What does this research mean for the field?

Older adults with anxiety-related diagnoses exhibit selective impairments in processing speed, attention, executive functions, and memory, which are more strongly associated with clinical diagnostic status than with anxiety symptom severity. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate cognitive performance patterns in older adults diagnosed with anxiety-related disorders compared with healthy controls and identify clinical predictors of cognitive outcomes.

September 8, 2026Brain SciencesOpen Access

Neuropsychological Correlates of Anxiety in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Comparison with Controls Without a Psychiatric Diagnosis

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Authors

YKYasemin Koçyiğit AGAyşe Gökçen Gündoğmuş CÇCansu Çoban

Discussion

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Overview

Cross-sectional study reveals selective executive function and memory deficits in older adults with anxiety diagnoses, suggesting diagnostic status impacts cognition more than symptom severity.

Key Points

To evaluate cognitive performance patterns in older adults diagnosed with anxiety-related disorders compared with healthy controls and identify clinical predictors of cognitive outcomes.
Cross-sectional comparison of 130 older adults aged ≥ 65 years, comprising 70 individuals with a SCID-5-CV anxiety-related diagnosis and 60 psychiatrically healthy controls.
Assessed cognitive domains using the Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination, Enhanced Cue Recall Test, Clock Drawing Test, Verbal Fluency Test, and Trail Making Test (Parts A, B, and B–A).
Participants with anxiety exhibited significantly slower Trail Making Test A, B, and B–A completion times as well as lower free recall and enhanced cue recall scores (q = 0.019 and q < 0.001, respectively).
No statistically significant group differences emerged for global cognition, clock drawing, or verbal fluency after false discovery rate correction.
Multivariable regression revealed that anxiety-related diagnostic status, alongside age, education, gender, and depressive symptoms, was more consistently linked to cognitive outcomes than anxiety symptom severity.

Cite This Study

Koçyiğit et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aa0091858e84d0ff5b47aed https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16090949

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September 8, 2026Brain SciencesOpen Access

Neuropsychological Correlates of Anxiety in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Comparison with Controls Without a Psychiatric Diagnosis

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

YKYasemin Koçyiğit AGAyşe Gökçen Gündoğmuş CÇCansu Çoban

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Cross-sectional study reveals selective executive function and memory deficits in older adults with anxiety diagnoses, suggesting diagnostic status impacts cognition more than symptom severity.

Key Points

To evaluate cognitive performance patterns in older adults diagnosed with anxiety-related disorders compared with healthy controls and identify clinical predictors of cognitive outcomes.
Cross-sectional comparison of 130 older adults aged ≥ 65 years, comprising 70 individuals with a SCID-5-CV anxiety-related diagnosis and 60 psychiatrically healthy controls.
Assessed cognitive domains using the Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination, Enhanced Cue Recall Test, Clock Drawing Test, Verbal Fluency Test, and Trail Making Test (Parts A, B, and B–A).
Participants with anxiety exhibited significantly slower Trail Making Test A, B, and B–A completion times as well as lower free recall and enhanced cue recall scores (q = 0.019 and q < 0.001, respectively).
No statistically significant group differences emerged for global cognition, clock drawing, or verbal fluency after false discovery rate correction.
Multivariable regression revealed that anxiety-related diagnostic status, alongside age, education, gender, and depressive symptoms, was more consistently linked to cognitive outcomes than anxiety symptom severity.

Cite This Study

Koçyiğit et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aa0091858e84d0ff5b47aed https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16090949

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark