Double Jeopardy: Cognitive Decline in Depression & Aging

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Depressive symptoms are prevalent adults, and both aging and depression are independently associated with impairments in cognitive functioning, particularly in the domain of "executive" control. The primary aim of this project is to determine if older depressed adults are at "double jeopardy" for executive dysfunction due to an additive or multiplicative effect of aging and depressive symptoms. Study methods will examine younger (ages 18-30) and older (ages 65-80) adults while performing a novel cognitive task designed to temporally dissociate components of cognitive control. High-density event-related potentials (ERPs) will be used to dissociate strategic processes supporting the implementation of cognitive control, and evaluative processes supporting the detection of processing conflicts and performance monitoring. The specific aims are to: 1) determine if aging and depressive symptoms are associated with declines in cognitive control as assessed using a "cued-Stroop" task; 2) temporally and anatomically dissociate component processes associated with cognitive control using ERPs and determine if aging and depression differentially affect these processes; and 3) determine if the combined effect of aging and depression on cognitive control is additive or multiplicative. The specific hypotheses motivating the proposed research are that: 1) both increasing age and depressive symptoms contribute to declines in cued-Stroop performance; 2) increasing age is associated with impairments in strategic aspects of cognitive control (mediated by the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), and depressive symptoms are associated with impaired evaluative processes (mediated by the anterior cingulate cortex); and 3) older depressed adults exhibit significantly greater declines in cognitive control than older non-depressed adults or young depressed adults. Accomplishing the aims outlined in this proposal will provide the foundation for future studies examining the effect of aging and depression on cognition and activities of daily living.