Impaired financial capacity in late life depression is associated with cognitive performance on measures of executive functioning and attention.
Few studies have evaluated the prevalence of impairments of financial capacity among individuals with psychiatric disorders. Late life depression (LLD) is a common psychiatric disorder associated with significant disability and cognitive impairment. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the prevalence and cognitive correlates of impairments of financial capacity among individuals with LLD. Participants included 65 LLD individuals and 32 comparison subjects. Assessments included measures of financial capacity, cognitive functioning, and depression symptom severity. Individuals with LLD exhibited a significantly higher rate of impaired financial capacity (22%) than the comparison group (6%). Results of a multiple regression analysis indicated that performance on measures of executive functioning and attention, but not depression severity, were most strongly associated with financial capacity performance in LLD. Our results suggest impairments of financial capacity in LLD are largely explained by cognitive functioning in these domains.
Mackin
R Scott
RS
Department of Psychiatry and Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143-0984, USA. scottm@lppi.ucsf.edu
Areán
Patricia A
PA
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005376:Financial Management; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology