Depression Symptoms Moderate Associations between Daily Functioning and Neuropsychological Performance in Mexican...

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Public Health

Background:

• Aging populations face increasing risks of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD).
• Mexican American adults are a growing demographic with unique health considerations.
• The interplay between depression, cognition, and daily functioning in this group warrants further study.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how depression influences the relationship between cognitive abilities and daily living activities.
• To examine if depression moderates the association between self-reported daily functioning and objective neuropsychological performance in aging Mexican American adults.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center cohort.
• Assessed depression using the Geriatric Depression Scale (15-item version).
• Measured daily functioning with the Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ) and objective neuropsychological tests.

Main Results:

• Lower memory and language performance correlated with poorer reported daily functioning in individuals without depression.
• No significant association was found between reported daily functioning and memory/language performance in those with depression.
• Depression did not moderate the relationship between daily functioning and attention, working memory, executive function, or processing speed.

Conclusions:

• Elevated depression symptoms in aging Mexican American adults may lead to a disconnect between perceived and objectively measured daily functioning, particularly in memory and language.
• In ADRD evaluations, overlooking mood assessment can result in misdiagnosis and inappropriate interventions.
• Accurate mood assessment is crucial for understanding cognitive and functional changes in this population.