Sex differences in subjective cognitive impairment and clinical correlates in Chinese patients with subthreshold depression

Biology of Sex Differences

Research

Jiajing Lu¹  Daofeng Lu¹  Xin Li¹  Yao Zhang¹  Hong Li²  Qingfang Xie²  Chongze Wang³  Qinyu lv⁴  Zhenghui Yi⁴  Yiming Wu⁵ 

[1] Department of Psychiatry, Huashan Hospital, School of Medicine, Fudan University, No. 12 Wulumuqi Road (Middle), 200040, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China;Shanghai Baoshan Mental Health Center, 201900, Shanghai, China;Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 South Wanping Road, 200030, Shanghai, China;Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 South Wanping Road, 200030, Shanghai, China;Institute of Mental Health, Fudan University, 200040, Shanghai, China;Department of Psychiatry, Huashan Hospital, School of Medicine, Fudan University, No. 12 Wulumuqi Road (Middle), 200040, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China;Shanghai Yangpu Mental Health Center, 200093, Shanghai, China;

关键词: Subthreshold depression;    Depressive symptoms;    Cognitive impairment;    Alexithymia;    Sex differences;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13293-023-00488-w

 received in 2022-06-16, accepted in 2023-01-23,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

ObjectiveSubthreshold depression (SD) is a global mental health problem given its high prevalence, comorbidity, functional impairment, and its association with increased service utilization. However, currently little is known about sex differences of SD in cognitive impairment with clinical correlates. This study aims to explore sex differences in subjective cognitive impairment and clinically associated risk factors in Chinese patients with subthreshold depression (SD).MethodsA total of 126 patients with SD, 40 males and 86 females, aged 18–45 years, were included in this cross-sectional observational study. Their general information, psychological assessments, and psychiatric symptom assessments were collected online. The Patient Health Questionnaire depression-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Perceived Deficits Questionnaire-Depression (PDQ-D), and Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) with 3 subdomains were used. The obtained scores were analyzed with partial correlation and multiple linear regression analysis models.ResultsOur results showed that females had significantly higher PDQ-D-20 total score than males. However, the differences in TAS-20 and subdomain score according to sex were not significant. Notably, TAS-20 and DDF (difficulty describing feelings) subdomain contributed to cognitive impairment in males, whereas both PHQ-9 total score and TAS-20 or DDF subdomain contributed to cognitive impairment in females.ConclusionThese findings revealed significant sex differences in cognitive impairment and clinical correlates in SD, which should be further followed-up in the future.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023

【 图 表 】

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