Speaker
Description
Depression has been consistently identified as a potential risk factor for dementia, yet its role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) remains unclear. This study investigated the interplay between depressive symptoms, amyloid-β pathology, cognitive decline, and functional abilities in the context of conversion to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or AD.
We analysed data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), including 853 participants classified as healthy controls or patients with MCI. Participants were grouped as converters (N=280) or non-converters (N=573) based on progression to MCI or AD. Depression was assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), cognitive performance with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), daily functioning with the Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ), and amyloid-β pathology with the Aβ42/40 ratio. Measures were collected at baseline and at the time of conversion for converters.
Baseline GDS scores predicted future conversion to MCI or AD (p=.04); however, this effect was no longer significant when amyloid-β levels were included in the model (p=.13). In converters, GDS scores did not mediate the relationship between amyloid-β and clinical outcomes (MMSE, FAQ, or time to conversion; p>.308). Nonetheless, GDS independently predicted MMSE scores (p=.04) and time to conversion (p=.04), even after adjusting for amyloid-β. Network analysis further revealed direct associations between GDS, amyloid-β, MMSE, FAQ, and conversion timing (weights between .03 and .09), with specific GDS items selectively linked to each outcome (weights between .02 and .38).
Depressive symptoms, particularly item-level variations, are intricately linked to cognitive and functional decline, with partial independence from amyloid-β pathology.
| If you're submitting a symposium talk, what's the symposium title? | “Typical and Atypical” Aging: From Cognitive Aging to Neurocognitive Disorders |
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| If you're submitting a symposium, or a talk that is part of a symposium, is this a junior symposium? | No |
