Vascular burden and cognitive functioning in depressed older adults

Geriatric Depression and Cognitive Impairment-An Update

BACKGROUND

Depression and cognitive impairment often coexist in older adults. The relation between depression and cognitive impairment is complex. The objective of this article is to review recent literature on cognitive impairment in older adults with depression and provide clinicians an update.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Psych Info for the articles published in the English language related to late-life depression (LLD)/geriatric depression and cognitive impairment. We considered original research articles, relevant systematic reviews, chapters, and important conceptual articles published in the last 9 years (2011-2019). We selected relevant articles for this narrative review.

CONCLUSION

The concept pseudodementia, indicating depression with cognitive impairment mimicking dementia, is now seen only as a historical concept. The current literature strongly agrees with fact that cognitive deficits often exist in LLD. The cognitive deficits in depression were initially seen as trait marker; however, some recent studies suggest that cognitive deficits persist even in the remission phase. There is heterogeneity among the studies in terms of the nature of the cognitive deficits, but higher number of studies reported impairment in attention and executive function. LLD with cognitive deficits is at a higher risk of progression to dementia. In older adults, depression with cognitive impairments requires a comprehensive evaluation. Electroencephalography, event-related potentials, fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography, amyloid positron emission tomography, and CSF amyloid will supplement clinical evaluation in differentiating functional depressive disorder with cognitive impairment from depression with an underlying degenerative condition.

A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial of Combined Escitalopram and Memantine for Older Adults With Major Depression and Subjective Memory Complaints

OBJECTIVE

Geriatric depression is difficult to treat and frequently accompanied by cognitive complaints that increase risk for dementia. New treatment strategies targeting both depression and cognition are urgently needed.

METHODS

We conducted a 6-month double-blind placebo-controlled trial to assess the efficacy and tolerability of escitalopram + memantine (ESC/MEM) compared to escitalopram + placebo (ESC/PBO) for improving mood and cognitive functioning in depressed older adults with subjective memory complaints (NCT01902004). Primary outcome was change in depression as assessed by the HAM-D post-treatment (at 6 months). Remission was defined as HAM-D ≤6; naturalistic follow-up continued until 12 months.

RESULTS

Of the 95 randomized participants, 62 completed the 6-month assessment. Dropout and tolerability did not differ between groups. Mean daily escitalopram dose was 11.1 mg (SD = 3.7; range: 5-20 mg). Mean daily memantine dose was 19.3 mg (SD = 2.6; range 10-20 mg). Remission rate within ESC/MEM was 45.8% and 47.9%, compared to 38.3% and 31.9% in ESC/PBO, at 3 and 6 months, respectively (χ2(1) = 2.0, p = 0.15). Both groups improved significantly on the HAM-D at 3, 6, and 12 months, with no observed between-group differences. ESC/MEM demonstrated greater improvement in delayed recall (F(2,82) = 4.3, p = 0.02) and executive functioning (F(2,82) = 5.1, p = 0.01) at 12 months compared to ESC/PBO.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of memantine with escitalopram was well tolerated and as effective as escitalopram and placebo in improving depression using HAM-D. Combination memantine and escitalopram was significantly more effective than escitalopram and placebo in improving cognitive outcomes at 12 months. Future reports will address the role of biomarkers of aging in treatment response.

Vascular Depression and Cognition in Mexican Americans

BACKGROUND

Mexican Americans are at increased risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease compared to non-Hispanic whites. This study sought to examine the relationship between vascular risk, depression, and cognition in Mexican American elders.

METHODS

Data from 470 (390 normal controls, 80 MCI patients) Mexican Americans enrolled in the Health and Aging Brain among Latino Elders (HABLE) study were used. The cardiovascular risk was assessed by the Framingham Risk Score. Cognition was assessed with a neuropsychological battery, and depression was assessed based on scores from the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). ANOVAs were utilized to determine the differences in neuropsychological scores of normal controls with and without depression and CVD risk (low vs. high). Follow-up logistic regression was conducted to determine MCI risk.

RESULTS

The results of this study indicated that comorbid depression and a high CVD risk were associated with poorer cognitive performance in Mexican Americans. Depressed women with high CVD risk were more likely to have executive dysfunction, language deficits, and poorer global cognition than nondepressed women with a high CVD risk. In Mexican American men, those with a high vascular risk and depression were more likely to have executive dysfunction and poorer immediate memory than the nondepressed high-risk group. Higher GDS scores (OR = 1.10; 95% CI 1.02-1.10, p = 0.001) and higher vascular risk scores (OR = 1.05; 95% CI 1.02-1.10, p = 0.001) significantly predicted MCI status in Mexican Americans.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicated that comorbid depression and a high CVD risk were associated with poorer cognitive performance and increased risk of MCI in Mexican Americans.

Cardiovascular diseases and related risk factors accelerated cognitive deterioration in patients with late-life depression: a one-year prospective study

OBJECTIVES

Cognitive impairment in late-life depression is common and associated with a higher risk of all-cause dementia. Late-life depression patients with comorbid cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) or related risk factors may experience higher risks of cognitive deterioration in the short term. We aim to investigate the effect of CVDs and their related risk factors on the cognitive function of patients with late-life depression.

METHODS

A total of 148 participants were recruited (67 individuals with late-life depression and 81 normal controls). The presence of hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, or hyperlipidemia was defined as the presence of comorbid CVDs or related risk factors. Global cognitive functions were assessed at baseline and after a one-year follow-up by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Global cognitive deterioration was defined by the reliable change index (RCI) of the MMSE.

RESULTS

Late-life depression patients with CVDs or related risk factors were associated with 6.8 times higher risk of global cognitive deterioration than those without any of these comorbidities at a one-year follow-up. This result remained robust after adjusting for age, gender, and changes in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) scores.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that late-life depression patients with comorbid CVDs or their related risk factors showed a higher risk of cognitive deterioration in the short-term (one-year follow up). Given that CVDs and their related risk factors are currently modifiable, active treatment of these comorbidities may delay rapid cognitive deterioration in patients with late-life depression.

Clinical correlates of resilience factors in geriatric depression

ABSTRACTBackground:Traditional perspectives conceptualize resilience as a trait and depression as resulting from resilience deficiency. However, research indicates that resilience varies substantially even among adults who are clinically depressed, as well as across the lifespan of an individual. Few studies have investigated resilience in depression, and even fewer have examined resilience in depressed older adults.

METHODS

Three hundred thirty-seven adults ≥60 years with major depressive disorder completed the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and measures of mental health, quality of life (QOL), and medical comorbidity. Exploratory factor analysis was used to explore the factor structure of the CD-RISC. Correlations and general linear models were used to examine associations between resilience and other variables.

RESULTS

The rotated component matrix indicated a four-factor model. Sorting of items by highest factor loading revealed constructs associated with (1) grit, (2) active coping self-efficacy, (3) accommodative coping self-efficacy, and (4) spirituality. Resilience was significantly correlated with increased age, lower cognitive functioning, greater cerebrovascular risk, and greater medical comorbidity. Resilience was negatively associated with mental health symptoms (depression, apathy, and anxiety) and positively associated with QOL. The final optimal model identified less depression, less apathy, greater medical comorbidity, higher QOL, and minority (non-White) race as factors that significantly explained variability in resilience.

CONCLUSIONS

Resilience was significantly associated with a range of mental health constructs in a sample of older adults with depression. Future clinical trials and dismantling studies may help determine whether interventions targeting grit, active coping, accommodative coping, and spirituality can increase resilience and help prevent and treat depression in older adults.

Vascular burden and cognitive function in late-life depression

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the relation of vascular risk factors, subclinical, and manifest vascular disease with four domains of cognitive functioning in a large sample of clinically depressed older persons.

METHODS

A cross-sectional analysis was used, and depressed patients were recruited from general practices and mental healthcare institutes. Presence of a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, depressive episode was established with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Framingham Risk Score (FRS) was used as a measure for vascular risk profile, ankle-brachial index for subclinical vascular disease, and history of a cardiovascular event as a measure for manifest vascular disease. Three neurocognitive tasks evaluated processing speed, working memory, verbal memory, and interference control.

RESULTS

In 378 participants, linear regression analysis showed that FRS was related to poorer interference control (t = -2.353; df = 377; p <0.05) but to no other cognitive domain after adjustment for age, sex, education level, and depressive symptom severity. Lower ankle-brachial index and history of cardiovascular event were related to slower processing speed (t = 2.659; df = 377; p <0.05 and t = -3.328; df = 377; p <0.01, respectively) but to no other cognitive domain. In 267 participants without manifest vascular disease, higher FRS was related to slower processing speed (t = -2.425; df = 266; p <0.05) and poorer interference control (t = -2.423; df = 266; p <0.05), and lower ankle brachial index was related to slower processing speed (t = 2.171; df = 266; p <0.05).

CONCLUSION

In depressed older persons, vascular burden is related to slower processing speed also in the absence of manifest vascular disease. Poorer interference control was only related to vascular risk factors but not to subclinical or manifest vascular disease.

Cyr N, Lavretsky H. The patterns of cognitive and functional impairment in amnestic and non-amnestic mild cognitive impairment in geriatric depression

OBJECTIVES

Depressed older adults are at risk for the development of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), but few studies have characterized MCI subtypes in geriatric depression. The objective of this study was to identify the clinical patterns of MCI in late-life depression.

DESIGN

Baseline demographic, clinical, and neuropsychological test data collected as part of a randomized antidepressant trial for geriatric depression.

SETTING

UCLA-based outpatient clinic.

PARTICIPANTS

One hundred thirty-eight older adults with major depression.

MEASUREMENTS

A neuropsychological test battery and comprehensive evaluations of depression, apathy, quality of life, medical burden, and vascular risk factors.

RESULTS

Seventy-one participants (51%) had MCI and 67 (49%) were cognitively normal. Of subjects with MCI, 14 (20%) had amnestic MCI and 57 (80%) had non-amnestic MCI. Overall, patients with MCI had greater depression severity, poorer quality of life, and worse performance on the Mini-Mental State Exam than patients without MCI. Patients with non-amnestic MCI had significantly greater depression severity than patients without MCI. Across all subjects, depression severity correlated with impaired performance in language and visuospatial functioning.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that MCI is associated with greater severity of depression, poorer quality of life, and worse global cognitive function. Overall, subtypes of MCI in geriatric depression differ in the patterns of functional impairment, which may require different therapeutic approaches.

Depression and cognitive impairment in older adults

Late life depression (LLD) is a heterogeneous illness with high rates of treatment resistance. Cognitive impairment is common in the context of LLD, and LLD may be a prodromal symptom and/or potentially a risk factor for dementia. This manuscript reviews the most recent research into the cognitive deficits associated with LLD and risk of conversion to dementia in the context of LLD. We discuss potential moderators and mediators of cognitive deficits in LLD, including demographic and clinical variables, in addition to brain structure and function. Potential interventions for cognitive symptoms of LLD are reviewed. We conclude with a discussion of the broader implications of what is now known about LLD, and how this might be applied toward improved prognosis and models for effective treatment.