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BMC Geriatrics
Published in: BMC Geriatrics 1/2024

Open Access 01-12-2024 | Dementia | Research

Cluster analysis dissecting cognitive deficits in older adults with major depressive disorder and the association with neurofilament light chain

Authors: Cynthia Yi-an Chen, Chih-Chiang Chiu, Cho-Yin Huang, Ying-Chih Cheng, Ming-Chyi Huang, Po-Hsiu Kuo, Wen-Yin Chen

Published in: BMC Geriatrics | Issue 1/2024

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Abstract

Background

Cognitive impairment is a growing problem with increasing burden in global aging. Older adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) have higher risk of dementia. Neurofilament light chain (NfL) has been proven as a potential biomarker in neurodegenerative disease, including dementia. We aimed to investigate the association between cognitive deficits and NfL levels in older adults with MDD.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 39 MDD patients and 15 individuals with mild neurocognitive disorder or major neurocognitive disorder, Alzheimer’s type, as controls, from a tertiary psychiatric hospital. Both groups were over age 65 and with matched Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score. Demographic data, clinical variables, and plasma NfL levels were obtained. We used cluster analysis according to their cognitive profile and estimated the correlation between plasma NfL levels and each cognitive domain.

Results

In the MDD group, participants had higher rate of family psychiatry history and current alcohol use habit compared with controls. Control group of neurocognitive disorders showed significantly lower score in total MMSE and higher plasma NfL levels. Part of the MDD patients presented cognitive deficits clustered with that of neurocognitive disorders (cluster A). In cluster A, the total MMSE score (r=-0.58277, p=0.0287) and the comprehension domain (r=-0.71717, p=0.0039) were negatively correlated to NfL levels after adjusting for age, while the associations had not been observed in the other cluster.

Conclusions

We noted the negative correlation between NfL levels and cognition in MDD patients clustered with neurodegenerative disorder, Alzheimer’s type. NfL could be a promising candidate as a biomarker to predict subtype of patients in MDD to develop cognitive decline. Further longitudinal studies and within MDD cluster analysis are required to validate our findings for clinical implications.
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Metadata
Title
Cluster analysis dissecting cognitive deficits in older adults with major depressive disorder and the association with neurofilament light chain
Authors
Cynthia Yi-an Chen
Chih-Chiang Chiu
Cho-Yin Huang
Ying-Chih Cheng
Ming-Chyi Huang
Po-Hsiu Kuo
Wen-Yin Chen
Publication date
01-12-2024
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keywords
Dementia
Dementia
Published in
BMC Geriatrics / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2318
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-04960-z

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