Exploring the Relationship Among Remitted Late-Life Depression, Cognitive Outcomes, and Brain Structures
Year: 2025
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Late-life major depressive disorder (MDD), even in remission (rMDD), is a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia. Study 1, a systematic review of 47 studies, found that rMDD is associated with cognitive impairment and may increase the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia, particularly in early-onset cases. These findings highlight the need for interventions to prevent cognitive decline in older adults with rMDD. Study 2 assessed whether baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures moderated cognitive outcomes in a randomized controlled trial of cognitive remediation plus transcranial direct current stimulation (CR+tDCS) in 246 participants with rMDD, MCI, or both. Higher overall and regions of interest cortical thickness enhanced the benefits of CR+tDCS on global cognition, executive function, and verbal memory. These findings suggest that cortical thickness may be used to identify older adults with rMDD who are most likely to benefit from CR+tDCS, supporting personalized interventions for dementia prevention in this high-risk population.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Author: Ho, Natalie Chin Wei
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7133069150