Depressive symptoms are highly prevalent in old age, with late life depression posing significant health risks, including cognitive decline and functional impairment. While the mechanisms underlying it are not yet understood, reduced cognitive control (CC) – the mental operations underlying goal-directed behaviors – is hypothesized to be a key contributing factor. Preliminary findings from our lab show that instability of CC abilities over time may predict depressive symptoms. However, the manifestation of such instability in daily life dynamics in relation to depressive symptoms in older adults is still unknown. The overarching goal of this PhD project is twofold: first, to determine the predictive power of CC instability to depressed mood in older age; and second, to establish causality, by examining whether stabilizing CC may alleviate depressive symptoms among older adults. For this, we will run two studies among community-dwelling older adults with depressive symptoms. In Study 1, participants (N=120) will complete a 5-day Ecological Momentary Assessment study, monitoring their CC and mood several times per day. In Study 2, participants will complete a 6-week randomized control trial, applying a novel intervention we have developed, GOLD-Cog+. GOLD-Cog+ combines both bottom-up (computerized CC training) and top-down (a goal-oriented group therapy) approaches, collectively aiming to stabilize CC. Understanding the cognitive mechanisms underlying late life depression may form, in addition to scientific value, a significant therapeutic advance. Positive results from this trial may offer a novel effective intervention and may help reduce the societal, medical and personal burden associated with depressive symptoms in older age.

Supervisors: Prof. Mor Nahum and Prof. Yafit Gilboa