Subjective, neuropsychological, and neural markers of memory in older adults

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Julia L. Sheffler ◽  
Melissa A. Meynadasy ◽  
Diamond T. Taylor ◽  
Dimitris N. Kiosses ◽  
Greg Hajcak

ABSTRACT Objectives: To investigate the relationship between the P300 event-related potential, neuropsychological measures of memory, subjective memory complaints (SMCs), and indicators of psychosocial functioning. Design, setting, and participants: In this cross-sectional study of 79 community-based older adults, aged 60–75 years, participants completed online surveys and in-person neuropsychological and electroencephalogram (EEG) assessments. Measurements: Measures included: the Change subscale of the Metamemory in Adulthood Questionnaire, NIH Toolbox Emotions battery (Perceived Stress and Psychological Well-Being), Geriatric Depression Scale, Geriatric Anxiety Scale, electrocortical measures (EEG), California Verbal Learning Test, 3rd Edition, and diagnostic ratings for mild and major neurocognitive disorders based on full neuropsychological battery, clinical interview, and two-clinician consensus. Results: P300 amplitude was associated with long-delay verbal memory recall and diagnostic rating. SMCs were not associated with objective memory or diagnostic rating. SMCs were associated with higher perceived stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms and lower psychological well-being. Conclusions: Neural indicators such as the P300 may be useful for early detection of cognitive impairment. SMCs were not a reliable indicator of early memory impairment in relation to neuropsychological or neural indicators, but may be a useful indicator of unreported stress and mood symptoms in clinical settings.

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 498-498
Author(s):  
Yooumi Lee ◽  
Janet Wilmoth

Abstract This study investigates whether intergenerational relationships and social support improve the psychological well-being of Korean older adults. We examine whether intergenerational relationships and social support directly influence psychological well-being and the extent to which they mediate the distressing consequences of life events such as declining health and recent widowhood. Using longitudinal data from the 2006 to 2016 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging, we explore depression trajectories among individuals who are 60 or older with at least one living adult child at baseline. Specifically, we converted data from 5,383 older adults into a person-period file with 24,726 observations over a ten-year period. Then we estimated linear growth curve models of depression trajectories separately for men and women using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Results from the hierarchical linear models indicate that declining health and recent widowhood are positively related to depressive symptoms. Satisfactory intergenerational relationships and social support in the form of personal interactions and proximate living arrangements with adult children decrease depressive symptoms of older parents, especially among women. We conclude that the psychological benefits of intergenerational relationships and social support are contingent upon the vulnerability of older adults and discuss the implications for public policy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 233-233
Author(s):  
Giulia Lorenzoni ◽  
Marco Silano ◽  
Danila Azzolina ◽  
Silvia Gallipoli ◽  
Solidea Baldas ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives To assess dietary habits and psychological well-being during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy, one of the European countries most severely affected by the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The #PRESTOinsieme project is a web-based survey open to people over 16 years of age that started on the 20th of March 2020 in Italy. Survey respondents underwent a set of validated questionnaires to assess dietary habits and psychological well-being (depression and posttraumatic stress, using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, respectively) during the lockdown. Results Survey respondents were 5008, with a median age of 38 years. The female gender was the most prevalent (63%). Dietary habits were found to be associated with psychological well-being. People suffering from moderate/severe depression symptoms and posttraumatic stress were found to have more frequently foods high in fat and sugars compared to people with no/mild depressive and posttraumatic stress symptoms (P-value 0.008). Furthermore, subjects with most severe depressive symptoms ate less frequently fruits (P-value < 0.001), vegetables (P-value 0.013), dried fruits (P-value < 0.001), and milk-based products. Conclusions Present results showed a strict relationship between dietary habits and psychological well-being during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy. Such a relationship could be interpreted as emotional eating, which has been frequently reported during the lockdown, showing that depressed people are more prone to emotional eating habits. Present results claim the need to develop public programs of psychological support for the community during the lockdown and public health strategies targeting diet. Funding Sources N/A


2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Czyżowska ◽  
Ewa Gurba

Background: Strengthening the sense of meaning in life and psychological well-being brings benefits for mental health. The group particularly vulnerable to mental problems are young adults, therefore the aim of our research was to explore how a gratitude intervention will affect the sense of meaning in life, psychological well-being, general health and perceived stress among them. The research also took into account the issue of expressing gratitude.Method: The study involved 80 young adults (58 women and 22 men) who were randomly assigned to the experimental group that filled out the specially prepared diaries for a week (participants were asked to list three things for which they feel grateful, to whom they are grateful and if and how they expressed their gratitude) or the control group. Participants completed the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), the General Health Questionnaire – 28 (GHQ-28), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-Being (PWBS) twice (before and after intervention).Results: In the experimental group significant increases were observed in three areas of psychological well-being: environmental mastery, relationships with others and purpose in life. The significant decrease was also noted in anxiety/insomnia and depression symptoms as well as in perceived stress. There were no differences in the level of meaning in life. There was a positive relationship between expressing gratitude and meaning in life and psychological well-being.Conclusion: Proposed gratitude intervention has the potential to enhance psychological well-being among young adults, however, it may not be effective in enhancing meaning in life.


SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A121-A122
Author(s):  
S T Nguyen-Rodriguez ◽  
O M Buxton

Abstract Introduction Chronotype refers to a preference for morning hours (morningness) vs. evening hours (eveningness) when individuals tend to feel their best (e.g., higher energy levels). People may be classified at either end of this spectrum or along a continuum between these preferences. Among adolescents, eveningness is positively related to depression and anxiety, whereas morningness is negatively related to depression. However, less is known about the relationship of chronotype and psychological health in pre-teens and Latinx youth. The present study explored associations of morningness/eveningness with anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and perceived stress among Latinx pre-adolescents in Southern California. Methods A purposive sample of 100 Latinx children, ages 10-12 years old, completed self-report surveys in their homes or a preferred location chosen by the parent. Measures included the Morningness/Eveningness Scale for Children (higher scores indicate morning preference), Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale (higher scores indicate higher anxiety, depression and stress, respectively). Associations were tested with Pearson correlations. Results The sample was 47% male with a mean±SD age of 10.9±0.8 years. Average score for morningness/eveningness was M=30.2±4.4 (range: 18-41), for anxiety symptoms was M=0.7±0.7 (range: 0-2.8), for depression symptoms was M=0.5±0.4 (range: 0-1.9) and for perceived stress was M=15.2±5.8 (range: 2-30). Greater morningness/eveningness scores, indicating more morningness, were associated with lower scores for anxiety symptoms (r=-.41, p<.001), depressive symptoms (r=-.36, p<.001) and perceived stress (r=-.33, p=.001). Conclusion As has been found for adolescents, higher morningness in Latinx pre-teens was related to less frequent anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as lower perceived stress. Youth experience a circadian phase delay during adolescence, shifting their preference toward eveningness, which may exacerbate stressors and negative mental health. Therefore, interventions to promote psychological well-being in pre-adolescents may help prevent worse psychological outcomes in Latinx children as they transition to adolescence. Support This work was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Numbers UL1GM118979, TL4GM118980, and RL5GM118978.


2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 1053-1054
Author(s):  
Allison Nash ◽  
Raquel Rosenberg ◽  
Jessica Paxton

Abstract Objective This study investigated whether particular dimensions of depression measured by the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) predicted memory and executive function performance in older adults. We hypothesized that the worry dimension would significantly predict both memory and executive function scores given findings from previous studies (De Vito et al., 2017). Method Participants included 534 individuals ages 50 through 85 (M = 63) from the Nathan Kline Institute’s Rockland community sample. The Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) was used to assess memory and the Tower Test subtest of the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) assessed executive functioning. To assess different dimensions of depression, we computed variables for six dimensions of the GDS using the factor model validated by Adams et al. (2004). Results Regression analyses revealed that, controlling for age, none of the GDS factors significantly accounted for performances on RAVLT short or long delayed recall tests. The worry factor significantly predicted RAVLT Learning Trial 1 scores (β = −0.28, p < 0.05). Worry (β = −0.16, p < 0.05) and agitation (β = −0.18, p < 0.05) were the strongest predictors of total achievement scores on D-KEFS Tower Test. Conclusion These findings represent a deviation from expectations that depression symptoms would predict short and long-delay memory performances in an aging population. The particular role of worry in our other variables augments De Vito et al.’s (2017) findings, as we found that worry predicted short-term memory and executive functioning. These results demonstrate the importance of addressing worry symptoms in older adults for healthy executive functioning.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sasha Mallya

Approximately 14.9% of Canadians aged 65 and older are living with cognitive impairment, including dementia, which means that there is likely an equal or even greater number of Canadians involved in their care. Relative to non-caregivers, caregivers of persons with dementia typically show more cognitive difficulties (e.g., executive function, memory), and report increased perceived stress, depression, and poor quality of life. The first aim of this dissertation was to compare caregivers’ cognitive and psychological function with that of non-caregiving older adults. The second aim was to assess whether a standardized mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention could improve cognitive function and well-being in caregivers, compared to a psychoeducational control group. In Study 1, 57 older adult caregivers completed an assessment of cognitive and psychosocial functioning. Their performance was compared with that of 97 healthy, non-caregiving older adults who completed a similar battery of measures. It was hypothesized that caregivers would show decreased performance on measures of cognitive function, as well as significantly poorer psychosocial outcomes relative to the non-caregiver group. In Study 2, caregivers were randomized into an eight week MBSR program (n = 33) or a psychoeducation control group (n = 24). At post-program, all participants completed a re-assessment of cognitive and psychosocial functioning. Results of Study 1 showed that relative to non-caregivers, caregivers made significantly more errors on a measure of cognitive flexibility, generated fewer words on measures of phonemic fluency and semantic fluency, and learned significantly fewer words on a list learning task. Caregivers also reported significantly more stress and depressive symptoms, and reported lower quality of life. Results of Study 2 showed that post-intervention cognitive performance did not significantly differ as a function of group assignment. However, participants in the MBSR group showed a significantly larger reduction in depression and perceived stress relative to controls. Results of this RCT provide preliminary evidence for the selective benefits of MBSR relative to psychoeducation in a group of older caregivers of individuals with dementia.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sasha Mallya

Approximately 14.9% of Canadians aged 65 and older are living with cognitive impairment, including dementia, which means that there is likely an equal or even greater number of Canadians involved in their care. Relative to non-caregivers, caregivers of persons with dementia typically show more cognitive difficulties (e.g., executive function, memory), and report increased perceived stress, depression, and poor quality of life. The first aim of this dissertation was to compare caregivers’ cognitive and psychological function with that of non-caregiving older adults. The second aim was to assess whether a standardized mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention could improve cognitive function and well-being in caregivers, compared to a psychoeducational control group. In Study 1, 57 older adult caregivers completed an assessment of cognitive and psychosocial functioning. Their performance was compared with that of 97 healthy, non-caregiving older adults who completed a similar battery of measures. It was hypothesized that caregivers would show decreased performance on measures of cognitive function, as well as significantly poorer psychosocial outcomes relative to the non-caregiver group. In Study 2, caregivers were randomized into an eight week MBSR program (n = 33) or a psychoeducation control group (n = 24). At post-program, all participants completed a re-assessment of cognitive and psychosocial functioning. Results of Study 1 showed that relative to non-caregivers, caregivers made significantly more errors on a measure of cognitive flexibility, generated fewer words on measures of phonemic fluency and semantic fluency, and learned significantly fewer words on a list learning task. Caregivers also reported significantly more stress and depressive symptoms, and reported lower quality of life. Results of Study 2 showed that post-intervention cognitive performance did not significantly differ as a function of group assignment. However, participants in the MBSR group showed a significantly larger reduction in depression and perceived stress relative to controls. Results of this RCT provide preliminary evidence for the selective benefits of MBSR relative to psychoeducation in a group of older caregivers of individuals with dementia.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sasha Mallya

Approximately 14.9% of Canadians aged 65 and older are living with cognitive impairment, including dementia, which means that there is likely an equal or even greater number of Canadians involved in their care. Relative to non-caregivers, caregivers of persons with dementia typically show more cognitive difficulties (e.g., executive function, memory), and report increased perceived stress, depression, and poor quality of life. The first aim of this dissertation was to compare caregivers’ cognitive and psychological function with that of non-caregiving older adults. The second aim was to assess whether a standardized mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention could improve cognitive function and well-being in caregivers, compared to a psychoeducational control group. In Study 1, 57 older adult caregivers completed an assessment of cognitive and psychosocial functioning. Their performance was compared with that of 97 healthy, non-caregiving older adults who completed a similar battery of measures. It was hypothesized that caregivers would show decreased performance on measures of cognitive function, as well as significantly poorer psychosocial outcomes relative to the non-caregiver group. In Study 2, caregivers were randomized into an eight week MBSR program (n = 33) or a psychoeducation control group (n = 24). At post-program, all participants completed a re-assessment of cognitive and psychosocial functioning. Results of Study 1 showed that relative to non-caregivers, caregivers made significantly more errors on a measure of cognitive flexibility, generated fewer words on measures of phonemic fluency and semantic fluency, and learned significantly fewer words on a list learning task. Caregivers also reported significantly more stress and depressive symptoms, and reported lower quality of life. Results of Study 2 showed that post-intervention cognitive performance did not significantly differ as a function of group assignment. However, participants in the MBSR group showed a significantly larger reduction in depression and perceived stress relative to controls. Results of this RCT provide preliminary evidence for the selective benefits of MBSR relative to psychoeducation in a group of older caregivers of individuals with dementia.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8157
Author(s):  
Olga Molinero ◽  
Alfonso Salguero ◽  
Sara Márquez

Osteoarticular diseases are one of the effects of aging, and they are related to physical, psychological, and social functions. Physical activity seems to slow the start and progression of these kinds of illnesses and presents benefits for psychosocial health. The main aim of the study was to investigate the possible effect of physical activity level (Yale Physical Activity Survey) on quality of life (SF-36 Health Questionnaire), subjective psychological well-being (Psychological Well-being Scale), and depression levels (Geriatric Depression Scale), depending on osteoarticular illness. The sample consisted of 263 Spanish adults aged 65 to 98 years who had high or low physical activity (assessed by YPAS Questionnaire) and osteoarticular disease. Results show that physical activity influences the perceived quality of life, depression levels, and subjective well-being in older adults regardless of osteoarticular disease. The present study suggests the need for promoting physical exercise due to its proven positive impact on older adults’ mental health, entailing a significant reduction in the risks of suffering from a variety of frequent diseases and disorders.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 302-302
Author(s):  
Janet Wilmoth ◽  
Yooumi Lee

Abstract Using longitudinal data from the 2006 to 2018 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging, this study explores depression trajectories among individuals who are 60 or older with at least one living adult child at baseline. We estimated linear growth curve models of depression trajectories separately for married, unmarried and widowed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Results indicate that declining health and recent widowhood are positively related to depressive symptoms. Satisfactory intergenerational relationships and social support in the form of caregiving decrease depressive symptoms of older parents, especially among the widowed. Having at least one son and a first-born daughter positively impact psychological well-being of older parents. A son was particularly important for those who are widowed. We conclude that the psychological benefits of intergenerational relationships and social support are contingent upon the vulnerability of Korean older adults and discuss the implications for public policy.


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