Date

5-2-2018

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a condition that affects 20% of adults aged 60 and older. Patients with MCI find themselves in a place between healthy cognitive function and dementia. MCI is characterized by the forgetting of events and conversations, difficulty completing complex tasks, and trouble with remembering familiar environments. Previous studies on MCI suggest that patients are at a 40% greater risk of developing dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease, as their condition progresses (Petersen, 1999). Accompanying that, MCI patients are often diagnosed with a mood disorder, commonly depression (Orgeta, Qazi, Spector, & Orrell, 2015). Prior studies have presented that in general, women, regardless of their cognitive state, are diagnosed with depression at a higher rate than men. Based on this, we predicted that the ratio of depression in female to male MCI patients would be different than the ratio of depression in the general population. We hypothesized that this rate will be amplified in female MCI patients due to the added stressors of their MCI diagnosis. The present study intends to make a broad impact on the preexisting literature, such as informing treatment options and improving quality of life in patients with cognitive impairment. Results were not significant, indicating that this specific sample displayed little to no symptoms of depression.

Department

Psychology

Thesis Comittee

Janessa Carvalho (Thesis Advisor)

Jonathan Holmes

Michael Root

Copyright and Permissions

Original document was submitted as an Honors Program requirement. Copyright is held by the author.

Download

Included in

Psychology Commons

Share

COinS