Depression in elderly adults was associated with poorer executive function compared to controls, though executive function did not significantly explain depression in regression analysis.
Cross-Sectional (n=595)
Is executive function associated with depression severity in middle-aged and elderly community-dwelling adults?
Executive dysfunction in depressed elderly individuals appears to be an age effect rather than a direct explanatory factor for depression severity, which is better explained by negative and positive affect.
Although previous studies have proposed that elderly depression is associated with higher negative affect (NA) and lower positive affect (PA), the relationship between elderly depression and executive function remains controversial. Participants were recruited from the community and assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Geriatric Depression Scale, PA and NA tests, the Modified Card Sorting test (MCST), and a test of verbal fluency (VF). The participants were 319 middle-aged people (mean age = 58.05) and 276 elderly people (mean age = 74.41). The participants in each age group were then divided into a depression group and a control group according to their geriatric depression scale scores. Compared to the middle-aged group, the elderly group displayed significantly poorer executive function. Compared to the elderly control group, the depressed elderly group displayed poorer executive function, but this phenomenon was not found in the middle-aged group. Stepwise regression analysis showed that the factors of depression were NA and low PA for both the middle-aged and elderly depression groups. However, executive function including MSCT and VF were non-significant variables in regression analysis. Executive dysfunction in elderly people with depression may be associated with the age effect. As people with depression age, their executive dysfunction becomes more pronounced. An elevated NA and lack of PA can explain the severity of depression, but executive function cannot explain depression in either middle-aged or elderly people.
Wang et al. (Mon,) conducted a cross-sectional in Depression (n=595). Depression vs. Non-depressed controls was evaluated on Executive function (Modified Card Sorting test and verbal fluency). Depression in elderly adults was associated with poorer executive function compared to controls, though executive function did not significantly explain depression in regression analysis.
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