Longitudinal Study of Depression on Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Financial Capacity

Abstract

Objectives: Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) among other cognitive deficits also includes impairments in financial capacity, but so far the role of depression in time has not been examined. We aimed to examine the hypothesis that individuals with aMCI and comorbid worsening depression levels would demonstrate greater deficits in financial capacity atone year in relation to multiple-domain aMCI patients with stable levels of depression, aMCI patients without depression and healthy individuals.

Methods: Ninety-six Greek women and 24 men aged 54 and older (multiple-domain aMCI with, stable and increased levels of depression at one year, aMCI without depressive symptoms, and cognitively intact elders with and without depression) were examined with the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE), the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), and the Legal Capacity for Property Law Transactions Assessment Scale (LCPLTAS).

Results: Bootstrapped ANCOVA was implemented. Multiple-domain aMCI patients' performance regarding financial capacity is severely impaired when depression co-exists, resembling the performance of patients with mild Alzheimer's disease, and it declines further when depression deteriorates.

Conclusions: Findings contribute to the limited evidence in financial capacity assessment when depression co-exists showing that higher depressive symptom scores are associated with reduced financial capacity scores and deterioration of depressive symptomatology worsens not only general cognitive outcome, but financial capacity in particular.

Clinical implications: Proactive care for individuals with depression is needed as this condition severely influences financial capacity in aMCI.

Keywords: Longitudinal research; amnestic mild cognitive impairment; depressive symptoms; financial capacity.