Relationship between immediate memory, depressive symptomatology and loneliness in older adults: a longitudinal study

We aimed to study the longitudinal relationship between immediate memory, depressive symptomatology and loneliness controlling for age and number of chronic diseases over time.

The study sample consisted of 64,887 participants from three consecutive waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe project, aged 50 or older at the first time (M = 66.68, SD = 10.034). We used cross-lagged panel model.

Within each temporal moment, associations between immediate memory and depressive symptomatology, and associations between immediate memory and loneliness were negative. Associations between depressive symptomatology and loneliness were positive. These three variables feedback on each other over time through small and medium effects. Immediate memory is more affected by depressive symptomatology than by loneliness. However, loneliness may exert a greater negative effect, in relative terms, on immediate memory when it coexists with depressive symptomatology. Depressive symptomatology is more affected by loneliness than by immediate memory deficits. However, deficits in immediate memory may affect depressive symptomatology more in relative terms because such deficits are exacerbated by elevated scores of depressive symptomatology.

Despite the effect sizes being small to medium, depressive symptomatology and loneliness are risk factors for cognitive functioning. In addition, cognitive impairment aggravates depressive symptoms and loneliness feelings.