Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Diagnostic status moderates the association between verbal memory and left hippocampal volume in older adults with generalised anxiety disorder and healthy controls

Sirevåg, Kristine ; Stavestrand, Silje Haukenes ; Specht, Karsten ; Nordhus, Inger Hilde ; Mohlman, Jan ; Molde, Helge ; Hammar, Åsa LU ; Halmøy, Anne ; Endal, Trygve Bruun and Andersson, Eva , et al. (2025) In Journal of Affective Disorders 388.
Abstract

Introduction: Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) in older adults involves excessive worry and cognitive challenges. Verbal memory impairments is associated to hippocampal dysfunction, with cortisol and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) being important in hippocampal integrity. Research on hippocampal volume and verbal memory in older adults with GAD is limited, with mixed findings. This study investigates verbal memory in older adults with GAD versus healthy controls, and relations with hippocampal volumes. Methods: Participants included 49 adults with GAD (Mage = 65.82, SD = 3.94) and 49 controls (Mage = 67.73, SD = 4.11). Verbal memory was assessed using the California Verbal Learning Test Long Delay Free... (More)

Introduction: Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) in older adults involves excessive worry and cognitive challenges. Verbal memory impairments is associated to hippocampal dysfunction, with cortisol and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) being important in hippocampal integrity. Research on hippocampal volume and verbal memory in older adults with GAD is limited, with mixed findings. This study investigates verbal memory in older adults with GAD versus healthy controls, and relations with hippocampal volumes. Methods: Participants included 49 adults with GAD (Mage = 65.82, SD = 3.94) and 49 controls (Mage = 67.73, SD = 4.11). Verbal memory was assessed using the California Verbal Learning Test Long Delay Free Recall, hippocampal volumes via MRI, BDNF from serum, and cortisol via saliva. We fitted a Bayesian multivariate linear regression with bilateral hippocampal volume as outcome measure, and predictors: age, gender, education, intracranial volume, IQ, BDNF, cortisol, SSRI use, CVLT Long Delay Free Recall (LD FR), CVLT Learning, and diagnostic status*CVLT LD FR interaction. Results: A credible interaction showed better verbal memory associated to larger hippocampal volume in controls, but this relationship was attenuated in GAD. BDNF and cortisol were not credibly associated with hippocampal volume. Conclusion: Diagnostic status moderates verbal memory and hippocampal volume relations, suggesting a distinct neurocognitive profile in older adults with GAD compared to healthy controls.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and , et al. (More)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and (Less)
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
GAD, Generalised anxiety disorder, Hippocampal volume, Older adults, Verbal memory
in
Journal of Affective Disorders
volume
388
article number
119621
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:40494499
  • scopus:105007725946
ISSN
0165-0327
DOI
10.1016/j.jad.2025.119621
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
fb092acd-3dc1-464c-93a1-9ca4624c6af2
date added to LUP
2025-10-28 13:14:56
date last changed
2025-10-28 13:15:37
@article{fb092acd-3dc1-464c-93a1-9ca4624c6af2,
  abstract     = {{<p>Introduction: Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) in older adults involves excessive worry and cognitive challenges. Verbal memory impairments is associated to hippocampal dysfunction, with cortisol and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) being important in hippocampal integrity. Research on hippocampal volume and verbal memory in older adults with GAD is limited, with mixed findings. This study investigates verbal memory in older adults with GAD versus healthy controls, and relations with hippocampal volumes. Methods: Participants included 49 adults with GAD (M<sub>age</sub> = 65.82, SD = 3.94) and 49 controls (M<sub>age</sub> = 67.73, SD = 4.11). Verbal memory was assessed using the California Verbal Learning Test Long Delay Free Recall, hippocampal volumes via MRI, BDNF from serum, and cortisol via saliva. We fitted a Bayesian multivariate linear regression with bilateral hippocampal volume as outcome measure, and predictors: age, gender, education, intracranial volume, IQ, BDNF, cortisol, SSRI use, CVLT Long Delay Free Recall (LD FR), CVLT Learning, and diagnostic status*CVLT LD FR interaction. Results: A credible interaction showed better verbal memory associated to larger hippocampal volume in controls, but this relationship was attenuated in GAD. BDNF and cortisol were not credibly associated with hippocampal volume. Conclusion: Diagnostic status moderates verbal memory and hippocampal volume relations, suggesting a distinct neurocognitive profile in older adults with GAD compared to healthy controls.</p>}},
  author       = {{Sirevåg, Kristine and Stavestrand, Silje Haukenes and Specht, Karsten and Nordhus, Inger Hilde and Mohlman, Jan and Molde, Helge and Hammar, Åsa and Halmøy, Anne and Endal, Trygve Bruun and Andersson, Eva and Sjøbø, Trond and Nordahl, Hans M. and Thayer, Julian F. and Hovland, Anders}},
  issn         = {{0165-0327}},
  keywords     = {{GAD; Generalised anxiety disorder; Hippocampal volume; Older adults; Verbal memory}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Affective Disorders}},
  title        = {{Diagnostic status moderates the association between verbal memory and left hippocampal volume in older adults with generalised anxiety disorder and healthy controls}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.119621}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jad.2025.119621}},
  volume       = {{388}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}