Cognitive reserve and the relationship between depressive symptoms and awareness of deficits in dementia.
Depression and low cognitive reserve are linked to impaired awareness in dementia, although their relative contributions are unknown. The authors investigated the impact of depressive symptoms and cognitive reserve on awareness in questionable and mild dementia. Sixty-six patients completed measures of cognitive reserve, awareness, and depressive symptoms. Cognitive reserve and its interaction with depressive symptoms accounted for significant proportions of variance in awareness; depressive symptoms alone did not. Depressive symptoms and awareness were positively related in high, but not low, cognitive reserve groups. Findings suggest cognitive reserve moderates the depression/awareness relationship in dementia, which may explain previously discrepant findings.
Spitznagel
Mary Beth
MB
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown Medical School, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
Tremont
Geoffrey
G
Brown
Laura B
LB
Gunstad
John
J
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001364:Awareness; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012803:Sick Role; D013223:Statistics as Topic