Self and informant ratings of depression and everyday functioning in relation to NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery performance.

OBJECTIVES The NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB) has shown promising results in older adult populations, though more research is needed to examine its relationship with important clinical outcomes (i.e. everyday function, depression). Particularly, additional research on potential disparities in self vs. informant reports in these outcomes is of importance. The aim of the present study was to examine the NIHTB-CB's relationship with both self and informant-reported everyday functioning and depression in older adults.

METHOD Forty-three cognitively healthy older adults completed the NIHTB-CB. Participants and their informants completed questionnaires related to the participants' everyday functioning (Everyday Cognition Scale; ECog) and depression (Geriatric Depression Scale-30; GDS-30). Correlation between NIHTB-CB, ECog, and GDS-30 was conducted. Then, simultaneous regression analyses of total ECog controlling for GDS-30 and significant NIHTB-CB scores identified in the prior aim were conducted.

RESULTS Worse performance on NIHTB-CB tests of processing speed, working memory (WM), inhibitory control, and conceptual flexibility (CF) were all related to worse self-reported everyday functioning and greater depression (all p < 0.05). Further, associations between WM and CF remained significantly associated with worse everyday functioning even after accounting for self-reported depression. While NIHTB-CB episodic memory was associated with informant-rated participant depression, there was no association of any NIHTB-CB measures with informant-rated everyday functioning.

CONCLUSION The NIHTB-CB is associated with functional changes in cognitively healthy older adults and may be useful in early identification of risk for a pathological cognitive aging trajectory. Further exploration of informant-reported participant depression in cognitive aging is warranted.