Are anxiety disorders associated with accelerated ageing and cognitive decline? A multicenter italian study in middle aged and older patients and controls
Introduction Anxiety Disorders (AnxDs) are highly prevalent in middle-aged and older individuals and are putative factors that might interfere with normal aging, by affecting cognitive functioning and neuroprogression. Objectives This study aims to assess whether current AnxD in middle-aged and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2021-04-01
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| Series: | European Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821005083/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797616999556186112 |
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| author | S. Daccò D. Caldirola A. Alciati A. Fagiolini P. Brambilla G. Perna |
| author_facet | S. Daccò D. Caldirola A. Alciati A. Fagiolini P. Brambilla G. Perna |
| author_sort | S. Daccò |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
Anxiety Disorders (AnxDs) are highly prevalent in middle-aged and older individuals and are putative factors that might interfere with normal aging, by affecting cognitive functioning and neuroprogression.
Objectives
This study aims to assess whether current AnxD in middle-aged and older subjects are associated with 1) lower neuropsychological performance, 2) shorter telomere length/lower plasmatic Amyloid-Beta, and 3) brain connectivity alterations, compared to subjects without lifetime psychiatric disorders (HCs).
Methods
This is an ongoing multicentric cross-sectional study. We collected preliminary data on neuropsychological performance through a standardized battery, in 60 outpatients with current AnxDs (DSM-5 criteria), 24 with psychopharmacological treatments (AnxDs+) and 36 without (AnxDs-), compared to 76 HCs, all aged 50-75 years. This study was supported by Fondazione Cariplo, grant n° 2014:0664.
Results
AnxDs- patients showed poorer performance in the language domain, namely in semantic fluency (p=0.04), compared to HCs. No other significant differences were found between groups. Within the patients’ group, we found that a greater burden of psychiatric disorders or medical diseases, current use of benzodiazepines, or unhealthy lifestyle had significant detrimental effects on cognition, whereas current use of antidepressants, pharmacological treatments for medical conditions, and higher levels of physical activity exhibited the opposite effects.
Conclusions
We found only limited difference in cognitive performance between patients and controls. However, our preliminary results show that multiple factors influence cognitive performance in individuals with AnxDs, making these aspect important to monitor in clinical practice. So far, our results are provisional and further analyses in the final sample may provide more reliable conclusions.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:49:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5ba6f6bdba684e1586d9c6e619ace688 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:49:18Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-5ba6f6bdba684e1586d9c6e619ace6882023-11-17T05:07:02ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852021-04-0164S192S19210.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.508Are anxiety disorders associated with accelerated ageing and cognitive decline? A multicenter italian study in middle aged and older patients and controlsS. Daccò0D. Caldirola1A. Alciati2A. Fagiolini3P. Brambilla4G. Perna5Department Of Clinical Neurosciences, Villa San Benedetto Menni Hospital, Hermanas Hospitalarias, Albese con Cassano, Italy Mental Health, Humanitas University, Rozzano, ItalyDepartment Of Clinical Neurosciences, Villa San Benedetto Menni Hospital, Hermanas Hospitalarias, Albese con Cassano, Italy Mental Health, Humanitas University, Rozzano, ItalyDepartment Of Clinical Neurosciences, Villa San Benedetto Menni Hospital, Hermanas Hospitalarias, Albese con Cassano, Italy Ircc, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Milan, ItalyDepartment Of Molecular And Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, ItalyPathophysiology And Transplantation, university of Milan, Milano, ItalyDepartment Of Clinical Neurosciences, Villa San Benedetto Menni Hospital, Hermanas Hospitalarias, Albese con Cassano, Italy Mental Health, Humanitas University, Rozzano, Italy Introduction Anxiety Disorders (AnxDs) are highly prevalent in middle-aged and older individuals and are putative factors that might interfere with normal aging, by affecting cognitive functioning and neuroprogression. Objectives This study aims to assess whether current AnxD in middle-aged and older subjects are associated with 1) lower neuropsychological performance, 2) shorter telomere length/lower plasmatic Amyloid-Beta, and 3) brain connectivity alterations, compared to subjects without lifetime psychiatric disorders (HCs). Methods This is an ongoing multicentric cross-sectional study. We collected preliminary data on neuropsychological performance through a standardized battery, in 60 outpatients with current AnxDs (DSM-5 criteria), 24 with psychopharmacological treatments (AnxDs+) and 36 without (AnxDs-), compared to 76 HCs, all aged 50-75 years. This study was supported by Fondazione Cariplo, grant n° 2014:0664. Results AnxDs- patients showed poorer performance in the language domain, namely in semantic fluency (p=0.04), compared to HCs. No other significant differences were found between groups. Within the patients’ group, we found that a greater burden of psychiatric disorders or medical diseases, current use of benzodiazepines, or unhealthy lifestyle had significant detrimental effects on cognition, whereas current use of antidepressants, pharmacological treatments for medical conditions, and higher levels of physical activity exhibited the opposite effects. Conclusions We found only limited difference in cognitive performance between patients and controls. However, our preliminary results show that multiple factors influence cognitive performance in individuals with AnxDs, making these aspect important to monitor in clinical practice. So far, our results are provisional and further analyses in the final sample may provide more reliable conclusions. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821005083/type/journal_articleanxiety disordersageingneuropsychological performanceCognitive decline |
| spellingShingle | S. Daccò D. Caldirola A. Alciati A. Fagiolini P. Brambilla G. Perna Are anxiety disorders associated with accelerated ageing and cognitive decline? A multicenter italian study in middle aged and older patients and controls European Psychiatry anxiety disorders ageing neuropsychological performance Cognitive decline |
| title | Are anxiety disorders associated with accelerated ageing and cognitive decline? A multicenter italian study in middle aged and older patients and controls |
| title_full | Are anxiety disorders associated with accelerated ageing and cognitive decline? A multicenter italian study in middle aged and older patients and controls |
| title_fullStr | Are anxiety disorders associated with accelerated ageing and cognitive decline? A multicenter italian study in middle aged and older patients and controls |
| title_full_unstemmed | Are anxiety disorders associated with accelerated ageing and cognitive decline? A multicenter italian study in middle aged and older patients and controls |
| title_short | Are anxiety disorders associated with accelerated ageing and cognitive decline? A multicenter italian study in middle aged and older patients and controls |
| title_sort | are anxiety disorders associated with accelerated ageing and cognitive decline a multicenter italian study in middle aged and older patients and controls |
| topic | anxiety disorders ageing neuropsychological performance Cognitive decline |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821005083/type/journal_article |
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