J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2022 Feb;61(1):38-44. 10.4306/jknpa.2022.61.1.38.

Network Analysis of Central Symptoms of Depression in Elderly Cognitive Disorder Patients

• Kim D
• Park SC
• Kim IB
• Kim E

• KMID: 2526784
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4306/jknpa.2022.61.1.38

Abstract

Objectives
This study aimed to identify central symptoms of depression in elderly cognitive disorder patients through network analysis.
Methods
A total of 222 participants, 61 male and 104 female suffering from a cognitive disorder, participated in the dementia screening test and were given Mini-Mental Status Examination in the Korean Version of the CERAD Assessment Packet or Mini-Mental Status Examination for Dementia Screening and Korean Form of Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-K) at a public health center in Gyeonggi-do, Korea. This study used network analysis to identify the centrality in the symptom network of depression among elderly cognitive disorder patients.
Results
Among 30 nodes included in our network analysis, 435 edges were available, and 50 edges had a meaningful relationship. According to the centrality results of the study, we found that GDS-K item 16, “Do you feel depressed and discouraged?” item 3, “Do you feel like you’re living in vain?” and item 15, “Do you enjoy being alive?” were the key symptoms. Also, there was a difference in symptom correlations between cognitive disorder patients and normal participants.
Conclusion
The results suggest that depressive mood, discouragement, worthlessness and loss of pleasure should be the priority intervention goals in intervening in depressive symptoms of the elderly with cognitive disabilities.

Keyword

Cognitive disorder; Depression; Central symptom; Network analysis