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The dynamic relationship between pain, depression and cognitive function in a sample of newly diagnosed arthritic adults: a cross-lagged panel model

James, Richard J. E.; Ferguson, Eamonn

Authors

EAMONN FERGUSON eamonn.ferguson@nottingham.ac.uk
Professor of Health Psychology



Abstract

Background: Pain and depression are common in the population and co-morbid with each other. Both are also predictive of one another other, and are also associated with cognitive function; people who are in greater pain and more depressed respectively perform less well on tests of cognitive function. It has been argued that pain might cause deterioration in cognitive function, as well as better cognitive function earlier in life might be a protective factor against the emergence of disease. When looking at the dynamic relationship between these in chronic diseases, studying samples that already have advanced disease progression often confounds this relationship.

Methods: Using data from waves 1 to 3 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) (n = 516), we examined the interplay between pain, cognitive function and depression in a subsample of respondents reporting their diagnosis of arthritis at Wave 2 of the ELSA using cross-lagged panel models.

Results: The models showed that pain, cognitive function and depression at wave 1, prior to diagnosis, predict pain at wave 2, and that pain at wave 1 predicts depression at wave 2. Pain and depression at wave 2 predict cognitive function at wave 3.

Conclusions: The results indicate that better cognitive function might be protective against the emergence of pain prior to an arthritis diagnosis, but cognitive function is subsequently impaired by pain and depression. Furthermore, higher depression predicts lower cognitive function, but not vice versa. This is discussed in the context of the emerging importance of inflammation in depression.

Citation

James, R. J. E., & Ferguson, E. (2020). The dynamic relationship between pain, depression and cognitive function in a sample of newly diagnosed arthritic adults: a cross-lagged panel model. Psychological Medicine, 50(10), 1663-1671. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291719001673

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jun 19, 2019
Online Publication Date Aug 7, 2019
Publication Date 2020-07
Deposit Date Jul 5, 2019
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Psychological Medicine
Print ISSN 0033-2917
Electronic ISSN 1469-8978
Publisher Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 50
Issue 10
Pages 1663-1671
DOI https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291719001673
Keywords Applied Psychology; Psychiatry and Mental health
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2272436
Publisher URL https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/dynamic-relationship-between-pain-depression-and-cognitive-function-in-a-sample-of-newly-diagnosed-arthritic-adults-a-crosslagged-panel-model/91E3DAFE5BED339A7006550D3B8BA3CC

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