A-30 The Relationship Between Mood, Cognitive Shift, and Perseverative Responses in Cognitively Impaired Geriatric Patients

Abstract

Objective The current study investigated the relationship between age, sex, vocabulary scores, the number of comorbid medical conditions, cognitive shift scores, perseveration scores, dementia severity, and self-reported anxiety. It was hypothesized a) cognitive shift scores, age, and vocabulary would be inversely related to anxiety b) perseveration scores and dementia severity would be positively correlated to mood. Data Selection Utilizing archival data from a private medical clinic, a sample (N = 114) of Euro-American older adults ages 65-89, presenting for neuropsychological evaluations was obtained. Data included scores from the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test -64 computerized version, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Geriatric Depression Scale- short form, and the WAIS-IV vocabulary subtest. Data Synthesis This study utilized a multiple regression analysis. The results suggested age, sex, cognitive shift scores, perseveration scores, and dementia severity had no relationship to anxiety. However, vocabulary was moderately positively correlated with anxiety. It is possible that those with greater vocabulary scores were less severely impacted by their dementia and consequently more aware of their symptoms. Conclusions Focus on neuropsychological data alone was insufficient to understand this complex and dynamic relationship. It is recommended that future research focus on the process itself to gain insight into this bidirectional relationship and various confounding factors, which might have influenced anxiety levels, such as sleep quality and dementia type. The results of this study highlight the importance of understanding the dynamic relationship between cognitive decline due to neurodegenerative diseases and anxiety and the impact the diseases may have on one’s emotional well-being.