Abstract

Background. Psychiatric comorbidity is common in patients with cardiovascular disease, with the literature indicating that this population may be at risk for apathy. The current study examined the prevalence of apathy in patients with cardiovascular disease and its relation to aspects of cognitive function. Methods. 123 participants from an outpatient cardiology clinic completed a brief neuropsychological battery, a cardiac stress test, and demographic information, medical history, and depression symptomatology self-report measures. Participants also completed the Apathy Evaluation Scale to quantify apathy. Results. These subjects reported limited levels of apathy and depression. Increased depressive symptomatology, history of heart attack, and metabolic equivalents were significantly correlated with apathy (P < 0.05). Partial correlations adjusting for these factors revealed significant correlations between behavioral apathy and a measure of executive function and the other apathy subscale with a measure of attention. Conclusion. Findings revealed that apathy was not prevalent in this sample though associated with medical variables. Apathy was largely unrelated to cognitive function. This pattern may be a result of the mild levels of cardiovascular disease and cognitive dysfunction in the current sample. Future studies in samples with severe cardiovascular disease or neuropsychological impairment may provide insight into these associations.

Highlights

  • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects nearly 83 million Americans [1] and is the leading cause of disability and mortality [2]

  • Psychiatric comorbidity is common in patients with cardiovascular disease, with the literature indicating that this population may be at risk for apathy. e current study examined the prevalence of apathy in patients with cardiovascular disease and its relation to aspects of cognitive function

  • Apathy was largely unrelated to cognitive function. is pattern may be a result of the mild levels of cardiovascular disease and cognitive dysfunction in the current sample

Read more

Summary

Introduction

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects nearly 83 million Americans [1] and is the leading cause of disability and mortality [2]. Structural brain changes may in part account for depression comorbidity, as many persons with CVD exhibit neuropathology of brain regions commonly involved in depression [4, 14, 15, 16, 17] Similar to this high risk of depressive symptoms, recent work suggests that CVD patients are at risk for apathy [18, 19]. Ese impairments may be Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology a consequence of neuropathology, as apathy has been linked with frontal lobe damage—a brain region commonly injured in patients with CVD [4, 37, 38, 39]. E current study examined the prevalence of apathy in patients with cardiovascular disease and its relation to aspects of cognitive function. Is pattern may be a result of the mild levels of cardiovascular disease and cognitive dysfunction in the current sample. Future studies in samples with severe cardiovascular disease or neuropsychological impairment may provide insight into these associations

Methods
Results
Conclusion
Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call