en
Scientific article
Open access
English

Memory Deficits Precede Increases in Depressive Symptoms in Later Adulthood

Publication date2018
Abstract

Objectives: We examined bidirectional, time-ordered associations between agerelated changes in depressive symptoms and memory. Method: Data came from 107,599 community-dwelling adults, aged 49–90 years, who participated in the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Depressive symptoms were measured with the EURO-D inventory, and memory was evaluated as delayed recall of a 10-word list. Participants were assessed up to 5 times at 2-year intervals. Dynamic structural equation models were used to estimate longitudinal and time-ordered (lead-lag) relations between depressive symptoms and memory performance. Results: Depressive symptoms increased and memory scores decreased across the observed age range, with worsening mostly evident after age 62 years. These long-term changes were moderately negatively correlated (r = -.53, p < .001). A time-ordered effect emerged such that age-specific memory deficits preceded shorter-term increases in depression symptoms. This effect can be translated such that each 1-point decrement on a 10-point memory scale at a given age predicted a 14.5% increased risk for depression two years later. Statistical adjustment for covariates (sex, education, re-test, smoking, and body mass index) had little influence on these associations. Conclusion: In later adulthood, lower memory performance at a given age predicts subsequent 2-year increases in depressive symptoms.

Keywords
  • Depression
  • Longitudinal Change
  • Memory
  • Bi-directional
Citation (ISO format)
AICHELE, Stephen, GHISLETTA, Paolo. Memory Deficits Precede Increases in Depressive Symptoms in Later Adulthood. In: Journals of Gerontology. B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 2018. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbx183
Main files (1)
Article (Accepted version)
accessLevelPublic
Identifiers
ISSN of the journal1079-5014
351views
168downloads

Technical informations

Creation08/27/2018 2:36:00 PM
First validation08/27/2018 2:36:00 PM
Update time03/15/2023 8:32:32 AM
Status update03/15/2023 8:32:31 AM
Last indexation01/17/2024 3:24:31 AM
All rights reserved by Archive ouverte UNIGE and the University of GenevaunigeBlack