Anxiety and cognitive functioning in the Maastricht study: A cross-sectional population study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Gerontology

Background:

• Elevated anxiety in older adults correlates with diminished executive functioning and heightened dementia risk.
• This research investigates the relationship between specific anxiety disorders and generalized anxiety symptoms with cognitive domains.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between anxiety disorders (panic disorder, agoraphobia) and generalized anxiety symptoms with cognitive functioning.
• To explore how age, sex, and type 2 diabetes influence these associations.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 7344 adults (aged 40-75+) from The Maastricht Study.
• Anxiety assessed using Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7).
• Cognitive domains (executive functioning, memory, processing speed) and cognitive impairment evaluated using multivariable regression analyses.

Main Results:

• Agoraphobia linked to worse cognitive scores across all domains and increased odds of cognitive impairment.
• High GAD-7 scores associated with slower processing speed and higher odds of cognitive impairment.
• Panic disorder correlated with poorer memory performance. Associations were stronger in younger participants and those with type 2 diabetes.

Conclusions:

• Multiple anxiety disorders and generalized anxiety symptoms are associated with impaired cognitive functioning in several domains.
• Findings highlight the impact of anxiety on cognitive health across different domains and highlight specific risk factors.