Cognitive deficits and the course of major depression in a cohort of middle-aged and older community-dwelling adults.
OBJECTIVE
To examine associations between cognitive deficits and persistent significant depressive symptoms at baseline and 2- and 4-year follow-ups in a sample of community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study.


METHODS
A U.S. national prospective cohort study of middle-aged and older adults, the Health and Retirement Study.


METHODS
A sample of 661 participants of the 1996 wave of the Health and Retirement Study who met criteria for 12-month Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition, Revised major depression (MD).


METHODS
MD was assessed using the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Short Form. Persistent significant depressive symptoms were assessed using an eight-item version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale.


RESULTS
Cognitive deficits were associated with persistent significant depressive symptoms at follow-up. In a latent state-trait analysis, two stable and strongly correlated traits best explained variations in cognitive functioning and depressive symptoms across assessment points.


CONCLUSIONS
Trait-like cognitive deficits commonly complicate the course of MD in community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults and may help to explain the persistent course of depressive symptoms in a large subgroup of adults with MD in this age range.
Mojtabai
Ramin
R
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. rm322@columbia.edu
Olfson
Mark
M
D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology