Exploring the Reciprocal Relationship between Depressive Symptoms and Cognitive Function among Chinese Older Adults

Jiehua Lu, Peking University
Yunchen Ruan, Peking University

Prior longitudinal investigations have shown that depressive symptoms affect disability, and vice versa. Nevertheless, there is a noticeable research gap concerning simultaneous exploration of the reciprocal dynamics between depressive symptoms and cognitive function. Therefore, this study endeavors to investigate the bidirectional relationship between depressive symptoms and cognitive function among the older adult population in China. By applying a fixed-effects model and cross-lagged panel model to the data of CLHLS, we examined the reciprocal relationship between depressive symptoms and cognitive function among older adults in China. The results indicated that a significant negative correlation existed between depressive symptoms and cognitive function in older adults during the study period. After controlling for unobserved confounding factors, the deterioration and improvement of depressive symptoms still significantly affected cognitive ability. Using the cross-lagged panel model, we observed a reciprocal relationship between depressive symptoms and cognitive function among Chinese older adults.