Attachment Anxiety, Mitochondrial Respiration, and Future Depressive Symptoms in Dementia Spousal Caregivers

This study aimed to assess whether the negative relationship between mitochondrial respiration in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and future depressive symptoms in dementia spousal caregivers is strongest for caregivers high on attachment insecurity.

A sample of 166 dementia spousal caregivers provided self-report data on demographics and health information at baseline, and depressive symptoms at baseline and 7 months later. We also determined mitochondrial respiration in PBMCs at baseline only. We conducted multiple linear regressions, adjusting for demographic and health-related covariates and baseline depressive symptoms.

The interaction between mitochondrial spare respiratory capacity and attachment anxiety predicted future depressive symptoms (b=-1.11, P=.016). Spare respiratory capacity only predicted future depressive symptoms at mean and high levels of attachment anxiety.

Altered mitochondrial respiration may contribute to depressive symptom expression for dementia spousal caregivers who display high levels of attachment anxiety.