Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 20, 2025

Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Connection Between Sleep Disorders and Cognitive Symptoms in Depression
Published on: April 26, 2024
Disability and life satisfaction in neurological disorders: The role of depression and perceived cognitive
Milena Gandy1, Andreea I Heriseanu1, Joanne Dudeney1
1Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, 4 First Walk, NSW 2019, Australia.
Background:
This study assessed factors associated with disability and life satisfaction in a large cohort of 2246 Australian adults with neurological disorders who completed an online survey of mental health and wellbeing. It was hypothesised that depressive symptoms and perceived cognitive difficulties would be significantly associated with both outcomes, even after controlling for significant demographic/medical covariates (e.g., age, marital-status, employment, multi-morbidity, medication). Differences in profiles of four neurological subgroups (i.e., multiple sclerosis; n = 738, epilepsy; n = 672, Parkinson's disease; n = 263, and Acquired Bran Injury; n = 278) were explored.
Methods:
Multiple hierarchical linear regressions were run using cross-sectional data.
Results:
Depressive symptoms made a significant and large unique contribution to higher levels of disability (β = 0.333, p < .001), and poorer life satisfaction (β = -0.434, p < .001), in the overall sample and across all four neurological subgroups (β = 0.349 to 0.513, p < .001) Greater perceived cognitive difficulties were associated with disability in the overall sample (β = 0.318, p < .001) and across all neurological subgroups (β = 0.231 to 0.354, p < .001), but only life satisfaction in epilepsy (β = -0.107, p = 006).
Conclusions:
The findings underscore the importance of managing psychological/neuropsychiatric comorbidities in neurological disorders.
Related Concept Videos
Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
Depression: Overview
Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia
Language and Cognition
Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects

