Anxious-Depression and Neurocognition among Middle-Aged and Older Hispanic/Latino Adults: Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) Results

Objective The purpose of this study is to examine the association between verbal learning, fluency, and processing speed with anxious-depression symptomatology (ADS) among diverse Hispanics. We hypothesized an inverse association of anxious-depression with neurocognition among Hispanics of different heritage. Design Data are from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). The sample included 9,311participantsaged 45-74 years (Mean:56.5). A latent class analysis of items from the Center for Epidemiological Studies for Depression (CESD-10 item) and the Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory was used to derive an anxious-depression construct.Neurocognitive measures included scores on the Brief Spanish English Verbal Learning Test (B-SEVLT learning and recall trials), Word Fluency (WF), Digit Symbol Substitution (DSS)test and a Global Cognitive Score (GCS). We fit survey linear regression models to test the associations between anxious-depression symptomatology and cognitive function. We tested for effect modification by sex, Hispanic heritage, and age groups. Results Among men, 71.6% reported low, 23.3% moderate, and 5.1% high ADS. Among women,55.1% reported low, 33.2% moderate, and 11.8% high ADS. After controlling for age, sex, socio-demographic characteristics, cardiovascular risk factors and disease, and antidepressant use, we found significant inverse associations between moderate and high anxious-depression (ref:low) with B-SEVLT learning and recall, DSST and GCS. Moderate, but not high, anxious-depression was inversely associated with WF. Associations were not modified by sex, Hispanic heritage, or age. Conclusion Increased anxious-depression symptomatology is associated with decreased neurocognitive function among Hispanics. Longitudinal studies are needed to establish temporality and infer if negative emotional symptoms precede cognitive deficits.