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Subclinical levels of anxiety but not depression are associated with planning performance in a large population-based sample

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 September 2017

J. M. Unterrainer ,
K. Domschke ,
B. Rahm ,
J. Wiltink ,
A. Schulz ,
N. Pfeiffer ,
K. J. Lackner ,
T. Münzel ,
P. S. Wild  and
M. Beutel
J. M. Unterrainer*
Affiliation:
Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
K. Domschke
Affiliation:
Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
B. Rahm
Affiliation:
Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
J. Wiltink
Affiliation:
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
A. Schulz
Affiliation:
Preventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine/Center for Cardiology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
N. Pfeiffer
Affiliation:
Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
K. J. Lackner
Affiliation:
Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
T. Münzel
Affiliation:
Center for Cardiology I, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
P. S. Wild
Affiliation:
Preventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine/Center for Cardiology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
M. Beutel
Affiliation:
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
*
*Address for correspondence: J. M. Unterrainer, Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Rheinstraße 12, 79104 Freiburg, Germany. (Email: josef.unterrainer@mps.uni-freiburg.de)
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Abstract

Background

Major depression and anxiety disorders are known to negatively influence cognitive performance. Moreover, there is evidence for greater cognitive decline in older adults with generalized anxiety disorder. Except for clinical studies, complex executive planning functions and subclinical levels of anxiety have not been examined in a population-based sample with a broad age range.

Methods

Planning performance was assessed using the Tower of London task in a population-based sample of 4240 participants aged 40–80 years from the Gutenberg Health Study (GHS) and related to self-reported anxiety and depression by means of multiple linear regression analysis.

Results

Higher anxiety ratings were associated with lower planning performance (β = −0.20; p < 0.0001) independent of age (β = 0.03; p = 0.47). When directly comparing the predictive value of depression and anxiety on cognition, only anxiety attained significance (β = −0.19; p = 0.0047), whereas depression did not (β = −0.01; p = 0.71).

Conclusions

Subclinical levels of anxiety but not of depression showed negative associations with cognitive functioning independent of age. Our results demonstrate that associations observed in clinical groups might differ from those in population-based samples, also with regard to the trajectory across the life span. Further studies are needed to uncover causal interrelations of anxiety and cognition, which have been proposed in the literature, in order to develop interventions aimed at reducing this negative affective state and to improve executive functioning.

Keywords

AnxietydepressionGutenberg Health Study (GHS)planning performanceTower of London
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 48 , Issue 1 , January 2018 , pp. 168 - 174
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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