Neuroticism Traits Selectively Impact Long Term Illness Course and Cognitive Decline in Late-Life Depression.
OBJECTIVE
Neuroticism is a broad construct that conveys a predisposition to experience psychological distress and negative mood states. Vulnerability to stress (VS) is one neuroticism trait that has been linked to worse mood and cognitive outcomes in older adults. We hypothesized that elevated VS would be associated with worse illness course and cognitive decline in older adults with late-life major depression (LLD).


METHODS
Participants were enrolled in the Neurocognitive Outcomes of Depression in the Elderly (NCODE), a longitudinal investigation of the predictors of poor illness course and cognitive decline in LLD. Participants were followed upwards of 10 years.


METHODS
NCODE operates in a naturalistic treatment milieu.


METHODS
112 participants aged 60 and older with a current diagnosis of major depressive disorder.


METHODS
Treatment response was assessed at least every 3 months and more often if clinically needed. Participants also completed the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO PI-R) and an annual cognitive examination. Neuroticism traits from the NEO PI-R included anxiety, depression, anger-hostility, self-consciousness, impulsivity, and VS.


RESULTS
Higher neuroticism traits of VS, impulsivity, anger-hostility, and anxiety were associated with worse treatment response over time. High VS was the only neuroticism trait significantly associated with cognitive functioning. High VS negatively influenced the rate of global cognitive decline over time.


CONCLUSIONS
Individual personality traits within the neuroticism dimension are associated with treatment resistance and cognitive impairment in LLD. It remains to be seen whether these individual traits are associated with different neurobiological substrates and clinical characteristics of LLD.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT. Electronic address: manning@uchc.edu.
Kevin J
KJ
Manning
Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT.
Grace
G
Chan
Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT.
David C
DC
Steffens
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000075384:Neuroticism / Q000502:physiology*
Depression; cognition; elderly; neuroticism