Int J Geriatr Psychiatry

BackgroundDepression frequently co-occurs with cognitive decline, but the nature of this association is unclear. We examined relations of late-life depressive symptom patterns to subsequent domain-specific cognitive changes.MethodsDepressive symptoms were measured at up to 3 timepoints among 11,675 Nurses\u2019 Health Study participants prior to cognitive testing. Depressive symptom patterns were categorized as non-depressed, variable, or persistent, based on published severity cutpoints. Outcomes were global, verbal, and executive function-attention composite scores.ResultsParticipants with persistent depressive symptoms had worse executive function-attention decline compared to non-depressed participants (multivariable-adjusted mean difference=-0.03 units/year, 95% CI: 120.05, 120.01; p=0.003); this difference was comparable to 8 years of aging. However, being in the persistent vs. non-depressed group was not significantly related to verbal (p=0.71) or global score (p=0.09) decline. By contrast, compared to the non-depressed group, those with variable depressive symptoms had worse verbal memory decline (multivariable-adjusted mean difference= 120.01 units/year, 95% CI: 120.02, 120.002; p=0.03); this group showed no differences for global or executive function-attention decline.ConclusionsA variable pattern of depressive symptom severity related to subsequent decline in verbal memory, while a persistent pattern related to decline in executive function-attention. Findings could signal differences in underlying neuropathologic processes among persons with differing depression patterns and late-life cognitive decline.T42 OH008416/OH/NIOSH CDC HHS/United StatesP01 CA087969/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United StatesUM1 CA186107/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United StatesR01 MH096776/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United StatesUL1 TR001102/TR/NCATS NIH HHS/United StatesT32 MH017119/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States2018-12-01T00:00:00Z29193360PMC5712842vault:2534