@article {7806, title = {Longitudinal Associations Between Cognitive Functioning and Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adult Spouses in the Cardiovascular Health Study.}, journal = {Am J Geriatr Psychiatry}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 Jul 03}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: To examine the bidirectional associations between older adult spouses{\textquoteright} cognitive functioning and depressive symptoms over time.

DESIGN: Longitudinal, dyadic path analysis with the actor-partner interdependence model.

SETTING: Data were from visit 5 (1992/1993), visit 8 (1995/1996), and visit 11 (1998/1999) of the Cardiovascular Health Study, a multisite, longitudinal, observational study of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in adults 65 years or older. Demographic information was from the 1989/1990 original and 1992/1993 African American cohort baseline visits.

PARTICIPANTS: Husbands and wives from 1,028 community-dwelling married couples (N = 2,065).

MEASUREMENTS: Cognitive functioning was measured with the Modified Mini-Mental State Exam. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Age, education, and disability (activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living) were included as covariates.

RESULTS: Cross-partner associations (partner effects) revealed that one spouse{\textquoteright}s greater depressive symptoms predicted the other spouse{\textquoteright}s lower cognitive functioning, but a spouse{\textquoteright}s lower cognitive functioning did not predict the other spouse{\textquoteright}s greater depressive symptoms over time. Within-individual associations (actor effects) revealed that an individual{\textquoteright}s lower cognitive functioning predicted the individual{\textquoteright}s greater depressive symptoms over time, but greater depressive symptoms did not predict lower cognitive functioning over time. Effects did not differ for husbands and wives.

CONCLUSION: Having a spouse who is depressed may increase one{\textquoteright}s risk of cognitive decline as well as one{\textquoteright}s risk of depression. Interventions for preventing cognitive decline and depression among older adults may be enhanced by considering the marital context.

}, issn = {1545-7214}, doi = {10.1016/j.jagp.2018.06.010}, author = {Monin, Joan K and Doyle, Margaret and Van Ness, Peter H and Schulz, Richard and Marottoli, Richard A and Birditt, Kira and Feeney, Brooke C and Kershaw, Trace} }