Association between Depressive Symptoms and Mild Cognitive Impairment among the Elderly in China: A Community-Based...

Elderly individuals with depressive symptoms often show increased susceptibility to mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This study explores the association between depressive symptoms and MCI among older adults in China.

Data from the Shanghai Brain Aging Study (SBAS) were used in this cross-sectional study. MCI was diagnosed through clinical assessments and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores (≤23). Depressive symptoms were defined as a Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) score of >10. Binary logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses were conducted to evaluate the associations between depressive symptoms and MCI, adjusting for potential covariates.

The study included 1,506 participants, with 43.6% diagnosed with MCI. Logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between depressive symptoms and MCI. In the fully adjusted model, depressive symptoms were associated with a 65% higher likelihood of MCI (odds ratio: 1.65, 95% confidence interval: 1.17-2.34). RCS analysis indicated a significant non-linear relationship between depressive symptoms and MCI (p for non-linear = 0.029). Participants with depressive symptoms scored significantly lower on the MoCA subscores for visuospatial and executive function, as well as language abilities (all p < 0.05).

Our findings demonstrate a significant association between depressive symptoms and MCI, with depressive symptoms being linked to a higher prevalence of MCI. Early identification and intervention of depressive symptoms, including community screening, psychological therapies, or pharmacological treatments for older adults, may potentially mitigate cognitive decline. However, the cross-sectional design limits causal conclusions, and generalizability may be affected by self-reported depression measures and regional sampling.