Longitudinal relationship between cognitive function and depressive symptoms in older adults: evidence from China.
- 1School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Abstract
Background
Longitudinal studies on cognitive function and depressive symptoms in Chinese older adults are relatively limited. This study aimed to investigate the effects of cognitive function on depressive symptoms in Chinese older adults.Methods
This study recruited 8,800 older adults from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018, and 2020. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D10) was used to assess depressive symptoms, while mental status and situational memory were employed to evaluate cognitive function. Associations between cognitive function and current or subsequent depressive symptoms were analyzed using Pearson correlation analyses, and longitudinal relationships between cognitive function and depressive symptoms were analyzed using two-way fixed-effects models.Results
Pearson correlation analysis indicated a significant negative association between cognitive function and both current and subsequent depressive symptoms (p < 0.01). The two-way fixed-effects model results suggested that higher cognitive function was significantly associated with a lower risk of depressive symptoms after adjusting for all covariates (β = -0.124, 95% CI: -0.142, -0.106). Additionally, mental status had a stronger association on depressive symptoms compared to situational memory.Conclusion
In this study, higher cognitive function was significantly associated with lower depressive symptom scores in older adults. Relevant policymakers and stakeholders should develop cognitive function improvement programs to alleviate depressive symptom scores in older adults.
Related
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BibTeX
@article{zhao2026longitudinal,
title = {{Longitudinal relationship between cognitive function and depressive symptoms in older adults: evidence from China.}},
author = {Hang Zhao and Xiao Mimi},
journal = {Frontiers in psychology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1908800},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42948066},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Longitudinal relationship between cognitive function and depressive symptoms in older adults: evidence from China.
AU - Hang Zhao
AU - Xiao Mimi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/13
JO - Frontiers in psychology
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1908800
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42948066
AB - Background Longitudinal studies on cognitive function and depressive symptoms in Chinese older adults are relatively limited. This study aimed to investigate the effects of cognitive function on depressive symptoms in Chinese older adults.Methods This study recruited 8,800 older adults from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018, and 2020. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D10) was used to assess depressive symptoms, while mental status and situational memory were employed to evaluate cognitive function. Associations between cognitive function and current or subsequent depressive symptoms were analyzed using Pearson correlation analyses, and longitudinal relationships between cognitive function and depressive symptoms were analyzed using two-way fixed-effects models.Results Pearson correlation analysis indicated a significant negative association between cognitive function and both current and subsequent depressive symptoms (p < 0.01). The two-way fixed-effects model results suggested that higher cognitive function was significantly associated with a lower risk of depressive symptoms after adjusting for all covariates (β = -0.124, 95% CI: -0.142, -0.106). Additionally, mental status had a stronger association on depressive symptoms compared to situational memory.Conclusion In this study, higher cognitive function was significantly associated with lower depressive symptom scores in older adults. Relevant policymakers and stakeholders should develop cognitive function improvement programs to alleviate depressive symptom scores in older adults.
SN - 1664-1078
ER -