Abstract
Objectives: Research is limited and findings conflict regarding anxiety as a predictor of future cognitive decline in the oldest old persons. We examined the relationship between levels of and changes in anxiety symptoms, and subsequent dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in the oldest old women. Method: We conducted secondary analyses of data collected from 1425 community-dwelling women (mean age = 82.8, SD ±3.1 years) followed on average for five years. The Goldberg Anxiety Scale was used to assess anxiety symptoms at baseline, and an expert clinical panel adjudicated dementia and MCI at follow-up. Participants with probable cognitive impairment at baseline were excluded. Results: At baseline, 190 (13%) women had moderate/severe anxiety symptoms and 403 (28%) had mild anxiety symptoms. Compared with those with no anxiety symptoms at baseline, women with mild anxiety symptoms were more likely to develop dementia at follow-up (multivariable-adjusted odds ratio = 1.66, 95% confidence interval 1.12–2.45). No significant association was observed between anxiety symptoms and MCI. Conclusion: In the oldest old women, our findings suggest that mild anxiety symptoms may predict future risk of dementia, but not MCI. Future studies should explore potential biological mechanisms underlying associations of anxiety with cognitive impairment.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 474-482 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Aging and Mental Health |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 3 2018 |
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Keywords
- Aging
- community sample
- epidemiology
PubMed: MeSH publication types
- Journal Article
- Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Cite this
Anxiety symptoms and risk of dementia and mild cognitive impairment in the oldest old women. / Kassem, Ahmed M.; Ganguli, Mary; Yaffe, Kristine; Hanlon, Joseph T.; Lopez, Oscar L.; Wilson, John W.; Ensrud, Kristine; Cauley, Jane A.
In: Aging and Mental Health, Vol. 22, No. 4, 03.04.2018, p. 474-482.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Anxiety symptoms and risk of dementia and mild cognitive impairment in the oldest old women
AU - Kassem, Ahmed M.
AU - Ganguli, Mary
AU - Yaffe, Kristine
AU - Hanlon, Joseph T.
AU - Lopez, Oscar L.
AU - Wilson, John W.
AU - Ensrud, Kristine
AU - Cauley, Jane A.
PY - 2018/4/3
Y1 - 2018/4/3
N2 - Objectives: Research is limited and findings conflict regarding anxiety as a predictor of future cognitive decline in the oldest old persons. We examined the relationship between levels of and changes in anxiety symptoms, and subsequent dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in the oldest old women. Method: We conducted secondary analyses of data collected from 1425 community-dwelling women (mean age = 82.8, SD ±3.1 years) followed on average for five years. The Goldberg Anxiety Scale was used to assess anxiety symptoms at baseline, and an expert clinical panel adjudicated dementia and MCI at follow-up. Participants with probable cognitive impairment at baseline were excluded. Results: At baseline, 190 (13%) women had moderate/severe anxiety symptoms and 403 (28%) had mild anxiety symptoms. Compared with those with no anxiety symptoms at baseline, women with mild anxiety symptoms were more likely to develop dementia at follow-up (multivariable-adjusted odds ratio = 1.66, 95% confidence interval 1.12–2.45). No significant association was observed between anxiety symptoms and MCI. Conclusion: In the oldest old women, our findings suggest that mild anxiety symptoms may predict future risk of dementia, but not MCI. Future studies should explore potential biological mechanisms underlying associations of anxiety with cognitive impairment.
AB - Objectives: Research is limited and findings conflict regarding anxiety as a predictor of future cognitive decline in the oldest old persons. We examined the relationship between levels of and changes in anxiety symptoms, and subsequent dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in the oldest old women. Method: We conducted secondary analyses of data collected from 1425 community-dwelling women (mean age = 82.8, SD ±3.1 years) followed on average for five years. The Goldberg Anxiety Scale was used to assess anxiety symptoms at baseline, and an expert clinical panel adjudicated dementia and MCI at follow-up. Participants with probable cognitive impairment at baseline were excluded. Results: At baseline, 190 (13%) women had moderate/severe anxiety symptoms and 403 (28%) had mild anxiety symptoms. Compared with those with no anxiety symptoms at baseline, women with mild anxiety symptoms were more likely to develop dementia at follow-up (multivariable-adjusted odds ratio = 1.66, 95% confidence interval 1.12–2.45). No significant association was observed between anxiety symptoms and MCI. Conclusion: In the oldest old women, our findings suggest that mild anxiety symptoms may predict future risk of dementia, but not MCI. Future studies should explore potential biological mechanisms underlying associations of anxiety with cognitive impairment.
KW - Aging
KW - community sample
KW - epidemiology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85009206015&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85009206015&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13607863.2016.1274370
DO - 10.1080/13607863.2016.1274370
M3 - Article
C2 - 28071922
AN - SCOPUS:85009206015
VL - 22
SP - 474
EP - 482
JO - Aging and Mental Health
JF - Aging and Mental Health
SN - 1360-7863
IS - 4
ER -