e3181c796d2. View

Kumar A, Kepe V, Barrio J, Siddarth P, Manoukian V, Elderkin-Thompson V . Protein binding in patients with late-life depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2011; 68(11):1143-50. PMC: 3797600. DOI: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.122. View

Paterniti S, Dufouil C, Alperovitch A . Depressive symptoms and cognitive decline in elderly people. Longitudinal study. Br J Psychiatry. 2002; 181:406-10. DOI: 10.1192/bjp.181.5.406. View

Steffens D, Otey E, Alexopoulos G, Butters M, Cuthbert B, Ganguli M . Perspectives on depression, mild cognitive impairment, and cognitive decline. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006; 63(2):130-8. DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.63.2.130. View

Barnes D, Alexopoulos G, Lopez O, Williamson J, Yaffe K . Depressive symptoms, vascular disease, and mild cognitive impairment: findings from the Cardiovascular Health Study. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006; 63(3):273-9. DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.63.3.273. View

Singh-Manoux A, Akbaraly T, Marmot M, Melchior M, Ankri J, Sabia S . Persistent depressive symptoms and cognitive function in late midlife: the Whitehall II study. J Clin Psychiatry. 2010; 71(10):1379-85. PMC: 3112169. DOI: 10.4088/JCP.09m05349gry. View

Goveas J, Espeland M, Woods N, Wassertheil-Smoller S, Kotchen J . Depressive symptoms and incidence of mild cognitive impairment and probable dementia in elderly women: the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2011; 59(1):57-66. PMC: 7716777. DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.03233.x. View

10.

Ownby R, Crocco E, Acevedo A, John V, Loewenstein D . Depression and risk for Alzheimer disease: systematic review, meta-analysis, and metaregression analysis. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006; 63(5):530-8. PMC: 3530614. DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.63.5.530. View

11.

Sapolsky R . Glucocorticoids and hippocampal atrophy in neuropsychiatric disorders. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2000; 57(10):925-35. DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.57.10.925. View

12.

Butters M, Whyte E, Nebes R, Begley A, Dew M, Mulsant B . The nature and determinants of neuropsychological functioning in late-life depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2004; 61(6):587-95. DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.61.6.587. View

13.

Bhalla R, Butters M, Becker J, Houck P, Snitz B, Lopez O . Patterns of mild cognitive impairment after treatment of depression in the elderly. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2009; 17(4):308-16. PMC: 2782929. DOI: 10.1097/JGP.0b013e318190b8d8. View

14.

DAgostino Sr R, Vasan R, Pencina M, Wolf P, Cobain M, Massaro J . General cardiovascular risk profile for use in primary care: the Framingham Heart Study. Circulation. 2008; 117(6):743-53. DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.699579. View

15.

Mitchell A, Bird V, Rizzo M, Meader N . Diagnostic validity and added value of the Geriatric Depression Scale for depression in primary care: a meta-analysis of GDS30 and GDS15. J Affect Disord. 2009; 125(1-3):10-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2009.08.019. View

16.

Alexopoulos G, Meyers B, Young R, Campbell S, Silbersweig D, Charlson M . 'Vascular depression' hypothesis. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1997; 54(10):915-22. DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.1997.01830220033006. View

17.

Butters M, Becker J, Nebes R, Zmuda M, Mulsant B, Pollock B . Changes in cognitive functioning following treatment of late-life depression. Am J Psychiatry. 2000; 157(12):1949-54. DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.157.12.1949. View

18.

Barnes D, Yaffe K, Byers A, McCormick M, Schaefer C, Whitmer R . Midlife vs late-life depressive symptoms and risk of dementia: differential effects for Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2012; 69(5):493-8. PMC: 3704214. DOI: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.1481. View

19.

. 2013 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures. Alzheimers Dement. 2013; 9(2):208-45. DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2013.02.003. View

20.

Rosenberg P, Mielke M, Xue Q, Carlson M . Depressive symptoms predict incident cognitive impairment in cognitive healthy older women. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2010; 18(3):204-11. PMC: 2838202. DOI: 10.1097/JGP.0b013e3181c53487. View