15-item Geriatric Depression Scale Research Articles

Prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated factors among older adults living in aged care homes of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Nepal.

Depressive symptoms have become a global public health problem, with a predominant effect on the older adults. The studies on mental health status of older adults in Nepal are quite limited. In this study, we aim to assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated factors among the older adults living in public aged care homes of Kathmandu Metropolitan City in Nepal. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 142 older adults; aged 60 years and above recruited through proportional simple random sampling from six aged care homes. The 15 item-Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was used to assess the depressive symptoms among the participants. Associated factors were tested using Chi-square test; and a p-value of less than 0.05 with a confidence interval of 95% was used for statistical significance. More than half of the study participants, 58.5% (95% CI: 49.9%-66.7%) were found to have depressive symptoms. Among them, 38.7% had mild symptoms, 16.2% had moderate symptoms and 3.5% had severe symptoms. Age (OR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.08-4.66), sex (OR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.17-4.75), past family type (OR = 0.44, 0.22-0.89), chronic physical health problem (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.12-0.98) and feelings of loneliness were found to have significant association with depressive symptoms among the older adults' population. The prevalence of depressive symptoms among the older adults in aged care homes in Kathmandu Metropolitan City is quite high and is found to be associated with age, sex, past family type, chronic physical health problems and feeling of loneliness. It is a concerning issue that requires targeted mental health programs and interventions in order to bring about a positive shift in their mental health condition. It also demands a robust collaboration between the local bodies, health institutions, administrators, private as well as nonprofit institutions to bring desirable change.

From geriatric assessment to inflammation. A pilot, observational, study about frailty components in older patients with persistent atrial fibrillation

BackgroundAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia diagnosed at an older age. AF is associated with frailty, a condition possibly justifying the higher rate of complications and mortality in aged individuals. This study was aimed at describing the characteristics correlated to frailty in older AF subjects. MethodsAfter having excluded a < 3 months major surgery procedure, cancer or other conditions associated with activation of inflammation, and a life expectancy < 12 months, we consecutively enrolled patients ≥ 65 years with persistent AF. They underwent a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment evaluation. In particular, Mini-Mental State Examination, 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale and Short-Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) described, respectively, cognitive profile, depressive symptoms and physical performance. A venous blood sample was collected to measure interleukin-6 (IL-6; marker of low-grade inflammation) and acylcarnitines, expression of mitochondrial dysfunction and abnormal energy production. ResultsOverall, 49 patients (mean age: 76 ± 6 years; women 30.6 %) were studied. Cluster analysis described two different patterns; the second (N = 18, 36.7 %), when compared to the first one (N = 31, 63.3 %), was characterized by a worse phenotype, identified by the simultaneous presence of lower body mass index, higher CHA2DS2-VASc score (index of clinical complexity), worse SPPB functional performance, and high IL-6 levels. Second cluster patients had a higher concentration of 13 of the 35 acylcarnitines evaluated and increased 5-year mortality. All these features can outline a frail condition. ConclusionsBody size, clinical complexity, physical performance and low-grade inflammation seem to rapidly and adequately describe frailty.

Mild to moderate cognitive impairment does not bias the Geriatric Depression Scale in a large US sample of older adults.

The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is widely used to screen for depression in clinical practice and to assess symptoms of depression in research about older adults. To determine whether the 15-item GDS can be used in adults with dementia, this study investigated whether item- or test-level bias in the GDS-15 is associated with the respondent's level of cognitive impairment. Using a large U.S. sample of 24,674 adults, we first conducted sample matching procedures between the five groups defined by CDR® Dementia Staging Instrument scores to control for potential confounding effects of common demographic variables. Then, we employed confirmatory factor analysis (for single-group and configural-invariance models only) and item response theory models to test potential differential item/test functioning effects associated with the GDS-15 across the five CDR groups. Practical consequences of the identified biases were quantified using sample-based Cohen's d effect sizes and misclassification rates. In general, people with higher CDR scores were older and had fewer years of education. In comparison to the normal cognition group (CDR-0), negligible biases in GDS-15 scores were found for the groups with questionable, mild, or moderate cognitive impairment (CDR-0.5/1/2). For individuals with severe cognitive impairment (CDR-3), their responses were inconsistent with the normal cognition group and their depression scores were significantly biased with a small-to-medium effect size. The GDS-15 can be used to assess depression in individuals with mild or moderate cognitive impairment, but not in individuals with severe cognitive impairment.

Effect of eating alone and depression symptoms on incident disability among community-dwelling older adults

ObjectivesThe intent of the present study was to elucidate the association of eating alone and depressive symptoms with the development of disability among community-dwelling older adults, using a longitudinal study. MethodParticipants included 4648 Japanese older adults (mean age 73.8 ± 5.4 years; 44.3% men) aged ≥ 65 years at the time of the examination. Eating status was divided into two categories: “Eating with others at least once a day” and “Other.” The 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale was used to measure depressive symptoms. Incident disability was certified by long-term care insurance (median duration: 36 months). ResultsDuring a median follow-up at 36 months, 8.0% of the participants developed an incident disability. Adjusted for covariates, the participants who ate alone were associated with a higher hazard ratio of incident disability compared to those who ate with others (hazard ratio: 1.36, 95% confidence interval: 1.05–1.75). However, adjusted for the covariate depressive symptoms, eating alone was not significantly associated with incident disability. Structural equation models revealed that the indirect model confirmed eating alone habits were associated with disability via depressive symptoms. ConclusionsThis study confirmed that eating alone was associated with an incident disability after adjusting for the covariates. Furthermore, the present study suggests an indirect relationship between eating alone and incident disability via depressive symptoms, the result of the structural equation model.

Characteristics of and Risk Factors for Depressive Symptoms Preceding Dementia: A Study of 82-Year-Old Men From the Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men.

Depression and dementia are known to be associated. The identification of characteristics distinguishing depression prodromal to dementia from other depressive symptoms would be of value for early identification of dementia. The study of risk factors for depressive symptoms prodromal to dementia could improve preventive care and provide clues to the causes of dementia. Dementia-free 82-year-old participants were stratified into groups that did (n=126) and did not (n=378) subsequently develop dementia. Examinations took place from 2003 to 2005 and follow-up ended 1 January 2015. Their baseline characteristics and depressive symptoms, measured using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), were compared. Multivariate regression analyses were performed for the two groups separately, with the total GDS-15 score as the dependent variable. The groups did not differ significantly in answers to any of the GDS-15 questions, or mean±SD score, which was 2.4±2.5 among those who developed dementia and 2.1±2.3 among those who did not. (p=0.33). Stroke before the age of 82years and the inability to use stairs had significant impacts on the GDS-15 scores in both groups. For those who did not develop dementia, age, dependence in activities of daily living, and cancer also had significant impacts. Cancer had opposite associations with depressive symptoms in the two groups. No difference was found in depressive symptoms preceding and not preceding dementia using the GDS-15. The results suggest that risk factors for depressive symptoms may differ depending on whether they precede dementia.

Association between cognitive functioning and health-related quality of life and its mediation by depressive symptoms in older patients with kidney failure

BackgroundImpaired cognition, poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and depressive symptoms are common in older patients with kidney failure. Understanding what influences HRQoL is important, as older patients regard HRQoL as a health priority. This study examines whether cognitive functioning is associated with HRQoL and whether depressive symptoms mediate this effect in older patients with kidney failure.MethodsOutpatients aged ≥ 65 years from 35 Dutch and Belgian hospitals with eGFR 20–10 mL/min/1.73 m2 were included from the ongoing DIALOGICA study. Cognitive functioning was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Depressive symptoms were screened with 2 Whooley Questions and thereafter assessed with the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. HRQoL was assessed using the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey. To assess whether cognitive functioning is associated with HRQoL, cross-sectional multivariable linear regression analyses were performed. Subsequent mediation analyses were performed with PROCESS using the product method.ResultsIn total, 403 patients were included, with a mean age of 76.5 years (SD 5.8) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 14.5 mL/min/1.73 m2 (SD 3.0). Cognitive functioning was associated with mental HRQoL (adjusted β 0.30, 95% CI 0.05;0.55) but not physical HRQoL (adjusted β 0.18, 95% CI -0.09;0.44). This effect is mediated by depressive symptoms (adjusted β 0.14, 95% CI 0.04;0.25).ConclusionLower cognitive functioning was negatively associated with mental HRQoL, which was mediated by depressive symptoms in older patients with kidney failure. Future research should explore whether cognitive interventions and treatment of depression improve HRQoL in this vulnerable patient population.Graphical

Childhood socio-economic disadvantages versus adverse care experiences: Mediation and moderation impacts on late-life depressive symptoms.

Whether material deprivation-related childhood socio-economic disadvantages (CSD) and care-related adverse childhood experiences (ACE) have different impacts on depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older people is unclear. In the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study, CSD and ACE were assessed by 7 and 5 culturally sensitive questions, respectively, on 8,716 participants aged 50+. Depressive symptoms were measured by 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Multivariable linear regression, stratification analyses, and mediation analyses were done. Higher CSD and ACE scores were associated with higher GDS score in dose-response manner (P for trend <0.001). Participants with one point increment in CSD and ACE had higher GDS score by 0.11 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.09-0.14) and 0.41 (95% CI, 0.35-0.47), respectively. The association of CSD with GDS score was significant in women only (P for sex interaction <0.001; women: β (95% CI)=0.14 (0.11-0.17), men: 0.04 (-0.01 to 0.08)). The association between ACE and GDS score was stronger in participants with high social deprivation index (SDI) (P for interaction = 0.01; low SDI: β (95% CI)=0.36 (0.29-0.43), high SDI: 0.64 (0.48-0.80)). The proportion of association of CSD and ACE scores with GDS score mediated via education was 20.11% and 2.28%. CSD and ACE were associated with late-life depressive symptoms with dose-response patterns, especially in women and those with low adulthood socio-economic status. Education was a major mediator for CSD but not ACE. Eliminating ACE should be a top priority.

Reliability and validity of Chinese version of the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ) in community-dwelling old people

ObjectiveTo investigate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of simplified nutritional appetite questionnaire (SNAQ). MethodsThe SNAQ was translated and back-translated for the study population. We surveyed 122 community-dwelling residents aged ≥60 years in Beijing's residential communities. Participants underwent face-to-face surveys including the SNAQ, mini-nutritional assessment short-form (MNA-SF), FRAIL scale, Sarcopenia-Five (SCAR-F), 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), 8-item Oral Frailty Index (OFI-8), 10-item Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10), and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Cronbach's alpha was used to measure the internal consistency and the relationship between individual items. The construct validity was verified using the KMO-Bartlett. Concurrent validity was established to validate measures of the same constructs. ResultsCronbach's alpha measured the internal consistency of the questionnaire at 0.694. The split-half reliability stood at 0.725. The construct validity of the SNAQ was confirmed using a KMO-Bartlett value of 0.648 (P <0.001). The MNA-SF, as validation benchmark, has a correlation coefficient of 0.345 (P =0.001). ConclusionThe Chinese version of the SNAQ has good reliability and validity for older adults in community settings.

Associations of 24-hour movement behaviors with depressive symptoms in rural-dwelling older adults: a compositional data analysis

BackgroundWe aimed to explore the association of sleep duration with depressive symptoms among rural-dwelling older adults in China, and to estimate the impact of substituting sleep with sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) on the association with depressive symptoms.MethodsThis population-based cross-sectional study included 2001 rural-dwelling older adults (age ≥ 60 years, 59.2% female). Sleep duration was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. We used accelerometers to assess SB and PA, and the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale to assess depressive symptoms. Data were analyzed using restricted cubic splines, compositional logistic regression, and isotemporal substitution models.ResultsRestricted cubic spline curves showed a U-shaped association between daily sleep duration and the likelihood of depressive symptoms (P-nonlinear < 0.001). Among older adults with sleep duration < 7 h/day, reallocating 60 min/day spent on SB and PA to sleep were associated with multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.78–0.84) and 0.79 (0.76–0.82), respectively, for depressive symptoms. Among older adults with sleep duration ≥ 7 h/day, reallocating 60 min/day spent in sleep to SB and PA, and reallocating 60 min/day spent on SB to PA were associated with multivariable-adjusted OR of 0.78 (0.74–0.84), 0.73 (0.69–0.78), and 0.94 (0.92–0.96), respectively, for depressive symptoms.ConclusionsOur study reveals a U-shaped association of sleep duration with depressive symptoms in rural older adults and further shows that replacing SB and PA with sleep or vice versa is associated with reduced likelihoods of depressive symptoms depending on sleep duration.

Leveraging independence and mental fitness - keys to reducing in-hospital mortality among geriatric COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit: A cross-sectional study in Poland.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) quickly reached the pandemic status, with 765.22 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 6.92 million COVID-19 deaths reported worldwide by May 2023. Due to its sudden and global nature, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the emotional and mental health of many people. A group of COVID-19 patients who frequently require intensive care are geriatric patients. The cognitive performance of these patients and their independence in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) may be crucial to their prognosis and risk of in-hospital death. The present study aimed to assess the level of independence in activities of daily living (ADL), mental fitness, the level of fear of COVID-19, and cognitive functions to determine their impact on in-hospital mortality in geriatric COVID-19 patients. A total of 300 intensive care unit (ICU) patients with COVID-19 were included in the cross-sectional study, using the following questionnaires: the Lawton IADL scale, the Katz ADL index of independence, the fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S), the abbreviated mental test score (AMTS), and the 15-item geriatric depression scale (GDS15). Patients aged 64 or below reported significantly greater independence on the IADL scale and the basic ADL scale, and showed a significantly higher level of mental fitness (Mann-Whitney U test; p = 0.001). Patient survival and in-hospital mortality were influenced by independence in basic and complex ADL. The level of independence is an important prognostic indicator for in-hospital mortality in geriatric COVID-19 patients. The higher the level of mental fitness, the higher the level of independence in basic and instrumental activities of daily living. Patients aged ≥65 years are less independent in basic and instrumental activities of daily living. Moreover, they show a significantly lower level of cognitive functions.

Isotemporal substitution analysis of the impact of sedentary behavior and physical activity on depression in Taiwanese older adults: A prospective study

Background and aimsResearch has shown that reducing sedentary behavior (SB) and increasing physical activity (PA) can lower depression risk in older adults. However, few studies have investigated the effect of reallocating sedentary time to PA on the incidence of depression in older populations. We examined the longitudinal associations of reallocating SB and PA to each other with the incidence of depression in older adults. MethodsCommunity-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older, capable of independent walking, were recruited through collaboration with outpatient services of a hospital at baseline (2020) and followed up after one year (2021). Baseline light physical activity (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) intensities and SB were assessed using a triaxial accelerometer (GT3X+, ActiGraph). The incidence of depression after one year was identified using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. Isotemporal models were used to estimate associations. ResultsA total of 167 participants (52.1% women) were included. Adjusted isotemporal models indicated that reallocating time in SB (OR = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.06, 1.21) and LPA (OR = 0.16, 95% CI = 0.03, 0.98) to MVPA was (marginally) associated with a lower risk of depression; in contrast, a higher risk of depression was found when reallocating MVPA time to SB (OR = 5.21, 95% CI = 0.95, 28.53) and LPA (OR = 6.11, 95% CI = 1.02, 36.63). No statistical evidence of the reallocation from SB to LPA on depressive symptoms. ConclusionThe findings suggest that public health initiatives promoting higher levels of PA with reduced sitting times may decrease the risk of geriatric depression. Clinicians and public health practitioners should consider the thresholds of PA intensity when developing strategies to mitigate depression risk among the older population. These findings require further corroboration by monitoring behavioral changes and clarifying context-specific behaviors in the associations.

Effects of sarcopenia on changes in prevalence of patients with depressive mood during hospitalization in geriatric rehabilitation.

The effect of sarcopenia on depressive mood during geriatric rehabilitation remains unclear. This study investigated the potential influence of sarcopenia on depressive mood among geriatric patients in a rehabilitation setting. This observational cohort study enrolled 204 patients aged ≥65 years (mean: 78.8±7.6 years, 45.1% women) admitted to a rehabilitation unit between April 2020 and July 2021. Sarcopenia was diagnosed based on the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia: 2019 Consensus Update on Sarcopenia Diagnosis and Treatment (AWGS2019) criteria, which include low handgrip strength and muscle mass. Depressive mood was defined as a 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale score of ≥6 points. We applied logistic regression models to examine the influence of sarcopenia on depressive mood at discharge. We observed sarcopenia in 58.3% of patients. The logistic regression model showed that sarcopenia negatively influenced depressive mood at discharge (odds ratio, 5.460; 95% confidence interval, 2.344-13.415). Of the 68 patients without depressive mood at admission, those with sarcopenia (n=31) had a significantly higher incidence of depressive mood at discharge compared with patients without sarcopenia (n=37) (41.9% vs. 16.2%, p=0.037). Sarcopenia at admission negatively affected depressive mood at discharge from geriatric rehabilitation. Thus, early and routine assessment of sarcopenia is vital for patients undergoing geriatric rehabilitation.

Analysis of the Occurrence and Influencing Factors of Oral Frailty in Elderly Residents of Elderly Care Facilities

To investigate the occurrence and influencing factors of oral frailty in elderly residents of elderly care facilities and to provide a basis for the development of effective intervention programs for oral frailty in this population. A combination of subjective and objective measurements of oral frailty, a general information questionnaire, a leisure activity questionnaire, the Dietary Variety Score (DVS), the Short Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire (SNAQ), the Short-Form Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF), Barthel Index (BI), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), 15-Item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-2 (GAD-2) were used to survey 348 elderly residents in three elderly care facilities in Chengdu and to analyze the factors related to oral frailty. The prevalence of oral frailty in elderly residents of elderly care facilities was 31.0% (108/348). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that advanced age (odds ratio [OR]=1.347, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.237-1.496, P<0.001), cognitive impairment (OR=6.769, 95% CI: 2.628-18.916, P<0.001), and depression (OR=8.632, 95% CI: 1.931-44.387, P=0.007) were risk factors for oral frailty in elderly residents of elderly care facilities. High scores in leisure activities (OR=0.883, 95% CI: 0.786-0.986, P=0.030), and dietary diversity (OR=0.199, 95% CI: 0.069-0.530, P=0.002) were protective factors against oral frailty. The prevalence of oral frailty is relatively high among elderly residents of elderly care facilities. Risk factors for oral frailty include advanced age, cognitive impairment, and depression, while increased levels of leisure activities and dietary diversity can help prevent the occurrence of oral frailty in elderly individuals.

Improving Parkinson's Disease Care through Systematic Screening for Depression.

Depression is common in Parkinson's disease (PD) but is underrecognized clinically. Although systematic screening is a recommended strategy to improve depression recognition in primary care practice, it has not been widely used in PD care. The 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) was implemented at 5 movement disorders clinics to screen PD patients. Sites developed processes suited to their clinical workflow. Qualitative interviews with clinicians and patients provided information on feasibility, acceptability, and perceived utility. Prior to implementation, depression screening was recorded in 12% using a formal instrument; 64% were screened informally by clinical interview, and no screening was recorded in 24%. Of 1406 patients seen for follow-up care during the implementation period, 88% were screened, 59% using the GDS-15 (self-administered in 51% and interviewer administered in 8%), a nearly 5-fold increase in formal screening. Lack of clinician or staff time and inability to provide the GDS-15 to the patient ahead of the visit were the most commonly cited reasons for lack of screening using the GDS-15; 378 (45%) patients completing the GDS-15 screened positive for depression, and 137 were enrolled for a 12-month prospective follow-up. Mean GDS-15 scores improved from 8.8 to 7.0 (P < 0.0001) and the 39-item Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire emotional subscore from 42.2 to 36.7 (P = 0.0007). Depression screening in PD using a formal instrument can be achieved at much higher levels than is currently practiced, but there are barriers to implementing this in clinical practice. An individual site-specific process is necessary to optimize screening rates.

Intervention with strategic metacognitive training in a population of elders with subjective cognitive decline

Objectives: this research, conducted at the University Hospital of Alessandria, aimed to assess the impact of strategic metacognitive training on cognitive abilities, well-being, and the reduction of depressive symptoms in an elderly population. Materials and Methods: the study included a sample of 11 subjects, aged 66 to 81 years, exhibiting subjective cognitive decline. They had to learn mnemonic strategies and, through the metacognitive task, reflecting on the learning and application processes. The training included 10 sessions, once a week. Cognitive functioning was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) in pre-test and post-test evaluations. Ad hoc tests were employed to investigate the effects of practice and generalization. Well-being, measured through the Psychological Wellbeing Questionnaire (BEN-SSC), and depressive status, assessed with the 15-item short form Geriatric Depression Scale (sfGDS), were also evaluated before and after the intervention. Results: the cognitive measurements yielded no significant findings, except for a tendency toward significance in the visuospatial and language ability index of the RBANS, indicating a slight improvement. Regarding well-being and mood, also here no results emerged in favor of significance. The only significant data was a reduction in personal satisfaction according to the BEN-SSC. Conclusions: the obtained results may be explained by potential inadequacies in the methodology, specifically in the structure and planning of the training. However, participants expressed interest in this type of intervention, demonstrating adherence in other training program.

Association between the level of social participation and depressive symptoms among older Japanese adults: a cross-sectional survey.

Social participation is recommended for older adults to remain actively involved in daily life. Social participation is a broad concept, ranging from 'interacting with others without doing a specific activity with them' to 'actively contributing to society.' However, previous studies have not taken into account the components of social participation. Depressive symptoms are significant outcomes in older adults. Social participation mitigates these risks owing to its association with reduced mortality and enhanced quality of life. This study aimed to examine the association between the level of social participation and depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults. We included 17 040 individuals aged ≥65 years. Social participation was categorised into Level 3, interacting with others without doing a specific activity with them; Level 4, engaging in an activity with others; Level 5, helping others; and Level 6, contributing to society, based on a previous study by Levasseur et al. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between the level of social participation and depressive symptoms. Overall, 15 069 older adults met the inclusion criteria. A higher level of social participation was associated with lower odds ratios (ORs) for depressive symptoms (Level 6 = OR: 0.43, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.37-0.50; Level 5 = OR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.41-0.60; and Level 4 = OR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.52-0.69). Subgroup analyses based on age and sex yielded similar results across all participants. Among older adults in Japan, a higher level of social participation was associated with lower rates of depressive symptoms. The relationship between depressive symptoms and the levels of social participation may help develop measures to reduce or prevent depressive symptoms in older adults.

Adaptation and norm determination of the Boston Naming Test for healthy Lebanese adults aged between 50 and 88 years

The Boston Naming Test is a well-known neuropsychological test widely used to evaluate linguistic abilities, encompassing object naming and word retrieval in subjects representing various clinical pathologies. Our study has two main stages: (1) a pilot study aimed at adapting the BNT to the linguistic and cultural particularities of Lebanese society and (2) norm determination for the Lebanese version of the BNT through the analysis of participants’ responses. The primary goal of this study is to develop a Lebanese version of the BNT comprising 60 images adapted to the Lebanese language and culture. This version is based on normative data derived from healthy Lebanese adults aged between 50 and 88 years. The study seeks to assess the influence of age, gender, and education level on the naming performance of participants. In the pilot study, 103 Lebanese volunteers participated, while the normative study involved 280 healthy volunteers aged between 50 and 88 years. Three screening tests—Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), Language Experience and Proficiency Questionnaire (LEAP-Q), and Geriatric Depression Scale 15-item (GDS)—were administered to select participants meeting inclusion criteria. The findings revealed a statistically significant effect of age and education level on the BNT (Lebanese version) total score. The total score decreased with age and increased with education. However, the effect of gender was not significant, a result confirmed by the generalized linear model. This study successfully produced a Lebanese version of the BNT comparable to the original English version. Additionally, it provided normative data crucial for evaluating naming ability, word retrieval, and detecting potential disorders associated with aging.

Associations of parity and cognitive decline, depression, and chronic comorbidity in West China: Results from WCHAT study.

To investigate the associations between parity (the number of offspring a female has borne) and cognitive function, depression, and chronic comorbidity in Western China. A total of 846 women aged 50-55 years were included in the current analysis. Cognitive status was measured using a 10-item short portable mental status questionnaire (SPMSQ). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 15-item geriatric depression scale (GDS-15). Other characteristics were self-reported. The associations between parity and cognitive decline, depression, and chronic comorbidity were analyzed using univariable and multivariable models. Multivariable models were adjusted for age, ethnic group, occupation, marital status, educational level, lifestyle factors, and sleeping time. Among the enrolled women, 26.71% were either childless or had one child, 47.40% had two children, 18.32% had three children, and 7.57% had ≥4 children. Compared to women with low parity, women with two or more children exhibited a higher risk of cognitive decline. Moreover, having four or more children was significantly associated with depression and chronic comorbidity. After adjusting covariates, women with three or more children exhibited a higher risk of cognitive decline than those with low parity. However, high parity was not significantly associated with depression or chronic comorbidity after adjustment for covariates. Our study showed that ≥3 children was associated with cognitive decline in women. Longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate this conclusion and to investigate the mechanisms involved. More importantly, families and societies should pay more attention to women's long-term health outcomes related to fertility.

Temporal dynamics of depressive symptoms and cognitive decline in the oldest old: dynamic time warp analysis of the Leiden 85-plus study.

The prevalence of depressive symptoms and cognitive decline increases with age. We investigated their temporal dynamics in individuals aged 85 and older across a 5-year follow-up period. Participants were selected from the Leiden 85-plus study and were eligible if at least three follow-up measurements were available (325 of 599 participants). Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and at yearly assessments during a follow-up period of up to 5years, using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). Cognitive decline was measured through various tests, including the Mini Mental State Exam, Stroop test, Letter Digit Coding test and immediate and delayed recall. A novel method, dynamic time warping analysis, was employed to model their temporal dynamics within individuals, in undirected and directed time-lag analyses, to ascertain whether depressive symptoms precede cognitive decline in group-level aggregated results or vice versa. The 325 participants were all 85years of age at baseline; 68% were female, and 45% received intermediate to higher education. Depressive symptoms and cognitive functioning significantly covaried in time, and directed analyses showed that depressive symptoms preceded most of the constituents of cognitive impairment in the oldest old. Of the GDS-15 symptoms, those with the strongest outstrength, indicating changes in these symptoms preceded subsequent changes in other symptoms, were worthlessness, hopelessness, low happiness, dropping activities/interests, and low satisfaction with life (all P's < 0.01). Depressive symptoms preceded cognitive impairment in a population based sample of the oldest old.

Dissociable effects of dopaminergic medications on depression symptom dimensions in Parkinson disease

Depression in Parkinson disease (PD) is common, is disabling and responds poorly to standard antidepressants. Motivational symptoms of depression are particularly prevalent in PD and emerge with loss of dopaminergic innervation of the striatum. Optimizing dopaminergic treatment for PD can improve depressive symptoms. However, the differential effect of antiparkinsonian medication on symptom dimensions of depression is not known. Using data from a large (n = 412) longitudinal study of patients with newly diagnosed PD followed over 5 years, we investigated whether there are dissociable effects of dopaminergic medications on different depression symptom dimensions in PD. Previously validated ‘motivation’ and ‘depression’ dimensions were derived from the 15-item geriatric depression scale. Dopaminergic neurodegeneration was measured using repeated striatal dopamine transporter imaging. We identified dissociable associations between dopaminergic medications and different dimensions of depression in PD. Dopamine agonists were shown to be effective for treatment of motivational symptoms of depression. In contrast, monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors improved both depressive and motivation symptoms, albeit the latter effect is attenuated in patients with more severe striatal dopaminergic neurodegeneration.