title: Depressive symptoms and cognitive decline in elderly people. Longitudinal study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depressive symptoms are associated with cognitive decline in elderly people, but the nature of their temporal relationship remains equivocal.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To test whether depressive symptoms predict cognitive decline in elderly people with normal cognition.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Center for Epidemiologic Study depression scale (CES-D) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were used to evaluate depressive symptomatology and cognitive functioning, respectively. A sample of 1003 persons aged 59-71 years and with a MMSE score of 26 or over was selected. Cognitive decline was defined as a drop of at least 3 points on the MMSE at 4-year follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline high levels of depressive symptoms predicted a higher risk of cognitive decline at 4-year follow-up. The MMSE score of participants with depression was more likely to fall below 26 at 2-year follow-up and to remain below at 4-year follow-up than the MMSE score of those without depressive symptoms. Persistent but not episodic depressive episodes were associated with cognitive decline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High levels of depressive symptoms, when persistent, are associated with cognitive decline in a sample of elderly people.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), Paris, France.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paterniti
authors.forename: Marie-Hélène
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Verdier-Taillefer
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dufouil
authors.forename: Annick
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alpérovitch
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales