Does intelligence and memory associate with anxiety and depression in the sample of IHD patient‘s?

Abstract

Background: The results of many studies indicate that people with heart failure show evidence of subtle cognitive deficits as well as a higher prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms. However, it is unclear if cognitive disfunction correlates with mood disorders symptoms. The aim is to find links between ischemic heart disease (IHD) patient‘s general intelligence and their anxiety and depression. Methods: Study was conducted in Abromiskes Rehabilitation Hospital (Lithuania) during the period of 2014–2016. 116 IHD patients were administered Intelligence Structure test to assess intelligence and short-term memory. Seeking to evaluate anxiety and depression in the beginning and in the end of rehabilitation participants filled Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) two times. Research was supported by Research Council of Lithuania, project No.MIP-081/2014. Findings: Results didn‘t confirm that depression is correlated with intelligence and short-term memory. Notwithstanding, IHD patients with higher general and visual abilities are significant less anxious in the beginning and in the end of the rehabilitation. Negative link between short-term memory and anxiety is significant in the end of the rehabilitation. Analysis of gender differences confirmed that anxious is negative correlated with visual abilities for woman during all rehabilitation period and with short-term memory in the end of rehabilitation for men. Discussion: Our study confirmed the links between intelligence and anxiety: less anxious men have higher short-term memory and less anxious women – higher visual abilities. It could be assumed that these findings are related with gender differences in the anxiety dynamic during rehabilitation.