RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: Impaired cognition increases suicide risk while social connectedness protects against suicide risk in late life. We examined the independent and interactive effects of social connectedness and cognition on suicide risk in late life. METHODS: Participants included 570 individuals aged 50+ from a late-life suicide study. The Interpersonal Support Evaluation List and Social Network Index were used to assess perceived and objective social connectedness, respectively, while the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale and Executive Interview were used to assess cognition. RESULTS: Suicide attempters and ideators reported lower perceived social connectedness and exhibited worse executive function than non-suicidal depressed and healthy comparison participants, while only attempters had worse objective social connectedness relative to the other groups. Executive dysfunction was linked to low objective social connectedness in attempters but higher objective social connectedness in healthy comparisons. CONCLUSION: Interventions targeting suicide risk may consider bolstering social connectedness, particularly in those with low cognitive health.

Asunto(s)

Trastornos del Conocimiento , Prevención del Suicidio , Suicidio , Cognición , Trastornos del Conocimiento/psicología , Humanos , Ideación Suicida , Suicidio/psicología , Intento de Suicidio/psicología

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: This study compared diagnostic rates and clinical predictors of discrepancies between diagnoses conferred via: 1) a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation and National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association (NIA-AA) criteria versus 2) a cognitive screener and Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria. DESIGN: Cross-sectional examination of baseline data from the Prevention of Alzheimer's dementia (AD) using Cognitive remediation and transcranial direct current stimulation in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Depression (PACt-MD; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02386670) trial. SETTING: Five geriatric psychiatry and memory clinics located at academic hospitals affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto. PARTICIPANTS: Older adults (N = 431) with a history of major depressive disorder (MDD) in remission, MCI, or both. MEASUREMENTS: Main outcome was a comparison of NIA-AA diagnostic rates of MCI or dementia versus DSM-5 rates of mild or major neurocognitive disorder. Secondary analyses examined demographic, race, gender, premorbid intellectual ability, psychosocial, health-related, and genetic predictors of discrepancy between DSM-5 and NIA-AA diagnoses. RESULTS: There were 103 (23.8%) discrepant cases, with most (91; 88.3%) of these discrepant cases reflecting more impairment with the detailed neuropsychological testing and NIA-AA criteria. Discrepancies were more likely in individuals with a history of MDD or who had at least one ApoE4 allele. CONCLUSION: The NIA-AA criteria, in conjunction with comprehensive neuropsychological testing, identified a greater prevalence of cognitive impairment than DSM-5 criteria, in conjunction with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Detailed neuropsychological evaluations are recommended for older adults who have a history of MDD or a genetic vulnerability to dementia.

Asunto(s)

Enfermedad de Alzheimer , Disfunción Cognitiva , Trastorno Depresivo Mayor , Estimulación Transcraneal de Corriente Directa , Anciano , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/complicaciones , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/diagnóstico , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/genética , Disfunción Cognitiva/psicología , Estudios Transversales , Trastorno Depresivo Mayor/complicaciones , Trastorno Depresivo Mayor/diagnóstico , Progresión de la Enfermedad , Humanos , Pruebas Neuropsicológicas

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: Executive deficits may play an important role in late-life suicide. Yet, current evidence in this area is inconclusive and does not indicate whether these deficits are broadly associated with suicidal ideation or are specific to suicidal behavior. This study examined global cognition and specifically executive function impairments as correlates of suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior in depressed older adults, with the goal of extending an earlier preliminary study. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: University-affiliated psychiatric hospital. PARTICIPANTS: All participants were age 60+: 83 depressed suicide attempters, 43 depressed individuals having suicidal ideation with a specific plan, 54 nonsuicidal depressed participants, and 48 older adults with no history of psychiatric disorders. MEASUREMENTS: Global cognitive function was assessed with Dementia Rating Scale (DRS) and executive function with Executive Interview (EXIT). RESULTS: Both suicide attempters and suicide ideators performed worse than the two comparison groups on the EXIT, with no difference between suicide attempters and suicide ideators. On the DRS total score, as well as on Memory and Attention subscales, suicide attempters and ideators and nonsuicidal depressed subjects performed similarly and were impaired relative to nonpsychiatric control subjects. Controlling for education, substance use disorders, and medication exposure did not affect group differences in performance on either the EXIT or the DRS. CONCLUSIONS: Executive deficits, captured with a brief instrument, are associated broadly with suicidal ideation in older depressed adults but do not appear to directly facilitate suicidal behavior. Our data are consistent with the idea that different vulnerabilities may operate at different stages in the suicidal process.